by Christine Wallace

Created on: June 07, 2008   Last Updated: June 09, 2008

The Symptoms and Treatment of Anemia

The primary purpose of red blood cells is to bring oxygen to the organs. Anemia is a condition in which a person lacks sufficient red blood cells or hemoglobin. The body of an anemic person is not well oxygenated.
The symptoms of anemia vary with its severity. Someone with a mild case may notice subtle symptoms, such as fatigue, a pale complexion, poor circulation, hair loss, or experiencing pica, a craving for non-food materials such as dirt. A person with a severe case may experience shortness of breath, a racing heart, organ damage, improper growth, and even death. Anemia is detected by a blood test which counts red blood cells and determines hemoglobin levels.

Iron deficiency anemia occurs when not enough iron is consumed to meet the needs of the body. Hemoglobin molecules give red blood cells the capability to transport oxygen. Iron is a necessary component of the hemoglobin molecule. Without iron, the heme components of the hemoglobin molecule cannot change affinity and carry oxygen or remove carbon dioxide to the tissues.
Increasing iron intake treats iron deficiency anemia. An adult needs approximately 18 milligrams of iron every day. Menstruating, pregnant, and breastfeeding women need even more iron. Meat, poultry products, eggs, fish, spinach, and fortified grain products are rich in iron. Ferrous fumarate, the active ingredient in iron supplements, is not absorbed as easily by the body as the form of iron in food. When taking an iron supplement, one should drink it with a juice that contains ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), such as orange juice, to lead to optimal absorption.
Hemolytic anemia occurs when red blood cells degrade more quickly than they can be replaced. The use of certain antibiotics or medications can lead to an early death of red blood cells. Treatment consists of the avoidance of medicines that reduce the lifetime of red blood cells, having blood transfusions, and having bone marrow transplants.
Aplastic anemia occurs when the immune system attacks all types of blood cells. The treatment suppresses the immune system in order to restore the blood cell count, which leaves the patient vulnerable to sickness. Frequent blood transfusions may help maintain the blood cell count, but sometimes doctors need to resort to bone marrow transplants.
Pernicious anemia occurs when the body lacks Vitamin B-12, an important ingredient on the pathway for making DNA for the red blood cells. Vitamin B-12 is not synthesized by the body, so it is entirely supplemented by the diet. In pernicious anemia, the immune system attacks parietal cells of the gastric mucosa that synthesize intrinsic factors. These intrinsic factors are what help the body bind and absorb Vitamin B-12 in the ileum. To combat pernicious anemia, patients orally take or are injected with vitamin supplements so the DNA that the body needs to code the proteins of the red blood cells can be built.
Sickle cell anemia is a genetic condition in which the red blood cells have an abnormal morphology. Normal red blood cells have a doughnut shape, which allow them to navigate the blood vessels easily. Sickle cells are shaped like the letter c, which makes their travels more difficult. Sickle cells can obstruct blood vessels, leading to infection, delayed healing, and improper growth. Doctors administer antibiotics to prevent infection, give blood transfusions, and even perform bone marrow transplants to treat sickle cell anemia.
To guarantee good circulatory system health, a patient should consume the proper amount of iron and have a yearly blood test. Anemia can be difficult to detect, but after diagnosis, it is usually easily treated.

Learn more about this author, Christine Wallace.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.