Anemia produces symptoms that are not specific. It is easy to underestimate them because they resemble a state of exhaustion. Meanwhile, it is imperative to find the cause of anemia as soon as possible. Find out how to recognize the symptoms of anemia, what tests to perform if it is suspected, what is the treatment and what the diet should look like in the case of the disease.

Contents:

    1. Anemia - Causes and Types
    2. Anemia - Symptoms
    3. Anemia - diagnosis. What kind of research should I do?
    4. Anemia - treatment. Diet for anemia

Anemiais a disease in which the blood hemoglobin level or the number of red blood cells falls below normal.Symptomsanemia is not specific, it is easy confuse them with fatigue. In the meantime, it is imperative to findthe cause of the anemia and treat it as soon as possible.

There are several types of anemia - e.g.iron deficiency anemia , haemorrhagic, vitamin B12 deficiency. Iron deficiency anemia is the most common, affecting about 1/4 of women between the ages of 20 and 50. And this anemia is also mostly neglected. It seems that you just need to take the iron preparation and you're done. Nothing could be more wrong.

The body needs iron to make hemoglobin and make red blood cells. But his role does not end there. Your brain also needs iron, specifically enzymes that are involved in nourishing nerve cells. The lack of a valuable element results in worse intellectual performance. Thus, difficulties in focusing attention, irritation and distraction may be a harbinger of impending anemia.

You lack strength - until recently you climbed the stairs without gasping, and now you climb to the first floor ends in tachycardia (accelerated heartbeat). It can also be a symptom of anemia.

Your body's iron management is under strict control. There are special mechanisms and even a special enzyme that regulates the concentration of this valuable element in the blood serum. The iron saving mechanism is very precise. In a he althy person, every part of it is absorbed. Anemia can mean that iron is leaking. So it is necessary to find out which way andwhy.

The most banal and common cause of anemia are periods that last too long (over 5 days) or are too heavy. Uterine fibroids may also be the source of microbleeding. Occasionally, bleeding also occurs in the digestive tract.

Then the cause of trouble is stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer or more serious diseases, such as polyps of the colon or cancer. And it is the doctor's task to exclude the most serious diseases at the beginning of the therapy. For this, there are two not very pleasant examinations - gastroscopy and colonoscopy. They should be performed properly on every person suffering from anemia.

Anemia - Causes and Types

Anemia associated with impaired red blood cell productionAnemia associated with blood lossAnemia associated with shortened red blood cell survival time

1. Deficient:

  • with iron deficiency (sideropenic)
  • from a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate (megaloblastic)

2. Others:

  • aplastic anemia (pure red cell or bone marrow aplasia)
  • sideroblastic anemia
  • anemia of chronic diseases, e.g. cancer
  • hemoglobinopathies
  • denial anemia in the course of myelo-lymphoproliferative syndromes or tumor metastases to the bone marrow
  • heavy periods
  • injuries, accidents
  • gastrointestinal bleeding

1. Congenital intracellular defects

  • enzymopathies (pyruvate kinase deficiency, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency)
  • membrane defects (congenital spherocytosis)
  • hemoglobinopathies (sickle cell anemia)
  • thalassemie

2. Extracellular defects

  • immunohemolysis (auto- and alloimmune)
  • microangiopathy
  • red blood cell sequestration (hypersplenism)

Anemia - Symptoms

Wanemia symptomscan affect any organ:

1. Leather

      • pallor
      • petechiae
      • bruises
      • leg ulcers

2. Hair

      • falling out
      • graying
      • fragility

3. Nails

      • fragility
      • white spots
      • furrowing

4. Nervous system

      • headaches and dizziness
      • entanglement
      • sleepiness
      • memory impairment
      • increased irritability
      • impaired concentration
      • fainting
      • numbness

5. Cardiovascular system

      • heart murmurs
      • getting tired quickly
      • shortness of breath

6. Digestive system

      • anorexic
      • nausea
      • flatulence
      • stomach pains
      • diarrhea or constipation
      • mucosal ulcers

7. Others:

    • enlargement of the spleen, liver, lymph nodes
    • low fever

Anemia - diagnosis. What kind of research should I do?

It is commonly believed that the test that confirms or excludes anemia is morphology. hemoglobin level. If the hemoglobin value falls below 12.5 g% in women and 14 g% in men, the doctor will report anemia. Another indicator in the morphology of MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volium) allows us to assess the type of anemia we are dealing with. In a he althy human, the MCV is an eye of 80 fl. If MCV exceeds 110 fl, the blood cell is too large, which is a sign of vitamin B12 deficiency anemia. MCV below 70 fl means that the blood cells are too small, which is characteristic of iron deficiency anemia.

Morphology has the disadvantage of detecting already advanced anemia. Meanwhile, there is a study to track down iron deficiencies before anemia develops. This is a ferritin test. Ferritin is a protein with which the body can capture iron stores. Therefore, testing the level of ferritin checks the state of the precious element's stores. This test is much more relevant than the common iron level. The result of the latter can easily be falsified. For example, if blood is transported and left standing for a long time, paradoxically often a false high concentration of iron results.

Source: youtube.com/ Simply Saying

Anemia - treatment. Diet for anemia

Treatment of anemia depends on the underlying cause. For example, in iron deficiency anemia, treating only with iron preparations without finding the cause of the bleeding is very dangerous, as it may lead to the failure to recognize the underlying serious disease.

So, if your anemia is caused by too heavy or prolonged periods, you should start gynecological treatment, usually (if there are no contraindications) hormonal treatment. If it is a bleeding myoma - it must be cut. If haemorrhoids (haemorrhoids) - operate, aif ulcers - take antibiotics. In addition to eliminating the cause, we need to make up for the iron deficiency. The preparation prescribed by a doctor should usually be taken for six months to fill the magazines. Finally, a test is done to assess the concentration of ferritin. If the results are correct, we can relax and come for a consultation in six months.

Read more: How to improve iron malabsorption in anemia?

The expert advisesKatarzyna Pryzmont, dietitian

Katarzyna Pryzmont - dietitian, psychodietician, owner of the ATP dietary office. He specializes in losing weight for adults, conducts workshops and lectures on motivation when changing eating habits, among others. "How to deal with temptations while losing weight". More at www.atpgabinetdietetyczny.pl

I am 20 years old, I study and for many years (since junior high school) I have had problems with iron deficiency. Due to the fact that I cook only for myself, I decided to fight this problem with a diet. I have read many articles and unfortunately there is a lot of contradictory information.

mgr Katarzyna Pryzmont, nutritionist: Anemia is a very complicated medical disorder, and iron deficiency is only one of the causes. It's a good idea to go to your GP to rule out other factors and do very thorough research. Sometimes, or even often, increasing your iron intake is not enough. It should be remembered that anemia can also be caused by a deficiency of folic acid, vitamin B6, B12 or insufficient intake of vitamin C, which supports the absorption of this element.

When it comes to the best sources of iron, I definitely recommend animal products, because plant-based products are absorbed in only 2%. However, please do not give up on plant products, because they contain other very valuable ingredients necessary for maintaining the balance in the body. What I would limit to a minimum are teas, mostly black. You can drink them, but never with your meal. From vegetables, please exclude: spinach, sorrel, rhubarb. Eating foods with a lot of dietary fiber will make it difficult to absorb not only iron but also other nutrients. This doesn't mean you should eliminate fiber. Just eat it in small amounts up to 4 out of 5 meals.

A small portion of fiber is 2 tablespoons of groats, a slice of bread, 2-3 tablespoons of bran. Consume dairy products separately from those rich in iron. Calcium can make it difficult to absorb. In order to fight anemia even better, it is worth remembering about other ingredients. I mean folic acid. You can buy it at the pharmacy (0.4 mg) and additionally increase the consumption of broccoli, lettuce, parsley,kale. Poultry liver is also a good solution. Another ingredient that will help you is vitamin B6. Choose yeast-based bread and yeast dough. They are its best source. And of course vitamin C, a great source of which is red pepper (the daily dose is 80g of this vegetable to supplement vitamin C). But you eat more of it. Drink lemon water with meat products and green vegetables. I don't know when you can expect an improvement in your results.

Category:

Cardiology