Because rapid growth is a potential cause of the condition, the first year of life and adolescence are two age groups where infants and children are especially prone to anemia.
Anaemia is a serious global public health problem that particularly affects young children, menstruating adolescent girls and women, and pregnant and postpartum women. WHO estimates that 40% of children 6–59 months of age, 37% of pregnant women, and 30% of women 15–49 years of age worldwide are anaemic.
Anemia means having a red blood cell count that is lower than normal, and it's very common in older adults. About 10% of independently living people over age 65 have anemia. And anemia becomes even more common as people get older. But many older adults and families hardly understand anemia.
Many people are at risk for anemia because of poor diet, intestinal disorders, chronic diseases, infections, and other conditions. Women who are menstruating or pregnant and people with chronic medical conditions are most at risk for this disease. The risk of anemia increases as people grow older.
Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives the red color to blood. It carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Anemia has three main causes: blood loss, lack of red blood cell production, and high rates of red blood cell destruction.
When we are under stress, our body undergoes specific chemical changes which might cause anaemia. Some explanations regarding this point are: Most of the time stress can lead to anxiety and anxiety can contribute to anaemia. Stress is believed to affect the vitamin metabolism in your body.
Fatigue — feeling too tired to manage your activities — is the most noticeable anemia symptom. Other symptoms may include: Shortness of breath (dyspnea): This is the feeling you can't catch your breath or take a deep breath. Dizziness: This is feeling lightheaded or unsteady on your feet.
It may come about suddenly or over time, and may be caused by your diet, medicines you take, or another medical condition. Anemia can also be chronic, meaning it lasts a long time and may never go away completely. Some types of anemia are inherited. The most common type of anemia is iron-deficiency anemia.
“Anemia cannot cause leukemia but could be a sign of bone marrow that's not producing enough red blood cells,” Dr. Wetmore explained. “This requires an investigation (lab tests) into the cause of low numbers of red blood cells.”
Fatigue. Tiring easily, and waking up tired even after a good night's sleep, are common and potentially serious symptoms of anemia. This is due to reduced and compromised red blood cells that naturally cannot carry the required levels of oxygen to the organs – which, in turn, cannot function efficiently.
You may notice pale skin and cold hands and feet. Iron-deficiency anemia can also cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded. Occasionally, it can cause chest pain, a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath. Iron deficiency can cause you to have unusual cravings for non-food items such as ice, dirt or paper.
Eye symptoms of low iron can include a pale coloring of the inside of the lower eyelids. In moderate or severe cases of iron deficiency anemia, the inside layer of the lower eyelid is very pale pink or yellow instead of red. Rather than low iron, one common cause of blurry vision is dry eye.
You need iron to make hemoglobin, a protein that helps your red blood cells carry oxygen. Your doctor will find out why your iron is low. Usually, you can treat iron deficiency anemia with supplements. Once your iron levels go up, you should start to feel better.
In some cases, your body recovers from anemia on its own. In other cases, your doctor may want to take steps to build up your red blood cell count. He or she can do this by giving you a blood transfusion or special medicines.
Understanding Anemia And Anxiety
Anemia itself can also cause anxiety as a symptom. Those that are anemic are placing their body under a great deal of stress, and this often sends messages to the brain to be more anxious.
Following treatment, most people go on to live normal, healthy lives. However, anemia can have lasting, or life-threatening, effects. These are more common if the condition is chronic, severe, or left untreated.
This happens because stress causes us to decrease the amount of stomach acid in our system, which can lead to poor nutrient absorption. Some of these nutrients are vital for iron absorption, which can also cause the number of red blood cells we have at any given time.
The result showed that short sleep time could lead to low hemoglobin concentration, and disturbed sleep also increased the risk of anemia25. It is limited on the association between night sleep duration and risk for anemia in the general population.
Meat and fish have heme iron. Lean cut white meat like chicken is a great source of heme protein. Three ounces of grilled chicken with sides of broccoli, sauteed spinach, and tomatoes can make for a great iron-rich meal for people suffering from anaemia.
Pale skin Hemoglobin gives skin its rosy color, so low levels cause the skin to become lighter. “When red blood cells become low in iron, they become smaller and paler in the center so skin also becomes paler,” Murr says.
Foods to avoid
milk and some dairy products. foods that contain tannins, such as grapes, corn, and sorghum. foods that contain phytates or phytic acid, such as brown rice and whole-grain wheat products. foods that contain oxalic acid, such as peanuts, parsley, and chocolate.