Anemia.
Anemia means that there are too few red blood cells in the blood or that too few red blood cells contain hemoglobin.
[B] Hemoglobin [B] (Hb) is an iron-containing protein in red blood cells (erythrocytes) are present and ensure that oxygen from the lungs can be bound and transported.
In one man, the number of red blood cells per mm3 blood approximately 5,200,000, 4,700,000 women.
A red cell has an average lifespan of 90 to 120 days. Old blood through the liver and the spleen removed. There are constantly new red blood cells created in the bone marrow.
This process is called erythropoiesis and is governed by the secretion of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) through the kidneys.
In the beginning, and symptoms of anemia usually so low that they often go unnoticed. They take but in severity as the anemia worsens. Initially you will if you have anemia tired faster and paler than usual. Pallor is most clearly visible in the nail bed, inside of the eyelids and lips and the palms. In anemia, the creases in the palms often as pale as the skin around it. With effort you more breathless than usual. Also you may notice that your heart beats faster than normal.
The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency. In iron deficiency, the body can not make enough hemoglobin. With a shortage of vitamin B12 (such as pernicious anemia) or folate (folic acid deficiency), the body can not make enough red blood cells. In inherited disorders such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia or a rare disease of the hemoglobin, the body produces an abnormal form of hemoglobin.
Is your Hb levels too low, then not enough oxygen by red blood cells are transported.
Female:
• normal Hb level: 7.3 to 10 mmol / ml
• anemia: less than 7.3 mmol / ml
Man:
• normal Hb level: 7.8 to 10.8 mmol / ml
• Blood-poverty: less than 7.8 mmol / ml
Anemia is not a single disease but rather as a fever alarm that something is wrong.
Complaints
• Anemia may expire without notice and are discovered by chance by a blood test.
Because anemia can feel tired and weak. Short of breath on exertion is faster. Further symptoms may occur such as dizziness, feeling faint, palpitations, sweating, headache and tinnitus. Pallor occurs only when the hemoglobin content is greatly reduced.
Other possible symptoms are lethargy, sleep problems, concentration difficulties, indigestion, feeling cold and impotence in men or less sex.
• Anemia due to a vitamin deficiency can also cause inflammation of the mouth and / or tongue and neurological symptoms.
• In children, anemia can lead to slowing growth and mental development.
In children there is a test to determine whether your child has anemia: pull your lower eyelid down and watch your child inside. When the color is pale pink instead of red, then chances are that your child has anemia.
Whether these symptoms caused by anemia, can only be determined on the basis of an (extended) blood.
It is to consider the concentration of hemoglobin and ferritin in the blood.
A low hemoglobin level alone does not mean that because the body has enough iron. If there really is an iron deficiency, is known to determine the transferrin receptor in the blood. It is to see how to iron the body “asks”.
Causes
Anemia can result from:
• iron deficiency (this is the most common cause),
• a lack of vitamin B12 or folic acid,
• a chronic disease, infection or inflammation,
• a genetic defect.
Iron deficiency (anemia = ferriprieve)
Iron is the cornerstone of hemoglobin. An iron deficiency can result from blood loss, iron deficiency in the diet and reduced intake of iron in the intestine.
The requirements in relation to body weight is greatest during the first year of life and especially between 4 and 12 months. During the first 3 to 4 months, the newborn has a good iron reserves, mainly in the liver and red blood cells (approximately 50 mg per kg body weight). The high hemoglobin levels at birth is an important iron reserve, during the first 6 to 8 weeks will be addressed. This mechanism allows the hemoglobin level to a level of 12 grams per liter to keep the 3 to 4 months of age. The total iron reserves of the organism remains stable at about 250 mg while the average body weight increased from 3.5 to 6 kg.
• From this age is an external iron intake of 0.7 mg per day were required for the hemoglobin to normal account. Such recording also allows the iron reserve to approximately 330 mg to 450 mg at 6 months and 12 months to bring. Given the losses, the need during the first year of life at 0.9 mg iron daily estimated.
• During the teenage years, the growth significantly, and the average demand for steel is ± 1.5 mg per day. This leads to a recommendation for boys from 10 to 13 mg per day. For girls in puberty is this still the amount to be added, the months were needed to compensate.
• For adults is a recommended daily intake of 9 mg per day for men and 8 mg per day for women increased by 12 mg per day to 20 mg per day to compensate the menstruation.
• The iron intake of pregnant women should compensate the losses in the placental and fetal needs, and the expansion of the red cell mass possible. This equates to a total of approximately 1 g for the entire pregnancy period. It is estimated that approximately 20% of pregnant women iron deficiency. Iron supplementation is therefore sometimes useful after the first trimester of pregnancy.
• During breastfeeding is a recommendation of 10 mg per day.
Blood Loss
For example after an accident, surgery or childbirth, after a period of prolonged or heavy menstrual periods, or if you experience prolonged (silently) small amounts of blood loss, such as your stomach or intestines. Such ‘creeping’ blood loss can occur with certain painkillers (aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, diclofenac), a disease of the stomach or intestines, or strenuous exercise (like walking).
The diet contains enough iron
A normal, balanced diet generally contains just enough iron.
* The typical Western diet provides about 6 mg of heme and non-heme iron per 1000 kcal. A recent study in which the daily dietary iron intake in Belgium was examined, it appears that the average adult intake 11.3 + / – 4.4 mg per day, which is above the recommended daily amount for men is, but under the recommended amount for menstruating women
* Vegetarians should pay attention to their iron intake. Iron from animal products, ie better absorbed than is iron from plant products. The absorption of iron from plant products can be improved by these products simultaneously with vitamin C-rich foods such as orange juice, a kiwi, green vegetables or vitamin C in tablet form.
* Simultaneous use of coffee, tea and milk, the absorption of iron from the gastrointestinal tract are even inhibited. If someone tends to a low iron stores, then they should not drink at one (iron rich) meal taken.
The iron is poorly recorded in the gastrointestinal tract.
Iron is only part of the body in the gastrointestinal tract.
This image can be disrupted by various factors.
• Ulcer, coelakie …
• Some medicines such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (like aspirin)
Lack of Vitamin B12 or folic acid
Anemia due to lack of vitamin B12 in the diet, if there is exceptional in the diet for a long time no animal products are included. This can occur in strict vegetarians and alcoholics.
Usually lack of vitamin B12 anemia caused by a disease of the stomach or intestines which vitamin B12 by the body not included.
Anemia by a lack of folic acid is usually caused by a deficiency in the diet. This can occur in alcoholics and in people who follow a strict diet.
Chronic illness
• Many chronic diseases such as rheumatism, (repeated) infection or cancer can disrupt the production of hemoglobin. Probably the red blood cells include degraded faster (Haemolytic anemia)
• Sometimes the kidneys are not sufficient to erythropoietin. That is the substance that stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells and hemoglobin. An EPA-deficiency is usually due to chronic diseases or cancer.
• Sometimes an inherited defect of hemoglobin causing anemia. The red blood cells carry less oxygen and can then be rapidly degraded. Examples of these abnormalities are thalassemia (comes almost exclusively by people from the Mediterranean area) and sickle cell disease (comes only in black people).
Treatment
The treatment course depends on the cause.
Tags: Anemia, Blood cells, Blood loss, Diet, Hemoglobin, Oxygen, Treatment, Vegetarian, Vitamin
