Anemia is a condition suffered by more than 1.6 billion people around the world, according to data from the WHO (World Health Organization). This means that almost a quarter of the world's population suffers from it, being more frequent in children..
It can have very negative consequences on child development, especially if it occurs in pregnant women or young children. In adults, the negative effects can also be very serious.
That is why it is important to know what it is, what its symptoms are, its causes and what its consequences may be, in order to detect the problem in time and solve it as soon as possible..
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The blood that runs through the veins and arteries contains millions of red blood cells. These globules have inside a protein called hemoglobin, which is responsible for transporting oxygen from the lungs to all tissues.
Anemia occurs when the level of hemoglobin present in the red blood cells is below the normal level.
There are many possible causes, but the most common is a lack of iron (iron deficiency anemia). Iron is a fundamental mineral for the production of hemoglobin
Iron deficiency anemia is possible for a number of reasons, the most common of which are:
As mentioned above, anemia can have very serious health consequences. These are the ten most important:
People who suffer from it tend to feel more tired than normal, with a lack of energy, especially when they exercise..
If you feel tired all the time and have to make an effort to carry out daily tasks that you previously completed without problems, perhaps you could suffer from it.
Pregnant women are an especially important risk group. During pregnancy, the baby's iron stores can decrease, which increases the chances that he will suffer from this condition during childhood..
On the other hand, anemia in pregnant women has been linked to an increased risk of preterm birth and also increases the risk of the baby having low birth weight.
Children who suffer from it may suffer a delay in their weight growth, that is, they are children whose increase in height and weight may not be normal and be below expectations.
It is for this reason that in many countries infants are given an iron supplement during their first months of life, as breast milk probably does not contain the amounts of iron they need.
On the other hand, in children it can affect their school performance. It can cause problems with concentration and attention, difficulty thinking and reasoning and therefore, the child can have serious learning problems.
Several studies have shown that it can lower defenses, increase the risk of infection and decrease resistance to disease.
Another consequence is pale skin and mucous membranes. This is often the most prominent symptom. If the inside of a person's eyelids is very pale pink and the skin appears lack of color, they could have this condition..
When the hemoglobin level is below normal, less oxygen reaches all the organs of the body. Oxygen shortage in the brain can cause headache.
Dizziness, together with the feeling of fatigue, can also be a consequence of the lack of oxygen in the tissues, caused by anemia.
In an effort to get the little oxygen available to all systems, an anemic person's heart beats faster than normal and arrhythmias may occur in some cases..
This is another of the possible consequences. Weak nails, which chip easily, could be giving away their presence, although there are also other causes for brittle nails, such as hypothyroidism..
Anemia can be easily diagnosed through a simple blood test called a complete blood count. In the hemogram, a red blood cell count is made and the level of hemoglobin in the blood is measured.
If this is below normal, then there is anemia.
The treatment that should be carried out depends on what the cause is. It must always be borne in mind that anemia is not a disease in itself, but a symptom of an underlying problem.
In the case of iron deficiency anemia, your doctor may recommend iron supplements to take orally or in the form of intravenous medications..
In general, it is also recommended to have an adequate diet that includes foods rich in iron, such as meat, lentils, liver, spinach and tomato, among others. Likewise, it is important to lead a lifestyle that maintains high defenses.
If it is caused by heavy bleeding, in addition to iron supplements and proper nutrition, the doctor should look for the cause of the bleeding and the solution to it.
The same happens in the case of people who suffer from intestinal absorption problems. The cause of the problem and the solution must be sought so that the anemia does not reappear.
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