Anemia results when there is not enough iron in the blood to carry oxygen to all parts of the body. Baby and toddlers, pregnant and menstruating women, and people who have lost blood need more iron.

The symptoms of anemia can include headache, fatigue, weakness, difficulty in thinking. With severe anemia, other symptoms, such as shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat, may be experienced.

The root cause of anemia is generally deficiency of iron in the diet. However, there are many other ways in which loss of blood can take place from the body. The following are some of them:- People with hemorrhoids (i.e. piles) often lose great amounts of blood if there are open sores. If the loss is beyond acceptable limit, then the person would suffer from anemia. Hemolysis is a condition in which a breakdown of the red blood corpuscles takes place.

A healthy diet, rich in iron, must be consumed. Whole grain cereals, legumes and pulses are good sources of iron. Nuts and dry dates also contain iron. Among the meats, organs such as kidney and liver contain iron in them. Anemia that is caused due to deficiency of vitamins can be avoided by a proper intake of vitamins in the diet. The food must be properly balanced and contain the proper amount of nutrients. Consult a diet chart for better guidance.

children going through a rapid growth spurt, during which the iron available cannot keep up with the demands for a growing red cell mass women in childbearing years who have an excessive need for iron because of blood loss during menstruation People with ongoing gastrointestinal blood loss are at risk of developing iron deficiency, as are individuals with leukemia or cancer who must receive chemotherapy or radiation to treat their disease.

Yes, some types of anemia are due to inherited or genetic defects. Sickle cell anemia occurs most frequently in people of African, African-American, and Mediterranean descent. Thalassemia (or Cooley's anemia) is found in people of Mediterranean and Southeast Asian descent. These types of anemia are extremely common. Another inherited anemia is Fanconi anemia, but this is very rare.

Pregnancy places major demands on the body, because the mother must meet the needs of both her body and her growing baby. The body needs enough iron and folate to make the right amount of red blood cells. To prevent anemia during pregnancy, the expectant mother should stay in close contact with her doctor, and be sure to eat a diet that includes foods rich in iron and folate, like liver and dark green leafy vegetables.

To ensure your safety while donating, the Red Cross requires a certain minimum level of iron in your blood. If you fall below this level, you will simply not be allowed to donate that day; you can try again the next day if you want. College students, especially women, often fall below this cut off. Try eating iron-rich foods in the days/weeks leading up to the drive if you are worried: check out this list of iron-rich food.

Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, and without enough hemoglobin, anemia develops and the body does not get the right amount of oxygen. Iron deficiency anemia develops after the body has had a low level of iron for a long time, either because of iron loss or inadequate iron intake over a long period of time. It can be caused by blood loss, not taking in or absorbing enough iron, increased demands for iron (like pregenancy or rapid growth).

The relationship here is usually caused by the increased menstrual blood loss associated with the fibroids. Aggressive iron supplementation may be required to prevent iron deficiency anemia from developing.

Aplastic anemia is a very serious and rare condition in which the bone marrow stops producing enough red and white blood cells to keep the body healthy, resulting in an increased risk of infection and uncontrollable bleeding. The disease can develop in patients of any age and is treatable by medication, bone marrow transplants, and blood transfusions.

There are a number of different types of anemia and the symptoms will vary by type. In general, potential causes include a number of disease such as heart disease, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, and cancer; inflammatory disease like rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel syndrome; and a number of other conditions such as excessive blood loss, nutritional deficiencies, adverse reactions to certain medications, chemotherapy, and certain problems affecting bone marrow.

Anemia is treatable, but the treatment is dependent upon the type of anemia present. It may be as simple as including more foods that contain iron into your diet, to things more complex such as vitamin B-12 injections, drug therapy, or surgery. That is why it is so important to discuss your concerns about anemia with your doctor. Only a doctor can determine what course of action is the correct one for your unique condition. Talk to your doctor.