What is anemia?

Anemia is the medical condition due to the deficiency in the quantity or quality of red blood cells (RBCs) or hemoglobin, which is the protein in RBCs that carries oxygen to the body’s tissues. This deficiency can lead to a variety of symptoms and health issues, as the body’s organs and tissues may not receive enough oxygen to function properly.

There are many types of anemia and they are all due to different reasons. Iron deficiency anemia is one of the most common type of anemia caused by lack of iron in the body, which is used by our body to produce hemoglobin for oxygen carrying. Pernicious anemia is also very common due to vitamin B12 deficiency. Alongside folic deficiency anemia (Vitamin B9), both of them are necessary for RBC production.

There are also other types of anemia. Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious condition where the bone marrow fails to produce enough RBC. Hemolytic anemia is a condition which RBCs are destroyed faster than produced. Sickle cell anemia is a genetic disorder where RBCs are shaped differently, altering its ability to carry oxygen.

Depending on the type of anemia, symptoms of anemia can vary a lot. Common signs include unusual fatigue and weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness and headache. Apart from nutritional deficiencies such as lack of iron and vitamin, anemia can happen because of chronic diseases such as cancer which interferes with RBC production. Pregnancy can also put you at risk of iron deficiency anemia. Heavy blood loss episodes is also one of the major causes.

To tackle the issue of iron deficiency anemia or anemia due to lack of vitamin B9 or B12, supplementation is an easy and great choice. Some individuals may use dietary changes to increase intake of iron rich foods like red meat and beans. Medications can also be used to stimulate RBC production or treat the underlying problem that causes anemia. In people with severe anemia, blood transfusions are available to quickly increase the number of RBCs.

Vitamin B is a water-soluble vitamin that can be difficult to pass through our intestinal lipophilic barriers. Oral iron supplements may also cause constipation if used in large doses. Since a lot of elderlies suffer from constipation, the added risk with iron supplements in individuals with anemia can be devastating. LipoFast is our newest technology that may minimize side effects while maximizing gains. Supplements are carried into our body by liposomes that bypasses the barriers in our body to enter directly into the bloodstream.