Health tips: Let’s be well red! Fighting iron deficiency anemia

We all have days when there are so many things to do that we don’t get time to grab breakfast, let alone make sure we are eating right the rest of the day. Perhaps the staying up late to finish homework causes us to miss out on the sleep that we need. The fact is, lots of teens are tired. And with all the demands of school and other activities, it’s easy to understand why.

For some people, though, there may be another explanation for feeling so exhausted: anemia.

Anemia is when the blood is deficient in red blood cells and or its oxygen carrying pigment — hemoglobin. There can be a multitude of causes and classifications of anemia. In some cases the body does not produce enough red blood cells (RBCs) or they are being destroyed too quickly. While some causes are genetically determined, some types of anemia are preventable.

Iron deficiency anemia is one such kind, and the most common. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, which is a protein in RBCs that carries oxygen. Your body normally gets iron through your diet and by re-using iron from old red blood cells. When iron stores are depleted, hemoglobin production is reduced. Iron can fall short in supply if it is not present in meals; if it is not absorbed from the gut; the body’s demand has increased or there has been significant amount of blood loss, for instance, from worms or ulcers.

Anemic patients will list a string of indistinctive problems. They might run out of breath too fast, experience palpitations, irritable moods, dizziness and weakness. In addition, they can have trouble keeping their extremities warm. Anemic patients will appear pale skinned, which might not be as evident on a dark complexion or beneath a layer of rouge, but will be readily noticeable otherwise, especially in severe anemia. A curious symptom is something called pica, which is a craving for non-nutritive substances including paint, chalk, ice and so on.

Anemia is especially common during puberty when teens go through rapid growth spurts. It is during this phase that the body needs increased nutrition. You can supplement iron by including beans, peas, leafy green vegetables including spinach and broccoli, dried fruits such as raisins and apricots in the daily meal. Animal sources include egg yolks, meat including beef, chicken and fish are also rich sources. Caution must be taken to avoid iron rich foods with dairy products as well as those high in caffeine content, like tea, as they hinder the body’s capacity to absorb iron. Vitamin C rich foods, on the other hand, increase absorption and may be paired up for more efficacious results. Examples of such sources will include grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, strawberries and so on. Other nutrients which can lead to anemia besides iron which should be accounted for in the diet include vitamin B12 and folic acid.

While it is best to have an iron rich diet, if symptoms indicate towards an iron deficiency, it is recommended to see a doctor who will be able to give a diagnosis with a clinical interview and a few rudimentary blood tests.

In some cases, the doctor may prescribe iron containing multivitamins or oral iron supplements. Iron supplements should not be started off on one’s own accord as taking iron unnecessarily for prolonged periods of time can have toxic effects.

The good news is that for most people anemia is easily treated. Some basic dietary modifications can help you have your energy back in a matter of weeks!

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2012.