Blood is synonymous with life and even mild degrees of anaemia will lead to tiredness, a strong feeling of not being in form, sensitivity to cold, dizziness, and pale complexion. If the anaemia is severe these sympoms are aggravated and accompanied by sleepiness, fainting, tachycardia, buzzing in the ears, and hyperventilation. If the anaemia is severe enough, it can be deadly.
The red blood cells are essential to the etiology of anaemia. The organ responsible for the production of the red blood cells is the bone marrow, and it takes about a month to produce the amount of red blood cells present in one litre of blood.
The red blood cells take up oxygen from the lungs and distribute it to the cells in exchange for carbon dioxide which they carry back to the lungs. To carry out this function the red blood cells are dependent on various constituents, especially iron, but also folic acid and vitamin B12. A sufficient supply of copper is also necessary to avoid anaemia.
Causes of anaemia are:
Bleeding: trauma accompanied by external or internal bleeding, bleeding gastric ulcers, punctured haemorides, intestinal polyps, or prolonged periods of strong menstrual bleedings.
Reduced production of red blood cells: If the bone marrow is in some way poisoned or damaged by radiation, the production of red blood cells can be impaired.
Lack of or poor intestinal absorption of folic acid (B9) and vitamin B12 also will result in too few red blood cells being produced.
Iron deficiency: If iron is not supplied in sufficient amounts through the diet, or if the absorption of iron is insufficient because of decreased production of gastric acid for example, as it is seen following large consumption of coffee, tea, or cola. Young people in the growing age and pregnant women have increased iron-needs.
Certain diseases lead to iron deficiency: Arthritis and inflammatory conditions, certain intestinal diseases, and some types of cancer.
Pernicious anaemia
Pernicious anaemia is a hereditary disease, caused by an incapability of the body to absorb vitamin B12. Among other things, this will result in the formation of abnormal, large red blood cells. The symptoms of this condition can be tiredness, buzzing in the ears, headache, visual disturbances, and palpitations. People who suffer from pernicious anaemia must have regular injections of vitamin B12 in order to stay symptom free, but the condition requires treatment before permanent damage to the brain and nerves occur.
Hemolytic anaemia
In hemolytic anaemia the red blood cells die so rapidly that the body's production of red blood cells cannot keep track with the cell death. The condition is seen in connection with certain intoxications, abuse of painkillers, malaria, and yellow-fever. Defect red blood cells also have short lives, as it is seen in sickle cell anaemia.
The blood concentration of haemoglobin should be in the area of 7,8 - 10 mmol/l in women and between 8,4 and 11 mmol/l in men.
