Anemia

Red blood cells circulate in the peripheral blood for 100 to 120 days, and approximately 1% of the body’s red cells are lost and replaced each day.

A reduced red blood cells mass results from loss of red blood cells from the circulation at a rate greater than their production.

Anemia is generally defined as a reduction in red cell mass or blood hemoglobin concentration and therefore an insufficient supply of oxygen to the tissues.

The oxygen carrying capacity of blood is a function of the total volume of circulating red blood cells, so anemia can be defined as a decrease in the total red cell volume.

The classic symptoms include fatigue paleness, general breathlessness, difficulty breathing during activity and heart palpitations.

Anemia can come about from a variety of causes. Anemia develops when red blood cells are not produce in sufficient numbers, when they are too quickly destroyed or when they are lost due to bleeding.

Because oxygen is transported in the blood by means of molecules of hemoglobin, a red pigment found in red blood cells, their absence can result in fatigue and reduced stamina.

While nutritional anemia is directly caused by a lack of sufficient quantities of all the nutrients - iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Nutritional anemia was considered to be large component of global anemia prevalence, and iron deficiency anemia was considered the most common cause of nutritional anemia.

This condition is common in older people, who often eat poorly and also may have absorption problems, and in people whose diet consists primarily of fast food and junk food.
Anemia