Understanding Nutritional Anaemia

Dr Lakshmi Vaswani, Assistant Pathologist, Bhatia Hospital, Mumbai, talks about anaemia due to improper nutrition and the importance of early diagnosis

- Dr Lakshmi Vaswani

What is Nutritional Anaemia?

Anaemia is a condition in which the haemoglobin concentration of the red cell component of blood is lower than normal levels. Haemoglobin provides an essential function for the body, in that it helps to transport oxygen taken in through the lungs and carries it to the various organs and tissues in the body.

If haemoglobin values are low, the capacity of the red blood cells (RBCs) to carry oxygen also decreases. This oxygen deprivation, over time, results in a host of symptoms like fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, pallor (pale skin, lips, nail beds), hair loss, brittle nails, depression, mouth ulcers and decreased immunity, that may lead to frequent bouts of infection.

Anaemia can be caused due to a variety of factors like excessive menstrual bleeding, bleeding through piles, infections like malaria, tuberculosis, parasites, poor absorption of nutrients due to certain medications, or even due to genetic factors causing abnormal haemoglobin variants. However, the most common cause of anaemia is nutritional deficiencies, in particular those of iron, vitamin B12, folic acid (vitamin B9), vitamin A and proteins. These elements are required by the body’s factory producing blood cells, the bone marrow, for the manufacturing of haemoglobin laden red blood cells.

Dietary modifications can help to correct deficiencies. Adding meat, leafy green vegetables, cod liver oil, rich in vitamin B12, and jaggery, spinach, beans and fortified lentils that are rich in iron, ensures that the intake of nutrients increases