The most common symptoms of anemia are frequent fatigue, unwildness and pale skin, however, the best way to confirm the disease is to get tested to assess your blood hemoglobin levels.Anemia is taken into account when this value is less than 12 g/dL in women and less than 13 g/dL in men.
Anemia is usually caused by lack of iron in the body, but it can also have another cause, which must be identified by the doctor, so other tests may be prescribed to select the best form of treatment.
- If you think you may be suffering from anemia.
- Select which of these symptoms you have to understand your risk:.
Symptoms of anemia begin gradually, generating an adaptation, so it may be a while before they realize that they may in fact be the result of a health problem.
The most common type of anemia is iron deficiency anemia, which results from iron deficiency in the blood, caused by low iron intake or prolonged bleeding, such as heavy menstruation or bleeding in the digestive system, due to a gastric ulcer, for example.. Each ml of blood that is lost results in a reduction of approximately 0.5 mg of iron in the blood.
Blood donations, major surgeries, hemodialysis, and high-level sports are other conditions that can also cause iron deficiency anemia.Find out what types of anemia and how to identify them.
The best way to confirm anemia is to do a blood test to assess the amount of hemoglobin and determine if it is lower than recommended.
The hemoglobin values for anemia to be considered vary depending on age and other stages of life, the following table shows the main stages of life and the values that indicate anemia:
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, your doctor may order more tests to identify the type and cause of anemia, so it is possible to start more appropriate treatment, which in the case of iron anemia is done for example with iron supplements.
Look for other tests that confirm the type of anemia
Anemia is usually treated with increased consumption of iron-rich foods, such as red meats, beans, and beetroot, but in the most severe cases, your doctor may recommend taking iron supplements and, in very severe cases, a blood transfusion may be necessary.necessary. However, the increase in iron consumption is still indicated.
You should eat more foods such as red meats, offal such as liver and offal, poultry, fish and dark green vegetables. People who consume animal products have a lower risk of developing iron deficiency anemia than vegetarians. Therefore, when a person is vegetarian, they must be accompanied by a doctor or nutritionist to make the necessary supplementation, and combining the right foods is also important to ensure the nutrients the body needs to be healthy.
In addition to consuming more iron, it is also recommended to consume a source of vitamin C in the same meal, so if you don’t like to eat meat, you can eat braised cabbage and have a glass of orange juice, because vitamin C increases the absorption of iron in cabbage. Another important precaution is not to drink coffee or black tea after meals as they prevent iron absorption. Find out what foods should look like in case of anemia in the following video:
See some examples of teas and juices against anemia
For the treatment of severe anemia, your doctor may recommend taking an iron supplement as follows:
Doses should be divided into 3 to 4 doses, preferably 30 minutes before lunch and dinner.
To prevent anemia, your doctor may also recommend iron supplements during pregnancy and in preschoolers.The recommended dose is approximately:
After starting treatment with iron supplements, after about 3 months, it is necessary to repeat the tests to see if the anemia has disappeared.