Anemia is defined as the condition of not having enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body, and there are many, many forms of it. Some people, like those suffering from conditions like sickle cell anemia or thalassemia, are anemic from birth; their bodies genetically inherit difficulty producing red blood cells or specific parts of red blood cells.
But the highest portion of the approximately 3.5 million Americans suffering from anemia become anemic over time through not consuming enough iron or vitamin B12, both of which, along with folate, are necessary for the production of healthy red blood cells. Read on for the symptoms of anemia you need to know about. The list of symptoms are well organized; you should press the next button below each symptom to move to the next one.
12You feel pain in your chest
When there are fewer healthy red blood cells circulating, the heart has to work even harder to move them through the body.
As a result, the heart beats faster than normal, and you may start to feel the strain as chest pain. This is not a problem to dismiss, especially if you have other heart problems.
A 2005 study published in Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, showed that the likelihood of adverse cardiovascular events or even death increased in anemic patients with acute coronary syndromes versus non-anemic patients with acute coronary syndromes.
This results in the researchers pronouncing anemia “a powerful and independent predictor” of cardiovascular problems for patients. Learn how to recognize the signs of a heart attack.