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.
5Exhaustion and feeling tired
Exhaustion and fatigue are the most common symptoms of anemia.
Because there is not a sufficient amount of oxygen making it to the cells, the body is unable to break down enough nutrients to create energy, leading you to feel tired and weak.
It is essential to check in with a doctor if symptoms continue to get worse as fatigue can also be a symptom of other health problems such as diabetes or a thyroid disorder.
The challenge of the symptom of fatigue is that every person has a different experience of how they notice it. Some will feel more tired; others will feel it with activity.
The tiredness is caused by the same process that leads to shortness of breath and dizziness: without enough iron or vitamin B12, there’s not enough hemoglobin, and without enough hemoglobin, there’s not enough oxygen to fuel the body.
Here are other possible medical causes of fatigue. Easy fatigue can also be a sign of colon cancer. Here are symptoms of colon cancer you should never ignore.
