Tiredness - Anaemia Could Be The Culprit?

Anaemia is reduced level of haemoglobin in the blood and is the classical reason for tiredness.

It is symptomatic of a biochemical need for higher levels of iron, copper, folic acid and/or vitamin b12 (Pernicious Anaemia).

Red blood cells gets reduced or their production becomes slower than normal which leads to symptoms such as facial pallor, black spots on skin, dark circles under eyes, loss of hair on scalp and face, chronic tiredness, lack of vitality, frequent depression, fatigue, excess sleep and laziness, memory loss, absent mindedness, breathlessness, cracking at the corners of the mouth (vitamin A and B Complex), 'spooning' of fingernails, painful red tongue, intestinal pain and muscular aches and pains.

Anaemia may also be due to improper intake of food, malnutrition, excessive loss of blood, and worm/parasitical infections.

Our red blood cells contain iron (Ferrum). Five percent of the weight of a healthy blood cell is iron. Each molecule of haemoglobin contains an atom of iron.

Haemoglobin is the oxygen carrier in the blood.

Women lose twice as much iron as men through menstruation and other blood loss and forty to sixty percent of women are iron deficient.

It is very important that the iron that is lost during menstruation is replaced.

If we have too much iron our liver becomes hardened with scar tissue (Cirrhosis) and if we store too much iron we have iron overload (Haemachromatosis) but if we do not have enough iron then we can become extremely ill and possibly die from Anaemia-related conditions.

Lack of Iron, therefore, is an important cause of fatigue and with this symptom goes lack of facial colour, as our pink cheeks and facial glow depend on the red blood cells capacity to transport oxygen to our body.

Iron is lost in our bodies by bleeding (cuts), ulcers (internal bleeding), excessive menstruation and bleeding haemorrhoids (piles).

Iron can be missing from our diets (especially if you are Vegetarian or Vegan).

Foods rich in iron are liver (especially pate), spinach, black grapes, red meats, eggs, parsley, beetroot, leafy green vegetables and molasses.

A pint of Guiness would certainly help increase your iron levels.

I can also remember reading somewhere a while back that if you have 'pink urine' after eating beetroot that this indicates you are most probably iron deficient so it might be worth getting checked out by your doctor/practitioner.

The required intake of iron is fifteen milligrams (15mg) per day and thirty milligrams (30mg) during pregnancy.

In addition, we need three milligrams (3mg) of copper per day, four hundred micrograms (400mcg) of folic acid per day (800mcg for pregnant women) and ten micrograms (10mcg) of vitamin b12 daily.

These dosages may help stop the tendency to anaemia.

Absorption of iron in the intestine can be inhibited by a lack of vitamin C.

Too much tea-drinking can also interfere with iron assimilation in the blood, causing haemoglobin (red blood cell) levels to be low.

Also do not overlook the possibility of Ferretin Deficiency which can also be accompanied by blood serum iron deficiency.

This does not show up in normal blood tests for anaemia but a special test has been developed for it. Treatment for Ferretin Deficiency is the same as for Iron Deficiency.

Anyone showing symptoms of Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Extreme Tiredness, Lack of Energy, Bone Pain, etc ABSOLUTELY MUST get their Iron Levels looked at in order to receive the necessary treatment to get better.

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