Anemia occurs when the number of red blood cells is not sufficient to carry enough oxygen to meet the needs of the different tissues and organs of the body. There are different forms of this disorder, each caused by different factors, and even the severity can vary greatly, going from low levels to the most worrying and serious stages.
In some cases it can be caused by a lack of hemoactive vitamins, which leads to a reduction in red blood cell production. The vitamins linked to this type of anemia are folic acid and vitamin B-12, components necessary to produce an adequate number of healthy red blood cells capable of transporting oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. A vitamin C deficiency could also have an effect on red blood cell production, playing a role in the absorption of iron.
We talked about this topic with Dr. Barbara Sarina, hematologist at Humanitas.
Vitamin deficiency, what are they and how to remedy them
Folates and vitamin B-12 are the vitamins that if deficient due to reduced intake or difficulty in absorption can cause anemia. After clarifying that the vitamin intake is the cause of the anemia, you can intervene with vitamin supplements or even simple changes in the diet. Among the causes of vitamin deficiency anemia, also known as megaloblastic anemia, the most common is folate deficiency anaemia (or vitamin B-9), a nutrient found mainly in green leafy fruits and vegetables.
Most of the nutrients derived from food are absorbed in the small intestine: those suffering from diseases of the small intestine, such as celiac disease, or those who have undergone the removal of this area of the intestine may have difficulty absorbing folate or its synthetic form, folic acid. Alcohol also decreases the absorption of this vitamin, as well as some drugs can interfere with the absorption of this nutrient.
How to understand if we suffer from it: the symptoms of anemia
Asthenia, shortness of breath, dizziness, dull or yellowish complexion, irregular heartbeats, weight loss, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, muscle weakness, possible personality changes, motor instability and mental confusion with a tendency to forget what is happening. These are all symptoms that can be caused by anemia. Vitamin deficiencies usually develop slowly over several months or years and the symptoms, which start quietly, increase as the deficiency worsens.
Risk factors for anemia
In general, the risk of vitamin deficiency increases when the diet contains few or no sources of natural vitamins, such as meat, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Vegetarians and vegans, who do not even eat animal products, may fall into this category. Overcooking food can also cause vitamin deficiency.
There are also some medications or therapies that include a malabsorption of vitamins as undesirable effects: for example, medicines against acidity and some drugs used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, which can interfere with the absorption of B-12. Treatments used to treat cancer can interfere with folate metabolism.
Risk factors for vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia include autoimmune endocrine disorders, such as diabetes or thyroid disease. In this case, patients who suffer from it are more likely to develop a specific type of vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia, called pernicious anemia.
Prevention starts with a healthy diet
As with most diseases and disorders of our bodies, vitamin deficiency anemia is one of the first forms of prevention for a healthy diet that includes a wide variety of foods. Foods rich in folate include green leafy vegetables, enriched grain products such as bread, cereals, pasta and rice, fruit and fruit juices. Foods rich in vitamin B-12 are eggs, milk, cheese and yoghurt, red and white meat, and shellfish. Finally, among the foods rich in vitamin C are broccoli, strawberries and peppers.
