How do You Know if You Are Anemic?

Left untreated anemia can be very dangerous and even fatal. If you have these symptoms, it is important to get a diagnosis and treatment, especially if you are a menstruating woman or are taking aspriin or any NSAID that can cause blood loss from chronic bleeding in your stomach. 

Most  anemias are from not having enough iron. But there are also other causes, especially those frequently seen in strict vegetarians. Macrocytic anemia (macrocytic means large red blood cells) can be a sign of vitamin B-12 deficiency, and it may also be caused by folate deficiency. Folate deficiency is not common as it is in most raw vegetables, but some drugs  (methotrexate and trimethoprim) and alcohol can cause it as can intolerance to wheat (celiac disease).

Excess zinc can result in copper deficiency, which can, in turn, also cause anemia.

However Iron Overload More Common and Dangerous

Anemia is often associated with low levels of iron. But be careful of trying to up your iron intake to prevent anemia -- there is a much more common condition that stems from exactly the opposite problem: iron overload (or iron toxicity), also called hemochromatosis.

If your body has excess iron, deposits of iron can appear in practically every major organ, particularly the liver, pancreas and heart, resulting in complete and widespread organ failure.

This is particularly common in women who are not menstruating and in many men.  We screen all our patients in our clinic and find that about 20% of people have elevated iron levels.  This is about five times higher than people we find that are anemic.

Do not rely on measuring serum iron to determine your iron levels; to diagnose iron problems such as anemia or hemochromatosis, you need to have a measure of your serum ferritin level in conjunction with a total iron binding level.

If you find that your iron levels are elevated, the best way to reduce it is to donate your blood.