Anemia refers to a common clinical syndrome in which the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin in the blood is lower than normal, and cannot provide sufficient oxygen to tissues and organs. According to data from the World Health Organization, the number of anemic people worldwide currently exceeds 2 billion, accounting for 37% of the world's population. Anemia is also common in China. According to statistics, the anemia rate among residents aged 6 and above is 9.7%, with an average of one in every ten people experiencing anemia symptoms. With the continuous improvement of living standards, people are paying more and more attention to their physical health and dietary structure, accurately controlling their weight, and eating more and more finely. Some people start dieting or have long-term picky eating habits in order to lose weight, lacking a reasonable dietary plan. Unconsciously, they suffer from nutrient deficiencies, which can lead to anemia and have a negative impact on their physical health and work life. So, what should we do for our health? Today, let's learn about malnutrition anemia together.
The causes of anemia can usually be divided into three categories: reduced red blood cell production, excessive red blood cell destruction, and excessive blood loss. Malnutrition anemia refers to a decrease in red blood cell production caused by a lack of hematopoietic substances. In general, malnutrition anemia includes two types: one is megaloblastic anemia caused by folate and/or vitamin B12 deficiency leading to impaired cellular DNA synthesis; Another type is iron deficiency, which causes hemoglobin synthesis disorders and leads to iron deficiency anemia.
The diagnosis of malnutrition anemia is not difficult. Generally, it can be diagnosed through blood routine testing, anemia three items, trace elements, etc. If necessary, bone marrow examination can be performed for differential diagnosis. Below, we will talk about two common types of malnutrition anemia.
1. Iron deficiency anemia. Iron is an essential substance for heme synthesis and exists in all cells of the human body. Anemia caused by insufficient iron in the body is called iron deficiency anemia, which is the most common type of anemia in clinical practice. The causes of its occurrence are related to picky eating (insufficient intake), preference for tea and coffee (affecting absorption), excessive menstruation in women, intestinal diseases such as tumors, ulcer bleeding (excessive loss), etc. Iron deficiency anemia can cause symptoms such as pale complexion, palpitations, shortness of breath, dizziness, tinnitus, loss of appetite, angular inflammation, swallowing obstruction, and pica. In addition, iron deficiency anemia can affect children's growth and development, and even lead to psychological and behavioral disorders such as irritability and lack of concentration, which cannot be ignored.
Oral iron supplements are preferred for iron supplementation, and dietary habits should be adjusted. During treatment, eating more fish, meat, and vitamin C can enhance iron absorption, while grains, dairy products, and tea can inhibit iron absorption. In addition, it is necessary to promptly treat digestive diseases such as excessive menstruation and chronic ulcer bleeding in women in order to achieve good iron supplementation effects.
2. Megaloblastic anemia. Folic acid and vitamin B12 are important coenzymes in the process of DNA synthesis. Once lacking, they can cause DNA synthesis disorders in red blood cells, leading to anemia. Due to the fact that vitamin B12 mainly comes from animal liver, meat, fish, and eggs, while folate can be destroyed during food cooking due to prolonged time or high temperatures, its occurrence is often related to long-term vegetarianism, poor cooking habits, and other factors. Megaloblastic anemia not only causes common symptoms of anemia such as dizziness and fatigue, but also digestive system symptoms such as glossitis, atrophy of tongue papillae, loss of appetite, diarrhea and constipation, as well as neurological symptoms such as numbness in hands and feet, sensory disorders, ataxia, and even mental abnormalities.
Supplementing folic acid is generally done orally, while vitamin B12 can be injected into the muscle first. At the same time, it is necessary to improve dietary quality, eat more meat, vegetables, fruits, etc., correct picky eating and poor cooking habits, in order to avoid recurrence.
Once it is clearly diagnosed as malnutrition anemia, one should not have the idea that "dietary therapy can cure it" or "anemia is a trivial matter". Instead, one should seek medical attention promptly and develop specific treatment plans based on the cause. Regular medication, combined with strengthening nutrition, diversifying diet, correcting unhealthy cooking habits, and other methods, can achieve good therapeutic effects and avoid recurrence.