The Early Show

All About Anemia

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

December 7, 2001 / 2:29 PM EST / CBS

About 3.4 million Americans are diagnosed with anemia. But according to the National Anemia Action Campaign, millions more people are unaware they have this potentially serious health condition. Saturday Early Show Health Contributor Dr. Jordan Metzl explains the symptoms, treatments, and ways you can prevent anemia.

What exactly is anemia?

Anemia occurs when there are not enough red blood cells in your body. Red blood cells live for about 120 days, and they contain hemoglobin which is responsible for carrying oxygen. When you don't have enough red blood cells, it means you are not getting energy-fueling oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and organs to support normal functioning such as breathing.

It's important to note that there are many types of anemia. The most common is iron deficiency anemia which affects more women than man. Pregnant and lactating women are most at risk of developing iron deficiency anemia because the iron that would normally be going to them is diverted to the fetus or breast milk.

You may also have heard of sickle cell anemia, which is more common among African-Americans. It is an inherited, chronic disease in which the red blood cells, normally disc-shaped, become crescent shaped. As a result, they function abnormally and break down, causing recurrent painful episodes.

What are the symptoms of anemia?

Weakness
Shortness of breath
Increased heartbeat
Bleeding gums
Yellow eyes and skin

Some of the symptoms (such as weakness and shortness of breath) mirror those of other illnesses, like the flu or a cold. This is why so many people are walking around with anemia and they don't even know it. But if these symptoms persist for longer than your average cold, you need to discuss the possibility of anemia with your doctor. In many ways, the people who exhibit the bleeding gums and yellow skin are luckier, because a doctor will know right away to give a test for anemia.

Explain how an anemia test works.

Your doctor will draw blood and smear it on a slide. If you look at the normal blood smear, the red blood cells are dark red, which means there is a lot of hemoglobin present. The anemic blood cells are light pink. That means there is little hemoglobin present.

How is anemia treated?

Treatment for anemia varies based on the underlying conditions. Anemia can be managed through diet and nutritional supplements, prescription medications and, in serious cases, blood transfusions.

But let's focus on iron deficiency anemia (the most common type). The best way to treat it is to eat foods with higher amounts of iron. Those include red meat, liver, and egg yolks. Flour, bread, and some cereals are fortified with iron. If your diet is deficient in iron, iron should be taken orally in supplement form.

Is there any way to prevent anemia?

That depends on the type of anemia. You can prevent iron deficency anemia by eating a diet high in iron. It gets more complicated with other types of anemia. There are so many of them, that there are many different treatments, so you really have to let your doctor decide what's best.