The lack of red blood cells leads to a decrease in the amount of oxygen carried by the blood to the various tissues of the body, so what is the lack of red blood cells? What are the signs and what are the causes?
The following article will teach you the most crucial details about low red blood cell counts, or anaemia caused by low red blood cell counts:
Red blood cell deficiency
Hemoglobin, the component of red blood cells that carries oxygen to all of the body's cells, is what causes red blood cell deficiency, which is defined as a decrease in the quantity of healthy red blood cells.
Symptoms of low erythrocytes
A lack of red blood cells causes a variety of widespread symptoms, the most notable of which are:
- Dizziness and tiredness.
- Headache.
- ulceration of the tongue
- the skin's dryness or dullness.
- movements of the foot's sole that are not voluntary.
- Tachycardia .
Causes of low red blood cells
Red blood cell deficiencies can have a variety of causes, but the following are the most significant ones:
- Iron deficiency in the body.
- diseases of the kidney, liver, lungs, heart, and other vital organs.
- Red blood cells in the body are lost before they can be replaced.
- Low levels of the body's ability to produce red blood cells.
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Red blood cell genetic disorders like thalassemia.
- cancers or specific cancer therapies like chemotherapy or radiation.
Treatment of low red blood cells
To treat a deficiency of red blood cells, it is necessary to check their levels in the blood, and this is done through a complete blood count test. There are many facets to treatment, such as:
1. Consume particular foods
Foods high in iron, vitamin B12, folic acid, copper, and vitamin A should be consumed. The following are their principal sources:
- Sources of iron include red meat, beans, and egg yolks.
- Foods containing folic acid include nuts, vegetables, and bread.
- The food sources of vitamin B12 are red meat, fish, and eggs.
- Nuts, beans, animal livers, and poultry are all rich in copper.
- Fruits like watermelon, grapefruit, sweet potatoes, and carrots are rich sources of vitamin A.
2. Doing sports and exercises
Due to the body's increased demand during exercise, which prompts the brain to produce red blood cells, regular exercise for the body helps to increase the production of red blood cells.
3. Taking nutritional supplements
Here are the most significant nutritional supplements that may be prescribed by the doctor in the event of a red blood cell deficiency to aid in the body's production of red blood cells:
- Iron
- Vitamin C.
- copper
- Vitamin B12
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin E.
4. Giving the patient a blood transfusion
The specialist doctor may examine the red blood cells and, if a significant shortage of red blood cells is discovered, he may decide to transfuse blood units into the patient to make up for the deficiency.
Disadvantages of not treating red blood cell deficiency
A lack of red blood cells has a number of negative effects, including:
- extreme fatigue and exhaustion that makes it difficult to perform daily tasks.
- Because the heart is working extra hard to pump more blood to the body's tissues to make up for the lack of oxygen, low red blood cells may cause a fast heartbeat (tachycardia) or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), which may cause enlargement or heart failure.
- Lack of red blood cells could cause the patient's pregnancy to end prematurely.
Methods of prevention of red blood cell deficiency
The following are the most crucial ways to stop a drop in the production of red blood cells:
- Getting rid of bad habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking, as smoking affects blood flow and leads to an increase in blood viscosity, which leads to a decrease in the amount of oxygen transported through the blood. Alcohol contributes to the development of immature red blood cells in addition to impairing the blood's ability to carry oxygen.
- Check the red blood cell production rate on a regular basis.