🩸 Anemia
📝 Last reviewed: August 2026
| In brief | A very common blood condition in which you have too few healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around the body. |
|---|---|
| Category | Blood |
🔍 What causes it
Anemia develops when the body loses blood, makes too few red cells, or destroys them faster than they are replaced. The most common driver is low iron — from heavy periods, bleeding, pregnancy, or a diet short of iron, vitamin B12 and folate. Bone marrow problems, chronic illness and inherited conditions such as sickle cell disease also cause it. Women of childbearing age and people on restricted diets face higher risk.
⚠️ Key symptoms
- Constant tiredness and weakness that does not go away
- Pale skin, lips and inner eyelids that look washed out
- Shortness of breath during mild activity like climbing stairs
- Dizziness, headaches and cold hands or feet
- A fast or pounding heartbeat, especially during activity
- Brittle nails, a sore tongue and odd cravings for ice or dirt
💊 Treatment
Treatment targets the underlying cause. Iron-deficiency anemia usually responds to iron tablets plus iron-rich food; B12 and folate deficiencies need supplements or B12 injections. Heavy or abnormal bleeding may need its own medical care, and severe anemia can require transfusions or specialist treatments such as a bone marrow transplant. Never take iron or other supplements on guesswork — a blood test first. See a doctor to confirm the type of anemia.
🛡️ Prevention
Eat iron-rich foods such as lean meat, beans, lentils and leafy greens, and pair them with vitamin C to boost absorption. People at higher risk — pregnant women, those with heavy periods and strict vegetarians — benefit from regular checks rather than self-supplementing. Treating the cause, such as heavy blood loss, prevents recurrence.
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