Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 1

Senior Research Paper:

The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia
Selena Trevino
Liberty High School
Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 2

Anemia is a very common disease that affects about 3.5 million Americans. Its main
cause is the deficiency of iron, or hemoglobin, in the blood. Thus causing the amount of
necessary oxygen to be restricted, because of this, organs cannot properly function. This
negatively affects a persons overall health and lifestyle, and can lead to other immune disorders
and lifestyle inhibitions. Doctors have prescribed Iron supplements to patients suffering this
immune disorder, many times not addressing their nutritional habits and lifestyle. Doctors
should always look at a patient holistically, advising them nutritionally as well as prescribing
them medications, in order to positively affect their health long term (Fulkerson, 2013).
There are over 400 different causes and types of anemic diagnosis in patients. Their
causes can be divided into 3 groups: Blood loss, lack of red blood cells, and lastly destruction of
red blood cells. The most common type of anemia is Iron-deficiency anemia, when a person is
lacking the necessary amount of red blood cells, or hemoglobin, in order to supply needed
oxygen to all cells and organs. Red blood cells are the most abundant cell in the human body. On
average, males have 5.2 million red blood cells per cubic millimeter of blood, while women have
4.7 million per cubic millimeter of blood. When a person is diagnosed with anemia because of
blood loss, it may have occurred over a long period of time, and go undetected. Causes of blood
loss could be underlying illness such as gastrointestinal conditions including: Ulcers,
Hemorrhoids, gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), and cancer. Another cause of blood loss
could be heavy menstruation and childbirth in women, especially if the women had multiple
pregnancies. Secondly, anemia can be caused by decreased or faulty red blood cell production.
This type of anemia is caused when a person doesnt have the healthy amount of red blood cells
necessary for a healthy immune system and overall correct functionality. It can be caused by an
abnormal amount of red blood cells or a lack of vitamins and minerals needed for red blood cells,
Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 3

or erythrocytes, to actually function properly or efficiently. This type of anemia can be
associated with conditions such as the following: Sickle cell anemia, Iron-deficiency anemia,
Vitamin deficiency, Bone marrow and stem cell problems, and other health conditions. (LA
Kazal, 2002)
Vitamin deficiency anemia, Iron deficiency anemia (most common, and anemia
caused by other health conditions occur because of various reasons, and are harmful to ones
health if not properly dealt with. Iron deficiency anemia is simply caused by the lack of the
mineral iron in the body, this mineral is crucial for the overall bodily functions of oneself. Bone
marrow, found deep in ones bones, uses iron in order to make hemoglobin, the major red blood
cell that transports oxygen to all cells and organs. Thus, if one is lacking iron in the blood, they
are therefore lacking the necessary amount of transportation of oxygen in the blood in order to
properly function. All bodily functions are moved by live organs that live off of nutrients as well
as oxygen. Oxygen eases the overall movement of blood, causing the body to be stronger and
healthier overall. Not having the transportation of blood that is necessary for correct functionality
of organs and body functions can lead to immune disorders and many other physical barriers. It
can be caused by an iron- poor diet especially in toddlers, teens, vegans, vegetarians, and infants.
As mentioned earlier it can be caused by blood loss during menstruation, endurance training,
frequent blood donations, digestive tract conditions such as Crohns disease (or a surgical
removal of part of the stomach or intestines), and certain foods and drugs. Secondly, Vitamin
deficiency anemia is caused by the lack of Vitamin B-12 and folate, which are necessary to make
blood. This type of anemia can be caused by: Pernicious anemia (where the deficient vitamins
cannot be properly absorbed by the body because of intestinal conditions such as Crohns),
Dietary deficiency (Not eating enough meat can cause one to be deficient in vitamin b-12, while
Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 4

eating too many or two few of a variety of vegetables can cause one to be deficient in folate).
Anemia can also occur when there are problems with the bone marrow in ones body or stem
cells. Stem cells found in bone marrow may turn to red blood cells, which in turn causes the
body to be deficient in stem cells. If stem cells are deficient, defective, or are replaced by other
cells, anemia may present itself. For example: Aplastic anemia (Caused by the absence of or
defectiveness of stem cells in the body), Thalassemia (occurs when red blood cells cannot
mature or develop properly, this is inherited mostly by people of Mediterranean, African,
Middle-Eastern, and Southeast Asian descent). Lastly, Anemia can be caused by the pure
destruction of red blood cells. When blood cells are fragile and cannot handle the extreme stress
of the circulatory system they may rupture prematurely thus causing Hemolytic anemia. Known
causes of hemolytic anemia include: Sickle cell anemia and Thalassemia, Stressors such as
drugs, infections, snake or spider venom, and in rare cases an enlarged spleen. (Brown, 2014)


The most common anemia, iron deficiency anemia, affects a large percentage of the U.S.
Population. Evidentiary support has been found which explains how nutrition plays a key role in
the underlying problems as well as ongoing causes of anemia in persons. Simply eating foods
low in iron can lead to iron-deficiency anemia. Foods such as Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy
products, or iron-fortified foods are the best sources of iron found in food. (Papillard-Marechal,
2012)
Therefore it is possible to prevent the most common cause of anemia in a high percentage
of Americans solely by changing ones diet. Yet, many doctors dont actually measure a persons
Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 5

overall health and well being by taking into consideration their diet, unless they are overweight
or obese. However, many American may be suffering from anemia and the overwhelming
negative effects may be damaging their everyday life and well being. All of this could be
prevented simply by a doctor treating a patient holistically and educating their patients about the
proper foods to eat in order to build iron and combinations of food that help with iron
absorbency. Food can gravely impact a persons likelihood of becoming anemic. For example, if
a person eats a diet mostly containing chemically modified food, with little to no iron, they are
damaging their health by not providing fundamental nutrients to the body that are quintessential
to making red blood cells. Its important for one to be informed that there are two forms of iron
enriched foods, heme-iron (attached to hemoglobin molecule) and non-heme iron. Heme-iron
sources are the best sources for reaching or maintaining healthy levels of iron in the blood. Non-
heme iron sources must be eaten in certain combinations for the iron to be absorbed into the
body and become useful in increasing hemoglobin in the body. For example, meat and fish are
not only the best sources for gathering stores of iron, they are also the most efficient at helping
non-heme sources of iron to become absorbable in the body. (Harvey Simon, 2013)
Henceforth, since nutrition plays such an obvious and crucial role in the prevention of
anemia, it should always be acknowledged and cultivated into anemic diagnosed patients.
Doctors should treat patients by first educating them through nutrition rather than prescribing
them medications. Nutrition plays a valuable role in gaining the necessary vitamins and minerals
to produce hemoglobin and to achieve a highly functional and healthy body.



Running Head: The Best Form of Treatment for Anemia 6

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