Everyone knows the importance of oxygen in our lives. The oxygen we breathe is carried to all the tissues in our body by the red blood cells present in the blood. When there is a lack of healthy red blood cells in the body, the condition is known as anemia. This means that an adequate amount of oxygen is not delivered to some tissues and this can lead to tiredness and fatigue in the body.

Anemia is of different types and each type of anemia is caused by a different issue, treating which could be the required solution to the condition.

The main types of anemia and their causes are as follows:

• Iron deficiency anemia
  Iron is required for the synthesis of hemoglobin, which is required by the red blood cells. When there is iron deficiency, the bone marrow cannot produce enough hemoglobin for red blood cells rendering them inefficient at their work of carrying oxygen to the tissues. This condition is caused by heavy blood loss caused due to ulcers, cancer, heavy menstrual bleeding, inflammation of the stomach lining, etc.
• Vitamin deficiency anemia
  Vitamin B-12 and folate are required for the production of healthy red blood cells. When the body experiences a deficiency of these essential vitamins, red blood cell production will reduce leading to this type of anemia. If the required amount of vitamin B-12 is being consumed, then the problem could be with the absorption of vitamin B-12, in which case the condition would be called ‘pernicious anemia.’
• Sickle cell anemia
  This type of anemia is inherited and can develop into a very serious condition. This is caused due to the presence of a defective form of hemoglobin which changes the shape of the red blood cells into abnormal sickle/ crescent shape. These abnormally shaped red blood cells cannot carry oxygen efficiently and also die prematurely. This results in a chronic shortage of red blood cells causing anemia.
• Aplastic anemia
  This type of anemia occurs when the body cannot produce a sufficient number of red blood cells. Aplastic anemia is caused by certain types of medications, autoimmune diseases, exposure to toxic chemicals, and certain types of infections. This type of anemia can develop to become a fatal condition.
• Anemia of inflammation
  This type of anemia, as the name suggests, is caused because of inflammation which interferes with the production of the required red blood cells. This inflammation is caused by conditions such as HIV/AIDS, cancer, Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease and several other acute/chronic inflammatory conditions.
• Anemia related to bone marrow disease
  When blood production in the bone marrow gets affected, it can often lead to subsequent anemia. A wide range of diseases such as myelofibrosis, leukemia, etc., can lead to this type of anemia.

Several types of anemia can be prevented by taking the required steps of getting adequate nutrition and making sure that you leave no space for deficiencies. Preventing this condition as much as possible can not only relieve the individuals of the problems it would cause but also ensure a healthy life with fewer obstacles.