Anemia is considered the most common blood disorder. It causes a deficiency of red blood cells in the body due to low production or rapid destruction. These blood cells facilitate the transportation of oxygen throughout the body, so anemia can cause several symptoms, including breathlessness. Let’s take a look at the different types of anemia and what one should know about them:

1. Iron-deficiency anemia
When the body does not have the required quantity of iron, an individual can develop iron-deficiency anemia. It usually happens due to loss of blood, but it could also be due to poor absorption of iron from dietary sources. Pregnant women develop this kind of anemia as pregnancy and childbirth require a lot of iron and could cause pregnancy-related iron-deficiency anemia.

2. Vitamin-deficiency anemia
An individual is at a greater risk of developing this kind of anemia when the vitamin B12 or folate levels go down in their body. This largely happens due to the lack of these vitamins in the diet, and it is commonly diagnosed among people in countries with high malnutrition issues. That said, even developed countries seem to see a rise in the cases of vitamin-deficiency anemia as people opt for fast foods and processed foods that deprive them of the essential nutrients.

3. Hemolytic anemia
When the red blood cells break up in the bloodstream or in the spleen due to a leaky valve, hemolytic anemia could largely be the cause. This is largely caused by infections, autoimmune disorders, and mechanical issues in the red blood cells. If one has inherited abnormalities in their genes, like thalassemia or glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase, the treatment methods vary according to the different types of anemia.

4. Sickle cell anemia
This is a type of inherited hemolytic anemia where hemoglobin is abnormal. As a result, the red blood cells are rigid and end up clogging blood circulation to the vital organs of the body. This is because they are unable to freely flow through the various vessels in the body.

5. Aplastic anemia
This condition is caused by a failure of the bone marrow, wherein it stops producing the required amount of red blood cells. It is a rare type of anemia and particularly occurs when the immune system attacks the stem cells. Anemia can also be caused by other comorbidity or diseases.

Health conditions that affect the kidney cause many people to develop anemia, as the kidneys fail to make enough erythropoietin, which is a hormone that signals the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Additionally, chemotherapy is known to impair the body’s ability to produce new red blood cells, which often results in anemia. Different types of anemia can also lead to several other health issues due to poor circulation and low blood supply.