Anemia

June 23, 2003

Anemia

An estimated 20 percent of all American women suffer

from anemia, making it one of the most common health problems affecting

women. Anemia occurs when you don’t have enough red blood cells,

or enough of the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells (hemoglobin).

Thus, your cells don’t get enough oxygen, critical for turning food

into energy. Without enough energy, critical processes, such as

muscle activity and cell building and repair, slow down and become

less efficient. Bottom line: you feel exhausted. But anemia carries

with it a wide range of symptoms beyond fatigue, including:

	Dizziness		Abdominal pain
	General weakness		Sore tongue
	Paleness		Yellowish skin
	Loss of appetite		Loss of coordination
	Brittle and ridged nails		Tingling in hands and feet
	Diarrhea

Anemia occurs in any woman at any age. Take the

quiz to see if you are especially at risk.

To read more about anemia, click on the appropriate

topic:

Quiz: Are You at Risk for Anemia?

Causes of Anemia

Nutritional Treatments for Menorrhagia

and Anemia