Do I have anaemia?
We often associate anaemia with an unusual sense of fatigue resulting from a lack of iron in our diet. Whilst this paints part of the picture, it leaves out a lot of important details.
Anaemia is defined as a condition in which you lack enough healthy red blood cells to transport adequate oxygen around your body. This can be caused by an iron deficiency, but it can also be due to a range of other factors.
Regardless of the cause, the most important thing you can do if you think you have anaemia is to get a blood test - such as the anaemia profile offered at Orchard - and to consult with your GP on the results.
Let’s dive into the symptoms and causes of anaemia, and the possible treatments your GP might recommend.
Symptoms of anaemia
There are certain signs of anaemia that you might already recognise:
Feeling tired all the time
Shortness of breath
Heart palpitations (a noticeably pounding or fluttering heart)
Pale skin
If you’re feeling exhausted, try exploring these guidelines to see how some simple changes can improve the quality of your sleep.
Other anaemia symptoms are less well-known:
Dizziness or lightheadedness
Chest pain
Cold hands and feet
Headaches
If you recognise any of these symptoms, the good news is that anaemia is easy to diagnose with a simple blood test. Your GP will be able to consult on your results and advise you on the next steps.
Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency anaemia
Anaemia is often caused by a deficiency in iron, vitamin B12, or folate.
Without enough iron, your body can’t produce enough haemoglobin to allow your red blood cells to carry oxygen. You may be lacking in iron because:
your diet doesn’t contain enough iron
your body can’t absorb iron properly
you’re experiencing blood loss (for example, due to heavy periods or gastrointestinal bleeding)
you’re pregnant
Without enough vitamin B12 or folate, your body starts to produce red blood cells which are too large to function properly. You may be deficient in these nutrients because:
you don’t get enough of them in your diet
your body is unable to absorb the vitamin B12 from the food you eat
Other types of anaemia
Anaemia can also be caused by:
underlying illnesses - there are a range of conditions which interfere with your body’s ability to produce healthy red blood cells
red blood cells dying faster than your body can produce them - these are called hemolytic anaemias, and this category includes sickle cell anaemia
Treatments for anaemia
If your anaemia is caused by an absence of certain nutrients, your doctor is likely to prescribe you supplements and possibly advise you to eat more iron. They’ll also address the source of any blood loss that’s causing an iron deficiency.
Take a look at these iron-rich recipes to see how you can deliciously incorporate more iron into your meals.
In cases of hemolytic anaemia, or where anaemia is caused by an underlying illness, there are many possible treatments. It’s doubly important that your anaemia is diagnosed quickly so that doctors can determine the best course of action.
Understanding if you have anaemia
The easiest way to determine if you’re anaemic is to take a blood test. Orchard offers a full anaemia profile, which indicates:
a full blood count
if your body has any inflammation
your body’s ability to transport iron
vitamin B12 levels
folate levels
This is a simple, easy procedure, and you’ll get your in-depth results in just two days. We advise that you use them to consult with your GP who will be able to interpret them and advise you on any necessary treatments.