Anemia is a condition where a person lacks the required amount of red blood cells in the body. This causes difficulties in carrying oxygen to the different parts of the body. Those suffering from anemia often experience weakness and are feel constantly tired.

Let us take a look at the causes and risk factors of anemia:

Causes of anemia

• Vitamin deficiency
  One common cause of anemia is the lack of vitamins. A lack of vitamin B-12, folate, and vitamin C has been known to be a potential cause for anemia.

• Iron deficiency
  Anemia can also be caused by a lack of iron in the body. Due to this, the body fails to produce an adequate amount of substance in the red blood cells, which are needed to carry oxygen, leading to anemia.

• Aplastic anemia
  Aplastic anemia is when a person’s body fails to produce the required amount of blood cells. This results in the person not only feeling weak and tired but also at risk from infections.

• Anemia due to inflammation
  There are certain diseases that can lead to anemia. For instance, diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, HIV/AIDS, Crohn’s disease, kidney disease, and other inflammatory diseases can create a problem for the body’s ability to produce red blood cells.

• Sickle cell anemia
  Sickle cell anemia is hemolytic anemia and is quite a serious health condition. It is mainly formed due to the improper formation of hemoglobin. This results in the red blood cells forming an unnatural crescent shape. Such types of red blood cells do not last for a long period of time, and hence the body lacks an adequate amount of red blood cells.

• Hemolytic anemia
  Hemolytic anemia is a type of anemia caused due to the inability of the bone marrow’s inability to replace the red blood cells that are getting destroyed in time. Certain blood diseases could cause the destruction of red blood cells. This type of anemia is both hereditary and can be developed later in a person’s life.

Risk factors of anemia

• Family history
  If your family member suffers from anemia, then you too are at risk of suffering from the same disease since it is a genetic condition.
• Age
  Those who cross the age of 65 are at an increased risk of suffering from anemia.
• Menstruation
  Women who have not undergone menopause have high chances of suffering from anemia.
• Exposure to certain chemicals
  Certain chemicals that are toxic or certain medicines that you are taking have chances of affecting the production of red blood cells, which can cause anemia.

So, these were the causes and risk factors of anemia.