Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Maintain Your Computer and Use it More Effectively to Design a Web Site and Make Money on the Web. ~ ~ ~ Decmber 5, 2005 Volume 5 Number 20 ~ ~ ~

Chronic Fatigue and Why Am I Always So Tired?
Part 8: Fatigue Caused by Anemia

By Stephen Bucaro

Are you always tired? Everything takes so much energy. When you wake up in the morning you're tired. You tried to get more sleep, but that didn't help. The fatigue just won't go away. If this describes you, read on ...

In Part 7 of this series of articles, I explained how hypoglycemia or "low blood sugar" can make you feel tired and eventually result in chronic fatigue, and how changes in diet can help you get your energy back. In this article, we'll explore the possibility that your tiredness is caused by Anemia or "iron deficiency".

When you inhale, oxygen molecules in your lungs become attached to Hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Your bloodstream carries the oxygen to every cell in your body. Inside your cells, glucose combines with the oxygen much like very slow burning fire, the fire of life that gives you energy.

Anemia is a condition in which the amount of oxygen carrying hemoglobin in red blood cells falls below normal. There isn't enough oxygen being carried to your tissues, causing you to feel tired and lethargic. If the hemoglobin in your bloodstream falls too low, you feel chilly even when the temperature is warm, and you can experience dizziness.

Extreme Anemia causes you breath rapidly and your heart rate to increase as your body works harder to get the oxygen it needs. If your vital organs don't get the oxygen they need, you could experience chest pain that can lead to a heart attack.

An estimated 3.4 million Americans have Anemia, mostly as a result of an iron deficiency caused by poor diet or loss of blood. In addition to iron, your body needs folate and vitamin B-12 to produce healthy red blood cells. Women who lose a lot of blood during menstruation are at risk of developing anemia. Blood loss from a source within your body, such as an ulcer, colon cancer, or tumors can lead to anemia.

- Sickle cell anemia, a condition that can be inherited mainly by people of African and Arabic descent, causes red blood cells to assume an abnormal crescent shape and die prematurely, resulting in a chronic shortage of red blood cells.

- Some medical treatments can lead to anemia, for example chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgery, and certain prescription medications.

The possible causes of anemia are numerous, so if you are experiencing symptoms of extreme anemia, it's wise to see your doctor. Your doctor may perform a blood test to measure the level of red blood cells and hemoglobin in your blood. A serum feritin test can be perform to measure of the amount of iron stored in your body. And your doctor and may examine some of your blood under a microscope to make a diagnosis.

If you are not experiencing symptoms of extreme anemia, your tiredness may be the result of iron deficiency caused by poor diet. Good sources of iron are meat, beans and lentils, nuts and seeds, and spinach. Good sources of folate are beans and lentils, spinach, collards, asparagus, broccoli, and orange juice. Good sources of vitamin B12 are liver, tuna, cottage cheese, yogurt and eggs.

Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron, so to increase the amount of iron absorbed, combine foods high in iron with foods high in vitamin C. Good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, tomatoes, cauliflower, and broccoli.

- You may be tempted to take a multivitamin supplement to increase the amount of iron and vitamins you receive, but iron supplements are NOT recommended. The body doesn't excrete excess iron efficiently, and iron is toxic in large amounts. Do not take iron supplements unless your doctor tells you to. For more information about anemia visit The National Anemia Action Council Web site.

Your metabolism is controlled by your body's production of thyroid hormone. Your body's production of thyroid hormone is controlled by a feedback mechanism between your pituitary gland and your thyroid gland. If your thyroid produces too little thyroid hormone, a condition called "hypothyroidism" results. Your metabolism will be too slow, causing you to feel tired. In the next part of this series of articles, We'll explore the possibility that your tiredness is caused by hypothyroidism.

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