Nutritional Anemias Overview

Nutritional Anemias Overview

• Nutritional anemias are a type of anemia caused by deficiencies in essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid.
• Understanding these nutrients involves exploring their dietary sources, absorption mechanisms, body storage, transport systems, deficiency consequences, and clinical manifestations.

Iron

• Dietary Sources:
  • Rich sources include red meat, poultry, fish, lentils, beans, tofu, cooked spinach, and fortified cereals.
• Absorption:
  • Primarily occurs in the duodenum, influenced by heme vs. non-heme iron; heme iron is more efficiently absorbed.
• Body Stores:
  • Stored mainly in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow in the form of ferritin and hemosiderin.
• Transport Mechanisms:
  • Transferrin transports iron in the bloodstream; deficiency leads to lower transferrin saturation and higher total iron-binding capacity (TIBC).
• Clinical and Laboratory Findings:
  • Symptoms include fatigue, pallor, and shortness of breath; laboratory tests reveal low hemoglobin, low serum ferritin, and high TIBC.
• Regulation Mechanism:
  • Hepcidin is a key hormone that regulates iron absorption and distribution; high levels inhibit iron release from stores.

Vitamin B12

• Dietary Sources:
  • Primarily found in animal products like meat, dairy, eggs; fortified cereals are important for vegans.
• Absorption:
  • Absorption occurs in the ileum and requires intrinsic factor (produced in the stomach) for effective uptake.
• Body Stores:
  • Can be stored in the liver for several years, making deficiency slower to develop.
• Transport Mechanisms:
  • Transported by transcobalamin in the bloodstream; deficiency can lead to neurological symptoms and macrocytic anemia.
• Clinical and Laboratory Findings:
  • Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and neurological issues; laboratory findings show macrocytic red blood cells and low serum B12 levels.

Folic Acid

• Dietary Sources:
  • Found in leafy green vegetables, tomatoes, citrus fruits, legumes, and fortified grains.
• Absorption:
  • Absorbed in the proximal part of the small intestine; requires no intrinsic factor.
• Body Stores:
  • Limited storage in the liver of around 5-10 mg; deficiency can develop within weeks.
• Transport Mechanisms:
  • Transported in the blood mostly in its mono-glutamated form; deficiency primarily affects rapidly dividing cells.
• Clinical and Laboratory Findings:
  • Symptoms include anemia and glossitis; laboratory tests reveal macrocytic anemia and low serum folate levels.

Summary

• An understanding of iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid is essential for diagnosing and treating nutritional anemias, highlighting the importance of dietary intake, absorption processes, body storage capabilities, and clinical indicators of deficiencies.

This quiz explores nutritional anemias, focusing on their causes, dietary sources, absorption mechanisms, and clinical manifestations. You'll learn about essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid, as well as their roles in health and deficiency consequences.