Contents:
- Medical Video: The Role of Red Blood Cells in Anemia
- What is macrocytic anemia?
- What are the symptoms experienced?
- What are the causes of this macrocytic anemia?
- What is the treatment like?
- Food to help speed healing
Medical Video: The Role of Red Blood Cells in Anemia
Macrocytic anemia is a condition that is difficult to detect. There are many reasons why someone experiences this macrocytic anemia. If not treated immediately, macrocytic anemia can cause complications that are harmful to health. Therefore, consider the following review about macrocytic anemia.
What is macrocytic anemia?
Macrocytic is a term used to describe red blood cells (erythrocytes) that are larger than usual size. Whereas anemia is a deficiency in the number of red blood cells. Thus, macrocytic anemia is a condition in which your body has very large red blood cells but does not have sufficient amounts of normal red blood cells.
Normally the size of red blood cells ranges from 80-100 fL (femoliters, a unit of measure for red blood cells). People who have macrocytic anemia will have a red blood cell size greater than 100 fL.
What are the symptoms experienced?
Usually someone will not know that he has this type of anemia until several times the symptoms appear and several times do a blood test.
Symptoms are:
- Loss of appetite
- Fast heartbeat
- Limp
- Pale skin, including lips and eyelids
- Hard to breathe
- Declining and absent-minded concentration
- Memory loss
- Swelling or redness of the tongue (glossitis)
If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor. Especially if you have an increase in heart rate, confusion, and memory problems.
What are the causes of this macrocytic anemia?
Macrocytic anemia is mostly caused by a lack of folic acid (vitamin B9) or vitamin B12. Lack of folic acid or vitamin B12 can occur due to absorption in the body which is hampered due to certain disease conditions, or it can also be due to lack of food intake containing vitamin B12 or folate. As a result, red blood cell formation does not occur as it should.
Besides the lack of folate and vitamin B12, macrocytic anemia can also be caused by other causes. Other causes of anemia can include:
- Because drugs, including HIV drugs, cancer, and others that suppress the immune system
- Heartguard
- Hypothyroidism
- Rare metabolic disorders
- Often consume alcohol
The above conditions ultimately also make it harder for the body to absorb and digest important nutrients, including folate and vitamin B12.
What is the treatment like?
When someone shows signs or symptoms of macrocytic anemia, the doctor will do several blood tests to find out what caused it to occur, because treatment must be in accordance with the cause. The doctor will also ask about your daily lifestyle.
If you really know what causes macrocytic anemia, doctors will generally give folic acid and B12 supplements to drink or if they have not been treated, they will be injected with vitamins.
Other treatment options include:
- Replacing drugs that interfere with the absorption of vitamins
- Take medication for people who have liver disease
- Take medication to treat thyroid disorders that are happening
- Avoid alcohol
- Blood transfusion or spinal cord transplant for people who experience bone milk disorders.
However, in addition to vitamin supplements given by doctors, the most important thing is to increase consumption of foods containing folic acid and B12.
Food to help speed healing
In addition to drug administration, for people who have macrocytic anemia due to lack of folate nutrients (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 is through feeding or supplements.
Foods that are high in vitamin B-12 include:
- Chicken
- Egg
- Red meat
- Shells
- Fish
- Cereals fortified with vitamin B12
Foods that are high in folate, for example:
- Dark green vegetables like spinach and kale
- Nuts
- Orange
- Cereals enriched with folate
