Every person from childhood is well acquainted with such a term as hemoglobin. It is he who is most often mentioned by doctors when making a diagnosis and announcing the results of the examination. And this is not surprising, because this iron-containing protein plays a very important role in the functioning of the immune system. In addition, he is responsible for transporting oxygen through the blood vessels to all internal organs. But what happens if a person has low hemoglobin (the causes and consequences in an adult will be discussed in detail later)? How will this affect the work of individual systems and the whole organism as a whole? Let's try to understand this issue in more detail.
Definition
Before we learn about what the consequences of low hemoglobin will be, let's understand a little theory. This protein hasa very complex structure and is part of the red blood cells. Its components, as you might guess from the name, are directly protein and iron compounds, which give the blood a characteristic dark red color. Due to the fact that iron is able to hold oxygen atoms, hemoglobin performs one of the most important functions in our body - respiratory. Therefore, if its level falls, then this entails very serious consequences. About which ones, you will learn further.
Main causes of anemia
Reduced hemoglobin (the causes and consequences in an adult can be very diverse) entails the development of such a dangerous disease in a person as anemia. Modern medicine does not know of any way to completely cure the disease, however, without proper treatment, death occurs much faster.
Among the main reasons why the level of complex iron-containing protein falls sharply are the following:
- severe blood loss during surgery or open injuries;
- insufficient content of amino acids and vitamins necessary for the synthesis of hemoglobin in the body;
- various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract;
- severe infectious diseases such as hepatitis or tuberculosis;
- a sharp and prolonged decrease in thyroid hormones;
- oncological diseases;
- constant stay in stressful situations;
- bad food;
- bad habits;
- sedentary lifestyle;
- autoimmune diseases.
It is also worth noting that low hemoglobin, the consequences of which may not always be serious, is observed in people who regularly donate blood.
Clinical manifestations of anemia
Decreased hemoglobin, the causes and consequences of which can lead to very unexpected complications, can occur both secretly and with pronounced symptoms.
However, the most common symptoms of anemia are:
- chronic fatigue;
- lack of physical strength;
- sleep disorders;
- difficult to get out of bed in the morning;
- tinnitus;
- severe migraines occurring on a regular basis;
- fatigue;
- frequent dizziness;
- loss of consciousness;
- loss of appetite, which can develop into an aversion to food;
- failure of the menstrual cycle in women;
- reduced sexual performance in men.
All of the above symptoms indicate a low level of oxygen in the internal organs and soft tissues, as well as violations of the hydrogen balance in the cells, which is a good reason to visit the hospital.
External manifestations of anemia
What makes them special? Reduced hemoglobin, the consequences of which can affect the functioning of all internal organs and systems, does not appearonly on human well-being. It also has a number of external symptoms that are visible to the naked eye.
Among them are the following:
- nails become thinner and more brittle;
- hair growth almost completely stops, and their loss also increases;
- deterioration of taste and smell;
- skin is losing its normal color;
- tingling sensation in the soles of the feet;
- involuntary muscle spasms of the lower extremities;
- slight increase in subfebrile temperature;
- rapid heart rate;
- hypotension.
It is worth noting that the external manifestations of anemia make themselves felt already in the later stages of the development of pathology, therefore, as a rule, most people are not even aware of its presence, which significantly reduces the chances of recovery. In order to timely detect low hemoglobin (in women, the consequences can be more serious, especially during pregnancy), it is recommended to donate blood for a general analysis at least once a year.
Classification of anemia
According to medical statistics, approximately 90% of patients with significantly lower hemoglobin levels develop anemia over time. At the same time, this pathology is observed in almost 30% of all inhabitants of the Earth.
Depending on the content of this protein in the blood, there are three stages of anemia:
- Light - hemoglobin ranges from 90 to 120 g/l.
- Medium - drops to 60 g/L.
- Heavy - contentprotein crosses the 60g/L mark and can drop to very low levels.
If hemoglobin drops below 50 g/l, then a person's alkaline balance is disturbed and acidity increases significantly, as a result of which the respiratory centers and the cardiovascular system begin to work poorly, and the protective functions of the body weaken. With a long absence of proper therapy, the patient, as a rule, quickly dies.
Why is anemia dangerous?
This issue should be given special attention. So, during the passage of a comprehensive examination, you found low hemoglobin. The consequences can be very varied. It all depends on many factors, including the individual characteristics of the body, age category, gender and others. Next, we will take a closer look at each of the cases and find out what the lack of treatment of anemia is fraught with.
Features of anemia in women and men
So how do they manifest? The symptoms and consequences of low hemoglobin in women are in many ways similar to those in the stronger sex, but, besides this, there are, of course, differences. Men very often complain of a decrease in sexual capabilities, and doctors note that under certain conditions even impotence can manifest itself. As for the representatives of the beautiful half of humanity, everything is fine with their sexual life, but the menstrual cycle fails, often taken for hormonal imbalance or a possible pregnancy. Similar occurs due to the syndromepseudo-Barter, which is often accompanied by fibroids or ovarian cysts. The lesions develop very slowly and can sometimes fill with blood.
Anemia in pregnancy
So, we figured out that low hemoglobin in men (the causes and consequences were described in detail earlier) is much less common than in women. Expectant mothers are at an increased risk, for whom this is a fairly common phenomenon, which poses a great threat to the he alth and life of not only the woman, but also her fetus.
Low levels of iron-containing protein can lead to the development of the following ailments:
- uterine atony;
- fetal oxygen starvation;
- placenta previa;
- missed pregnancy.
With regard to the fetus, low hemoglobin in newborns, the causes and consequences of which are different from the anemia that manifests itself in adults, can lead to the fact that the baby is born with chronic dystrophy, deviations in physical, psychological and mental development, as well as various disorders in the functioning of internal organs.
Low iron protein in children
What consequences should we expect? Every year, doctors are increasingly diagnosing low hemoglobin in children. The causes and consequences of this can be very deplorable and negatively affect the future life of the baby. As a rule, the development of anemia is associated with poor nutrition, deficiency of vitamins and minerals in the body, as well as with various complications.
In most cases earlystages of anemia, drug treatment is prescribed, however, if the pathology was not diagnosed in time, as a result of which the hemoglobin content dropped to critical levels, then the only way out in this case is only a blood transfusion.
Basic Therapies
How to choose the most effective? We examined the consequences of low hemoglobin in a child. They can appear already in the first months of life, and several years after birth. To reduce the risk of developing serious complications, it is very important to start treating the pathology as early as possible, and for this it is necessary to determine what factors led to a drop in the level of iron-containing protein in the blood. If they are not eliminated, then no positive changes in the patient's condition will follow.
Depending on the patient's clinical picture, doctors select the most effective therapy program aimed at bringing hemoglobin values back to normal and restoring iron concentration in internal organs and soft tissues.
If the patient has internal bleeding, the following may be required:
- removal of hemorrhoids;
- correction of bleeding inside the uterus;
- surgery to remove uterine leiomyoma;
- treatment of acute chronic diseases of housing and communal services.
Reduced hemoglobin in women, the causes and consequences of which increase the risk of developing various pathologies in the baby, is more difficult totreatment, because doctors have to fight for the life of not only the mother, but also her child. However, many drugs cannot be used because they can be toxic to the fetus. In most cases, doctors prescribe a long-term intake of complex agents, which contain iron and B vitamins. The dosage is calculated individually for each patient, depending on several factors, the main ones being the desired effect and the stage of the pathology. If a woman or a man is allergic to any of the active ingredients, then injections should be taken instead of tablets, since they practically do not cause side effects.
A few words about diet
The complex therapy program also involves a special diet, as malnutrition has a very strong effect on the level of iron-containing protein in the blood.
People suffering from anemia should eat as much of the following foods as possible:
- liver;
- fresh apples;
- buckwheat;
- blackcurrant;
- cranberries;
- red meat;
- grenades;
- dried apricots;
- brewer's yeast;
- nuts.
All of these foods are rich in iron, which can be improved by adding cottage cheese, green peas, oranges, lemons, bananas and cheese to your daily diet.
Conclusion
Low hemoglobin- this is a very alarming signal, which you should definitely listen to. If no measures are taken in time, then a person develops anemia, which is difficult to treat and can lead to death. Therefore, do not neglect your he alth and do a blood test in a timely manner so that in case of any deviations from the norm, treatment can be started on time. And most importantly: try to eat as high quality, full and varied as possible, because a lot depends on this. Take care of your he alth in any situation!
