People often equate anemia with iron-deficiency. While this is partially true, anemia is actually any condition where red blood cells are reduced in number or volume or are deficient in the oxygen-carrying red pigmented protein hemoglobin. In this scenario, a lack of iron can either be a cause or a result.
Most anemias reduce the oxygen available to the body’s tissues, leading to fatigue, dizziness, fainting and shortness of breath. This condition usually occurs as a symptom of another health condition.
If you show signs of anemia, detecting and classifying your condition can help your physician determine what, if any, other “silent” conditions might be affecting you.