You suffer from anemia when your body does not have adequate healthy RBCs (red blood cells) to transport oxygen to the body’s different organs. Because of anemia, you might experience weakness, fatigue, or feel cold. Generally speaking, there are several different types and causes of anemia. Here, we will discuss all of them in brief.

Types of anemia
A few common kinds of anemia are:

• Aplastic anemia
  It is a health condition when the body does not produce enough new cells. When you have aplastic anemia, you might always feel fatigued. Moreover, aplastic anemia makes you vulnerable to uncontrolled bleeding and infections.

• Iron-deficiency anemia
  It is a type of anemia when the body does not have sufficient healthy RBCs. The intake of iron supplements can correct it.

• Sickle cell anemia
  It is a group of disorders where a person has an inherited RBC disorder, in which there is a shortage of adequate healthy RBCs to carry oxygen throughout the body. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this type of anemia.

• Thalassemia
  It is a genetic blood disorder, which makes the body have less hemoglobin than normal. The work of the hemoglobin is to make RBC transport the oxygen. When that does not happen, it leads to anemia. This type of anemia can leave you feeling fatigued.

• Vitamin deficiency anemia
  When you have lower quantities of certain vitamins, such as Vitamin B12, folate, and Vitamin C, than required in the body, it might lead to vitamin deficiency anemia.

Causes of anemia
The causes of different types of anemia are indeed variable. Some of the common causes include:

• Vitamin deficiency
  The body needs Vitamin B-12 and folate for the production of healthy RBCs. If you eat a diet deficient in these essential nutrients, the RBC production in your body might be low. It could be the cause of pernicious anemia.

• Iron deficiency
  It is the most prevalent kind of anemia. As the name suggests, it is caused by the lack of iron. Iron is a quintessential requirement for the bone marrow to produce hemoglobin. When there is a lack of iron in the body, it cannot make adequate hemoglobin for RBCs. This anemia is predominantly seen in pregnant women who do not get sufficient iron supplementation. Such deficiency might also occur due to excessive blood loss, which could be because of ulcer, menstrual bleeding, constant use of certain pain relievers like aspirin, or inflammation in the stomach lining. This could also lead to blood loss.

• Inflammation
  Diseases, such as HIV, AIDS, cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, or any other chronic or acute inflammatory disease, can also hamper the RBC production.

• Certain health disorders
  Chronic health disorders like hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, lupus, advanced kidney disorders, or any other long-term disease can also cause anemia.

• Bone marrow illnesses
  Bone marrow diseases, such as myelofibrosis and leukemia, can also lead to anemia.

Now that you know about the different types and causes of anemia, be cautious about these. If you witness any blood loss, consult a doctor immediately.