What is anemia?
All organs, tissues and cells require oxygen to live and function properly. Anemia is a condition of low levels of healthy red blood cells and oxygen and can be generally defined as a decrease in the amount of health blood cells to carry sufficient amounts of oxygen to all parts of the body. In fact, people with anemia do not get enough oxygen delivered to various areas of the body. This results in symptoms such as fatigue and weakness, and is why prolonged anemia can cause damage to the heart and other organs.

But what causes anemia?  And who is more at risk of developing anemia? Although there are many reasons anemia can develop blood loss, high rates of red blood cell destruction or lack of red blood cell production are the main causes of anemia.  Click here to learn more about which medical conditions can cause these factors, plus who is at risk of developing anemia in the what causes anemia section next.