Anemia

Overview

Anemia is a medical condition in which the body does not have enough healthy red blood cells. Red blood cells contain hemoglobin, which is the protein that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, and your body needs iron, vitamin B-12 and folate to manufacture hemoglobin in red blood cells.

The symptoms of anemia, such as extreme fatigue, occur because your organs aren’t getting the oxygen they need to work. There are many different types and causes of anemia, which can be a result of blood loss, or due to a disease or condition that affects the production of red blood cells.

Next: Causes