Anemia is a health condition wherein your body lacks sufficient healthy red blood cells (RBCs) to transport the necessary oxygen to the different tissues. When you have anemia, you tend to feel tired and weak all the time. There are several forms of the condition. All of them have their unique set of causes. Surprisingly, anemia can either be long term or temporary. Moreover, the symptoms that you experience can either be severe or mild.

Causes of anemia
The causes of anemia depend on the type of the condition. So, here, we will discuss the different types or forms of anemia and their respective causes.

• Iron deficiency anemia
  It is the most prevalent form of anemia. The primary cause of this type is the insufficiency of iron. The bone marrow in our body requires iron for the formation of hemoglobin (Hb). In the absence of necessary iron, the body is unable to produce adequate Hb for the RBCs. This form of anemia is predominantly prevalent in pregnant women who do not take iron supplements. A huge cause of anemia of this type might be blood loss, which might occur because of heavy bleeding during periods, cancer, an ulcer, or persistent consumption of the pain relievers (like aspirin). These tend to have an inflammatory impact on the stomach’s lining, leading to blood loss.
• Pernicious anemia or vitamin deficiency anemia
  In addition to iron, the body also needs Vitamin B12 and folate. These two nutrients are responsible for the production of sufficient and healthy RBCs in the body. If your diet lacks these two nutrients, it can lead to reduced production of RBCs. There might be a few instances where people consume adequate B12, but their body does not absorb it well. It might lead to pernicious anemia.
• Aplastic anemia
  Though rare, it is a life-threatening form of anemia. It might occur when the body is unable to produce sufficient RBCs. Some common causes of this anemia are autoimmune diseases, infections, exposure to chemicals that may be toxic, and a few medicines.
• Anemia of inflammation
  The common causes of this type of anemia are HIV/AIDS, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, kidney disease, or any other chronic or acute inflammatory disease, which might hamper the adequate production of RBCs.
• Anemia caused by bone marrow disease
  Certain diseases, like myelofibrosis and leukemia, can also lead to anemia by hampering bone marrow’s blood production. The impact of these disorders may be mild or life-threatening, depending on their severity.
• Hemolytic anemia
  This type of anemia occurs when the RBCs get destroyed faster than what the bone marrow is able to replenish. There are a few blood disorders, which lead to RBC destruction. Hemolytic anemia is usually genetic. However, some people may even get it later.