Iron-Deficiency Anemia and Osteoporosis Paper Example

Question 1: Describe the symptoms of iron-deficiency anemia

Nutrition and diet balancing is necessary to avoid diseases and maintain a healthy body that can effectively fight off diseases and maintain a high immunity. The deficiency of the essential nutrients in the body leads to several different diseases, which show up through different signs and symptoms as well. One of the diseases that result from the nutrient deficiency is iron-deficiency anemia. This is one sign of malnutrition and the signs and symptoms include those discussed below.

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Fatigue is the first physical symptom that will show up in iron deficiency anemia. The patient will often tire easily and constantly feel fatigued. The reason for this is that the blood in the body is unable to supply enough oxygen to vital organs and cells in the body due to the deficiency of the protein hemoglobin. As a result, the heart is forced to work harder than normal to achieve the required energy levels and hence fatigue sets in.

Another very common symptom is skin paleness and especially under the lower eyelids. Due to the low levels of hemoglobin in the blood, the blood will appear rosy as it is the protein that gives the blood its red color. It may appear on only a few places or cover the whole body. Paleness is a sign of moderate to severe anemia.

An abnormal heartbeat pattern will occur in anemia patients since the hearty has to work on overdrive to deliver vital oxygen and energy to the body. It might be just irregular, palpitating or might be abnormally fast in such cases. However, since the symptoms are similar to other diseases, diagnosis is confirmed through blood tests to determine the levels of hemoglobin and red blood cells.

People with iron deficiency anemia will often be advised to stay off certain foods and beverages that could further prevent the absorption of the essential iron in the body such as coffee, tea, eggs, and other calcium-rich foods. Instead, patients should eat iron-rich foods and additives such as red peppers, oranges, tomatoes, strawberries, nuts, beans, and white meat. These will aid the body to recover the required iron to and improve the condition. Iron supplements will also be provided, although too much might cause intoxication.

Question 2: Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease resulting from low calcium in the bones, which lead them to fracture easily due to their low density. The disease has mostly been found to affect women, with over 80% of cases being reported. The risks of developing osteoporosis also increase with age since the bones stop growing by the age of 30 years and thereafter attrition begins. Furthermore, people with small frames are more likely to develop the condition as compared to a larger person. In addition, people with a family history of the disease also stand a higher risk of developing it later in life.

Estrogen is important in maintaining bone density as they aid in the prevention of bone resorption. The presence of estrogen hormone in the blood prevents the activation of the caspase-3 enzyme, which normally triggers cell death and prevents bone growth. The estrogen levels in the blood determine the level of resorption and bone mass loss in an individual. A decrease in the levels, as occurs in menopause, causes rapid deterioration in the bone mass as it diminishes the inhibitive activity of the hormone, increasing resorption and therefore leading to the loss of bone density. This makes the bones vulnerable to fractures.