Folic acid deficiency anemia
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Folic acid deficiency anemia
Folic acid deficiency anemia results from lower-than-normal levels of folic acid in the body. It causes symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, a pale appearance, and lightheadedness.
Causes of folic acid deficiency anemia include:
- Not getting enough folic acid in the diet.
- An increased need for folic acid, as can happen during pregnancy or with certain diseases, such as sickle cell disease.
- Difficulty absorbing folic acid.
- Certain medications.
- Artificial cleansing of the blood (hemodialysis), as is done to treat kidney disease.
Alcoholism is a common cause of folic acid deficiency anemia, as are certain medical conditions, such as sickle cell anemia or leukemia. Folic acid deficiency anemia is treated by increasing a person's intake of folic acid (folate). With treatment, people usually recover from folic acid deficiency anemia within 2 weeks to 2 months.
Credits
| Author | Ralph Poore |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman, MATC |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology |
| Last Updated | March 2, 2007 |
| Last updated: | March 02, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Ralph Poore |
| Reviewed By: | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Brian Leber, MDCM, FRCPC - Hematology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman, MATC |
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