Anemia and Colitis

People with ulcerative colitis are at higher risk of becoming anemic due to blood lose from the bowels. The lack of oxygenation of tissues presents symptoms of low energy, cold extremities, pale brittle hair and nails, shortness of breath, muscle cramps and aches, etc.

There are several reasons for anemia such as: Iron deficiency, B12 deficiency, sickle cell or thalassemia. The focus here will be on iron and B12 deficiency.

Iron is the mineral in hemoglobin that allows for oxygen to be transferred from the lungs to the tissues and Carbon dioxide back from the tissue to the lungs. With a lack of iron, there is a decrease in hemoglobin size and colour of the red blood cell changes.

Some examples of iron rich foods include:

• Red meat (organ and livers especially)
• Chickpeas, lentils, legumes
• Raisin, prunes, plums
• Dates, molasses
• Beets
• Eggs
• etc

You can get more iron in the diet by cooking with cast iron pan or using a iron fish.

Some factors that could affect the absorption of iron include

• low stomach acid
• Not enough vitamin C to aid the absorption of iron
• Too much calcium or caffeine during iron intake
• leaky gut
• hormone imbalance (heavy periods)