FOLIC ACID DEFICIENCY
Folic acid is another vitamin that is required for your body to produce normal blood. This vitamin is found in green vegetables but is easily destroyed when they are boiled. Some people who do not eat fresh vegetables, especially salad greens, are at a greater risk of developing a deficiency of this vitamin. Excess alcohol use and the administration of certain drugs, such as phenytoin (Dilantin ®) used in epilepsy, can also cause folic acid deficiency. The anemia caused by a lack of folic acid is similar to pernicious anemia, but it usually improves with folic acid supplements.
Other Anemia Various causes of anemia are more common in older people. Sometimes the body “breaks down” (hemolyzes) its own red blood cells and the bone marrow (where blood cells are made) cannot keep up with the destruction. The result is hemolytic anemia. If you have a chronic disease such as arthritis, kidney disease, or a malignant tumor, your body may not be able to make a normal amount of blood. Certain types of malignancies that affect the blood cells, such as leukemia, can also cause anemia.
Each type of anemia requires special tests to find its cause and decide on appropriate treatment. A bone marrow biopsy may be necessary to diagnose it. The procedure poses almost no danger and usually causes very little pain
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