What You Should Know About Anemia

What it is: A low level of red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body.
Why it's not necessarily serious: If you're anemic, it just means you have a low blood count and doctors would want to find out what's causing it. In some cases, patients never experience symptoms and are just naturally anemic.Causes can include heavy menstrual periods, iron, vitamin b12 or folic acid deficiency, medication reactions and underlying illnesses.
When to worry: See a doctor to rule out more serious causes of anemia, such as certain types of cancer. If you have a severe case of anemia, you could be at higher risk for heart attack due to reduced blood-oxygen levels.