Question

Anemia is caused in man due to deficiency of
(a) Folic Acid
(b) Vitamin ${ B }_{ 12 }$
(c) Iron
(d) All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Anaemia in man can be caused due to the deficiency of many factors. One such factor is an element which is a very crucial part of the haemoglobin. The other two nutrients are a type of B vitamin.

Complete Answer:
Anaemia is caused in man due to deficiency of folic acid, vitamin ${ B }_{ 12 }$ and iron.
Let us begin the explanation by understanding what anaemia is. ‘Anaemia’ is defined as the haemoglobin concentration in the blood below the lower limit of the normal range for the age and sex of the individual. In adults, the lower limit of normal haemoglobin is taken as 13.5 g/dl for males and 11.5 g/dl for females. There are various types of anaemia recognised in human beings. Among them are iron-deficiency anaemia, pernicious anaemia and megaloblastic anaemia.

Let's study each type of anaemia in brief.
1) Iron deficiency anaemia:
-As the name suggests it is caused due to the deficiency of iron in the diet.
-This is the most common form of anaemia.
-The RBC count falls to 3-4 million/ ${ mm }^{ 3 }$.
-Hemoglobin content is 6 g/dl.

2) Pernicious anaemia:
-It is caused due to the deficiency of Vitamin ${ B }_{ 12 }$.
-The tongue becomes beefy red due to inflammation.
-The RBC count is below 1 million/${ mm }^{ 3 }$.

3) Megaloblastic anaemia:
-Megaloblastic anaemia is caused due to the deficiency of folic acid.
-It is also known as folate deficiency anaemia.
-In this condition, the red blood cells are larger than normal. They also attain a different shape.

So, the correct answer is, 'All of the above.’

Note: -Pernicious anaemia is also called Addison’s anaemia or Biermer’s anaemia.
-Folic acid comes from the family of B complex vitamins. It is vitamin ${ B }_{ 9 }$.
-Anemia is a condition in which the production of healthy RBCs is altered.
-’Sickle cell anaemia’ is an inherited red blood cell disorder in which the RBCs are not capable enough to carry oxygen sufficiently.