Treatment for vitamin deficiency anemia includes supplements and changes in diet.
Jan. 02, 2014
- Folate deficiency anemia. Treatment involves eating a healthy diet and taking folic acid supplements as prescribed by your doctor. In most cases, folic acid supplements are taken orally. Once your body's level of folate increases to normal, you may be able to stop taking the supplements. But if the cause of your folate deficiency can't be corrected, you may need to take folic acid supplements indefinitely.
- Vitamin B-12 deficiency anemia (pernicious anemia). For milder cases of vitamin B-12 deficiency, treatment may involve changes to your diet and vitamin B-12 supplements in pill form or as a nasal spray. Your doctor may suggest vitamin B-12 injections, particularly if your vitamin B-12 deficiency is severe. At first, you may receive the shots as often as every other day. Eventually, you'll need injections just once a month, which may continue for life, depending on your situation.
- Vitamin C deficiency anemia. Treatment for anemia related to vitamin C deficiency is with vitamin C tablets. Additionally, you increase your intake of foods and beverages that contain vitamin C.
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- Dietary reference intakes (DRIs): Recommended intakes for individuals, vitamins. Institute of Medicine. http://iom.edu/Global/Search.aspx?q=dietary+reference+intakes+vitamin&output=xml_no_dtd&client=iom_frontend&site=iom&proxyreload=1&ie=UTF-8&ulang=&ip=184.108.40.206&access=p&sort=date:D:L:d1&entqr=3&entqrm=0&start=10. Accessed Sept. 14, 2013.
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/DGAs2010-PolicyDocument.htm. Accessed Sept. 14, 2013.