Tag: Ineffective erythropoiesis

An estimated 1.5% of the global population are carriers for alpha and beta thalassemia genes, and for many, dietary iron and supplements are a significant danger. Thalassemia patients cannot eat iron because their condition and its treatments cause the body to accumulate excess iron, a state known as iron overload. This occurs despite anemia, making iron supplementation not only unnecessary but potentially fatal.

According to the National Institutes of Health, vitamin B12 deficiency is known to produce unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia due to the phenomenon of ineffective erythropoiesis. This surprising link means that a lack of vitamin B12 can indeed cause elevated bilirubin levels, leading to a yellowing of the skin and eyes, known as jaundice.

While standard iron deficiency anemia doesn't cause jaundice, a more severe form can lead to yellowing skin and eyes due to a complex process. This phenomenon is not tied to a failing liver but rather to the inefficient production of red blood cells, which overwhelms the body’s waste processing systems.