What is the term for severe iron deficiency?

The term for severe iron deficiency is anemia. Anemia is a condition characterized by a lack of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin, which is often caused by insufficient iron levels in the body. Iron is essential because it is a critical component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. When there is not enough iron available, the body cannot produce enough healthy red blood cells, leading to fatigue, weakness, and a range of other symptoms associated with anemia.

The other terms listed refer to different medical conditions. Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects blood and bone marrow, resulting in the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells. Hemophilia is a genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to make blood clots, leading to excessive bleeding. Thrombocytopenia refers to a condition where there is a lower than normal number of platelets in the blood, which can also lead to bleeding issues but is not specifically related to iron deficiency. Understanding these distinctions highlights the specific nature of anemia as it relates to iron levels.