Diseases, Conditions & Concerns / Question
Published: September 18, 2001
Dear TeenHealthFX,
I have Thalassemia Minor. I don't exactly know what it is completely though and I don't know what I should be doing differently. I do know that it can't be cured and it is just an inherited disease that I have to live with. DO you have information on it and any advice on changes in my diet? Thank you.
Signed: What Is Thalassemia?
Dear What Is Thalassemia?,
Thalassemia is the most common inherited single gene disorder in the world. To understand how Thalassemia affects the human body, you must first understand a little about how blood is created.
The oxygen-carrying component of the red blood cells is called hemoglobin. It is made of two different kinds of proteins, called alpha and beta globins. If the body doesn't produce enough of either of these two proteins, the red blood cells do not form properly and cannot carry sufficient oxygen that the body needs to survive. The result is anemia that begins at the first 6 months to 12 months of birth and lasts throughout life.
Thalassemia is most commonly found in people of southern European (most notably Italian and Greek), East Indian, North African, Middle Eastern, Southern Chinese, and the Pacific Rim ancestry. Due to global migration patterns, there has been an increase in Thalassemia in North America in the last 15 years.
Thalassemia can range from mild (minor) to severe.
Thalassemia Minor
In Thalassemia minor, the hemoglobin genes are inherited during conception, one from the mother (egg) and one from the father (sperm). People with a Thalassemia trait in one gene are known as carriers or are said to have Thalassemia minor. The only way to know if you carry the Thalassemia trait is to have a special blood test called hemoglobin electrophoresis, which can identify the gene. The carriers of Thalassemia minor become anemic or slightly anemic. If you, your parents, or ancestors are from "Thalassemia regions" (most commonly found in people of southern European (most notably Italian and Greek), East Indian, North African, Middle Eastern, Southern Chinese, and the Pacific Rim ancestry), request a test from your doctor. It is vitally important to identify yourself as a possible carrier of Thalassemia minor. Possessing the Thalassemia minor trait gives you a 25%, (1 in 4) chance of having a baby with Thalassemia major, providing that both parents of the child are both carriers of the disorder. Increased awareness is the key to prevention.
TeenHealthFX could find no information about changes in diet that could help. For more information on Thalassemia, visit Cooley's Anemia Foundation.
Signed: TeenHealthFX
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