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Prevention
By Mayo Clinic staff
Choose a healthy diet
You can prevent some forms of vitamin deficiency anemias by choosing a healthy diet that includes a variety of foods.
Foods rich in folate include:
- Dark green leafy vegetables
- Dried beans and peas
- Enriched grain products, such as bread, cereal, pasta and rice
- Fruits and fruit juices
Foods rich in vitamin B-12 include:
- Eggs
- Fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals
- Milk, cheese and yogurt
- Red and white meats and shellfish
Foods rich in vitamin C include:
- Broccoli
- Citrus fruits and juices
- Strawberries
- Sweet peppers
- Tomatoes
Most adults need these daily dietary amounts of the following vitamins:
- Vitamin B-12, 2.4 micrograms (mcg)
- Folate or folic acid, 400 mcg
- Vitamin C, 75 to 90 milligrams
Pregnant and breast-feeding women may require more of each vitamin.
Consider a multivitamin
If you're concerned about getting enough vitamins from the food you eat, ask your doctor whether a multivitamin may be right for you. Most people get enough vitamins from the foods they eat. But if you're diet is restricted, you may wish to take a multivitamin.
Don't smoke
Smoking interferes with the absorption of nutrients, such as vitamin C, so it can raise your risk of a vitamin deficiency. If you smoke, quit. If you don't smoke, don't start. If you've tried to quit on your own and haven't been successful, talk with your doctor about strategies to help you quit.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if at all
Alcohol can contribute to vitamin deficiency anemia. If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation. In general, this means limiting yourself to two drinks per day if you're a man or one drink per day if you're a woman.
- Antony AC. Megaloblastic anemias. In: Hoffman R, et al. Hematology: Basic Principles and Practice. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-06715-0..X5001-8--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-06715-0&uniqId=230100505-56. Accessed Jan. 24, 2011.
- Pernicious anemia. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/prnanmia/prnanmia_all.html. Accessed Jan. 24, 2011.
- Zile M, et al. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid). In: Kliegman RM. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/208746819-6/0/1608/0.html. Accessed Jan. 27, 2011.
- Mason JB. Vitamins, trace minerals and other micronutrients. In: Goldman L, et al. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/191371208-2/0/1492/0.html#. Accessed Jan. 27, 2011.
- Dietary reference intakes (DRIs): Recommended intakes for individuals, vitamins. Institute of Medicine. http://iom.edu/en/Global/News%20Announcements/~/media/Files/Activity%20Files/Nutrition/DRIs/DRISummaryListing2.ashx. Accessed Jan. 28, 2011.
- USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 23. U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search. Accessed Jan. 28, 2011.
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