Can Diabetes Cause Anemia?

Diabetes is a multi systemic disorder which affects almost every part of the body. Diabetes can also cause anemia. There are several ways that a diabetic patient can become anemic.

1. Due to nephropathy - Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus. Kidney secretes a chemical called erythropoetin which stimulates red blood cell production. Unfortunately, erythropoetin production is also reduced in diabetic nephropathy. As a result, less amount of red blood cells are produced making the person anemic. 
2. Due to autoimmune diabetes
3. Anemia in chronic disorder - Any chronic illness can cause anemia. Diabetes mellitus is also a chronic disorder.
4. As a side effect of diabetic medications - Unfortunately some of the medications given to treat diabetes cause anemia as a side effect. For example glitazone and metformmine cause anemia as a side effect.
5. As a result of autoimmune associated pernicious anemia - Some times diabetes results from an autoimmune disorder. In autoinnume disorders, antibodies are produced against the body's own cells. When these cells attack the beta cells of Islets of Lngarhan, diabetes develops. In such patients, the autoantibodies can also attack cells secreting intrinsic factor. Intrinsic factor is required to absorb Viatamin B 12 from the gut. Vitamin B 12 is required to produce red blood cells. Therefore, when there is reduced amount of intrinsic factor, the number of red blood cells produced gets reduced.

Above mentioned are the mechanism of anemia in diabetes mellitus. Anemia in diabetic patients should be identified and treated early. All preventive measured should also be taken because prevention is always better than cure.