Words to know: Anemia and iron deficiency
- Anemia
- Too few healthy red blood cells or too little hemoglobin, which can cause tiredness and shortness of breath.
- Hemoglobin
- The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.
- Red blood cells
- Blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
- Iron
- A mineral the body needs to make hemoglobin. It comes from food or supplements.
- Iron deficiency
- Not having enough iron stored in the body.
- Ferritin
- A protein that stores iron. Its blood level shows how much iron your body has saved.
- Transferrin saturation (TSAT)
- The percent of the iron-carrying protein in your blood that is filled with iron.
- TIBC
- Total iron binding capacity. A test of how much room the blood has to carry iron.
- MCV
- Mean corpuscular volume. The average size of your red blood cells.
- Reticulocyte
- A young red blood cell, just released from the bone marrow.
- Bone marrow
- The soft tissue inside bones where blood cells are made.
- Vitamin B12
- A vitamin needed for red blood cells and healthy nerves. It comes from animal foods.
- Folate
- A B vitamin, also called folic acid, needed to make red blood cells.
- Anemia of chronic disease
- Anemia caused by long-term inflammation, which makes the body hold back iron. Also called anemia of inflammation.
- Erythropoietin (EPO)
- A hormone made by the kidneys that tells the bone marrow to make red blood cells.
- IV iron
- Iron given directly into a vein through a small tube.
- Colonoscopy
- A test that uses a thin tube with a camera to look inside the large bowel.
- Upper endoscopy
- A test that uses a thin tube with a camera to look at the food pipe, stomach, and upper small bowel.
- Celiac disease
- A condition where eating gluten damages the small bowel and blocks absorption of iron and other nutrients.
- Blood transfusion
- Getting donated blood or red blood cells through a vein.
- Hypophosphatemia
- A low level of phosphate in the blood, which can happen after some IV iron products.
- Pica
- Craving and eating things that are not food, like ice or clay. It can be a sign of low iron.
- Hematologist
- A doctor who specializes in blood conditions.
Last updated: 2026-10-27. Medically reviewed by Veli Bakalov, MD, medical oncologist (October 2026). General education from Step by Step, the patient portal of HemeOncBuddy.