Is there a supplement can help me?

[Sarah Buchan]

Hi Lim,

Thank you for posting such an interesting question. I hope my advice may help.

A diagnosis of thalassaemia minor indicates to me that you do carry the thalassaemia gene but your body can still produce enough haemoglobin and therefore you shouldn't have any symptoms or problems from the condition. Haemoglobin is the part of the red blood cell which carries oxygen from the lungs around the body. The symptoms you are presenting with suggest that you are experiencing the effects of low haemoglobin therefore I would suggest that you see you GP for further advice. They may wish to carry out a full blood count to check your haemoglobin levels again if it has been a while since your last blood test.

You are quite correct, thalassaemia patients should avoid iron and vitamin c supplementation as iron is being produced and absorbed, it is just the haemoglobin which fails to transport it around the body. Taking too much iron can cause additional complications. Zinc has a variety of roles in the body and is commonly found in dietary products including red meat, poultry, shellfish, pulses, wholegrain cereals and cheese. Its absorption can be reduced if there are high levels of iron in the blood, which may be the case in your situation. Low levels of zinc may cause alopecia (hair loss) in severe cases, however I would rather you had this confirmed by your GP before beginning supplementation which may be unnecessary.

With reference to your asthma, I would also suggest visiting your local pharmacy to ensure you are using any inhaler devices correctly. Many of our patients aren't getting maximum benefit from their inhaler devices due to poor inhaler technique. The consequences of this can also include tiredness.

I hope your GP can advise you further and your symptoms improve.

Kindest regards,

Sarah

[Chao Lim]

Thank you for your advice, Sarah.
These are the answer i had been looking for.
I really appreciate your efforts.