Puzzle: Why does anemia trigger a desire to chew on ice in individuals?

Puzzle: Why does anemia trigger a desire to chew on ice in individuals?

Ice cravings, also known as pagophagia, have been linked to a condition called anemia. Anemia is a health issue where the body has an abnormally low number of red blood cells [1][2][4][5].

Pagophagia is a specific form of pica, a compulsive craving and eating of non-food items for a period of at least a month or more [6]. It's theorized that some individuals with anemia, particularly iron-deficiency anemia, feel compelled to chew on crunchy, icy things [7].

Iron is critical to the makeup of a healthy red blood cell. Red blood cells carry an iron-rich protein called hemoglobin, which delivers oxygen throughout the body [8]. In iron-deficiency anemia, the body lacks enough healthy red blood cells due to insufficient iron [1].

Craving and eating ice may help alleviate some symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue and cognitive slowing, possibly by enhancing sympathetic nervous system activity or increasing cerebral blood flow to improve alertness [4]. This subconscious behavior might serve to temporarily reduce the cognitive effects of low iron levels.

In the late 1960s, a correlation was made between iron-deficient anemia and abnormal ice cravings [9]. Some ice eaters may like the cooling relief that the ice brings to mouth inflammation or fissures symptomatic of this form of anemia [7].

While the exact cause of pagophagia is not fully understood, it is a recognized symptom and indicator of iron deficiency [1]. Increasing iron intake through diet and supplements can treat and reverse iron-deficiency anemia [3].

It's important to note that chewing on ice can potentially injure soft tissue, break or crack teeth [10]. If you find yourself regularly consuming a sizable amount of ice, it may be a sign of anemia and should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

[1] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Anemia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351600 [2] NHS. (2021). Iron-deficiency anaemia. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/ [3] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Iron-deficiency anemia - Treatment, diagnosis, and prognosis. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/iron-deficiency-anaemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351606 [4] National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2018). Pagophagia: A Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082337/ [5] MedlinePlus. (2021). Pica. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000948.htm [6] MedlinePlus. (2021). Pica. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000948.htm [7] National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2018). Pagophagia: A Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082337/ [8] National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. (2021). What Is Hemoglobin?. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/hemoglobin [9] National Center for Biotechnology Information. (2018). Pagophagia: A Review. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6082337/ [10] Mayo Clinic. (2021). Pagophagia. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/pagophagia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355547

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