Angela Onwuzoo
Haematologists say advert claims referring to some medications as ‘blood tonics’, is misleading.
The senior health professionals said using the word ‘blood tonic’ should be discouraged, stressing that it is alien to scientific medicine.
The scholars from the University of Lagos, described the usage as just a marketing gimmick used by marketers of the products to get the public to buy the medications, insisting that most of the advert claims are laced with misinformation.
The blood transfusion specialists advised those experiencing tiredness to first go for a medical examination to find out the cause and treat it before consuming a ‘blood tonic; that their body may never need.
Mayo Clinic says lack of iron may lead to unusual tiredness, shortness of breath, decreased physical performance, and learning problems in children and adults, and may increase one’s chances of getting an infection.
It stated that iron is a mineral that the body needs to produce red blood cells.
“When the body doesn’t get enough iron, it can’t produce the number of normal red blood cells needed to keep one in good health. This condition is called iron deficiency (iron shortage) or iron deficiency anaemia”, it added.
The haematologists with over 30 years of experience, who spoke with PUNCH Healthwise in separate exclusive interviews, warned that indiscriminate vitamin and mineral supplements, some of which are laden with iron are dangerous, though supplements on their own are not harmful.
According to them, too much iron in the blood can adversely affect the body and may also trigger fast ageing and its associated complications.
They stressed that a doctor can prescribe vitamins and minerals for individuals complaining of tiredness after medical evaluation.
A professor of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Sulaimon Akanmu, identified haemorrhage, decreased red cell survival, and anaemia of bone marrow failure as three major things that could make a person anaemic.
Prof Sulaimon Akanmu
The don, who is a Consultant Haematologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, also said factors that could raise one’s risk of anaemia include eating a diet that is low in iron, vitamins, or minerals, blood loss from surgery or an injury, serious illnesses, such as kidney disease, cancer, diabetes, and thyroid disease.
He noted that iron deficiency is the most common cause of anaemia globally, including in Nigeria.
Giving insight into why the term ‘blood tonic’ should be discouraged, the haematologist said, “I don’t know what blood tonic means when people say blood tonic. In my mind, I am assuming that they are referring to some vitamins and minerals like iron, copper, zinc, manganese, and vitamin B3 that may be required for blood formation or the formation of red blood cells. I assume that that is what they mean.
“If that is what they mean by blood tonic, it is only prescribed and required when you are deficient in those vitamins or you lack some minerals like iron, manganese, and zinc in your blood.
“But the truth of the matter is that most adverts that you see out there talking about blood tonic are largely misinforming the public. It is true that if you are deficient in some vitamins and some minerals like iron you become anaemic. No doubt about that and what you need to take is those vitamins or minerals that you like or are deficient in.”
Akanmu pointed out that though tiredness could be due to blood shortage, there could be other causes such as diseases and infections.
He said the reason why a person might be losing blood should be investigated and addressed before any vitamins and mineral supplements are taken for blood formation.
“As far as I am concerned, there is nothing like blood tonic. But I can tell you that it is not blood tonic that those medications should be called. You will get a prescription for the vitamins that we know you lack or the mineral element that we know you lack and then you get treatment.
“So, blood tonic is a blanket statement that allows for people who don’t need extra of those vitamins and minerals to go and buy it. People just want to make money out of it. So, I think most of the time, it’s misinformation”, he stated.
Speaking further on the possible causes of tiredness and anaemia, the professor said, “It’s true that if you are tired, it might be due to a shortage of blood. But a thousand and one other things can also cause tiredness.
“If you have overworked yourself, you will naturally become tired. If you have an infection like malaria, you will be tired. And of course, if you have a significant illness like kidney disease, liver disease, or diseases of the lungs, you will become tired.
“A lot of diseases actually manifest as tiredness but to lump everything together and say it is a blood shortage, and then you go to take blood tonic is misinformation and we have to be very careful.”
The haematologist added, “So, I am afraid when people say blood tonic but I usually ask them what they mean; how is it toning your blood?
“So, I think they are just trading gimmicks and I believe the use of the word ‘blood tonic’ should be discouraged. There is nothing like blood tonic in medicine as far as I am concerned. If the symptoms you have is tiredness and we investigate to find out there is a shortage of blood, the next thing is to find out what is causing the shortage of blood.”
Akanmu concluded that though multivitamins and multivitamins help the enzymes in the body to function properly, the idea that it is a blood tonic is misleading because it does not boost the blood.
Corroborating the statement of his colleague, a Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist, Prof Edamisan Temiye, also from LUTH, said there is nothing like blood tonic.
Professor Edamisan Temiye
The haematologist said, “We don’t prescribe blood tonic to anybody. There is nothing like that and it can be dangerous at times.
“If you have a shortage of blood, you must find out the cause and have it treated. It can be caused by malaria because malaria lowers blood levels. But it can be dangerous for somebody who has cancer. No doctor that knows what he is doing will prescribe blood tonic for you. “
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