5 Important Nutrients

Have you ever wondered why the majority of people living with sickle cell look younger and have a smaller stature than their peers? This can in part be traced to diet.

Nutrition and sickle cell

Nutrition plays a huge role in managing sickle cell disorder. A healthy diet is essential for sickle cell and can improve the wellbeing of warriors. Nutrition has been linked to chronic pain in several studies. A poor diet or nutrition will not only keep a child living with sickle cell from growing like his peers but can also increase chronic pain levels.

Nutrient deficiency

Most people living with sickle cell disorder tend to suffer nutrient deficiency. This is because, in people living with sickle cell disorder, the red blood cell loses oxygen, forms a sickle shape, and dies within ten to twenty dies instead of the normal 120 days. This means that people living with sickle cell disorder have a shortage of red blood cells. Hence, there is also a shortage of oxygen as well as other nutrients needed for the body to perform optimally.

The deficiency of these nutrients has different implications on the body. Some of which are severe. Therefore, people living with sickle cell disorder need to consume a lot of these nutrients in order to maintain good health.

But what are these nutrients?

In this post, I will share five nutrients that are essential for people living with sickle cell disorder but before then, here is a quick disclaimer. I am not a nutritionist and the content below are only for informational purpose. That being said, here are five nutrients for every sickle cell warriors.

1. Folate

This is probably the most important nutrient for people living with sickle cell. Folate is also known as vitamin B9 and it helps the body to produce red blood cells which carry oxygen around the body.

In people living with sickle cell, the red blood cells produced are considered unhealthy because they change shape and die earlier than the normal red blood cells. This implies that there would be a shortage of red blood cells in the system and hence a shortage of oxygen.¹

Folate deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, and muscle weakness. People living with sickle cell are advised to take folic acid supplements daily. This will increase the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow and in turn reduce symptoms of anemia. ¹

Natural sources of folate include eggs, legumes, leafy greens.

2. Vitamin D

Vitamin D is another vital nutrient for people living with sickle cell because it aids proper bone growth and bone health. The deficiency of vitamin D is usually common in sickle cell warriors so there is a need to consume more of it. Its deficiency can lead to chronic pain, osteonecrosis (avascular necrosis), and poor bone growth.²

One of the major sources of vitamin D is the sun. Other sources include liver, egg yolks, and oily fish (mackerel and salmon).

3. Calcium

Just like vitamin D, calcium is vital in the body. It promotes bone growth and improves bone health. Vitamin D works with Calcium to help strengthen and build bones. Hence, calcium is another important nutrient for people living with sickle cell to avoid bone weakness and intense bone crisis.^3>

Some sources of calcium include green leafy vegetables such as okra and dairy foods.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C helps build immunity by providing our cells with antioxidants. These antioxidants protect our cells from damage and help us to fight infections naturally. However, people living with sickle cell tend to have low levels of antioxidants. That means warriors are prone to infections and organ damage.⁴

A low level of antioxidants can be due to vitamin C deficiency. It is important for people living with sickle cell disorder to consume foods that are rich in vitamin C or take vitamin C supplements (foods are better).

One sources of vitamin C include oranges.

5. Carotenoids

Carotenoids just like Vitamin C are antioxidants that can help fight disease and boost our immune system. Several studies have shown that people living with sickle cell disorder tend to have a low level of antioxidants and carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that our body needs.⁵

Major sources of carotenoids include carrots, watermelons, yams, and tomatoes.

Our diet matters

To conclude this post, it is important to hammer on the fact that diet is crucial when managing sickle cell disorder. What we eat can make a huge difference in our health. Food is medicine.