Sickle cell anemia is an inherited blood disorder in which red blood cells are hard and crescent-shaped, which prevents them from carrying enough oxygen to tissues and organs. Normal red blood cells are pliable and disc-shaped, enabling them to store hemoglobin and move freely throughout blood vessels. there is no cure for the condition, but protein-rich foods can help manage symptoms of sickle cell anemia.
Protein Function
Deficiency occurs in patients with sickle cell anemia because sickle-cell shaped red blood cells are unable to store hemoglobin, a protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. That protein is necessary for the production of healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin itself, so patients with sickle cell anemia are encouraged to eat more protein-rich foods to increase healthy red blood cell production. Examples of protein-rich foods includes milk, lean red meat, fish poultry, eggs whites, nuts and beans.
Protein and Growth and Development
Poor oxygenation of body tissues due to sickle cell anemia can cause impaired growth and development in children, according to NutritionMD. For body organs to grow, they require oxygen-rich blood --- a challenge for those with sickled cells --- which can lead to impaired growth and, at worst, organ failure. Eating more protein-rich foods stimulates red blood cell production and growth of healthy body tissues.
Protein and Infections
Patients with sickle cell anemia are at risk for frequent infections. Hard, sickled red blood cells clog more easily in small red blood vessels, which disrupts healthy blood flow to the spleen and other organs that fight infections, according to MayoClinic.com. Protein helps repair and heal body tissues damaged by infections.
Protein and Fatigue
Patients with sickle cell anemia require high-calorie protein-rich meals and snacks to deal with excess fatigue caused by oxygen-starved cells, according to NutritionMD. Ongoing fatigue should be closely monitored because it can trigger a sickle cell crisis --- a painful episode that occurs when sickle cells block normal blood flow in body organs.
