Blood tonics do not boost blood levels – Akanmu

A professor of haematology and transfusion medicine, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, and consultant haematologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Sulaimon Akanmu, tells ARUKAINO UMUKORO about the use of products, popularly referred to as ‘blood tonics’

What are the major functions of the blood in the body?

A major function of the blood to the human body is that it collects and delivers oxygen from the lungs to the tissues via an important protein component called the haemoglobin in the red blood cell. The absence of the red cells and therefore haemoglobin means oxygen will not get to the body tissues, like the heart or the brain, which means the life span of a person can end within 180 minutes. Without blood collecting and delivering oxygen to the tissues, there is no life. The second major function of the blood is to transport rich metabolic products such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide throughout the body. Also, the white blood cells provide the body with a lot of immunity. It helps the body to fight a variety of infection – fungal, bacterial or parasitic – and infectious diseases. The blood also helps the body to heal properly.

What do these blood tonics really do for the body?

 I can say is that they are not poisonous. I know these so-called blood tonics have multivitamins and minerals which may include iron, copper, zinc, manganese, magnesium, selenium and vitamins like vitamins A, D, B6, 9 and D12. These vital components are contained in such a low level that an excess intake of it is unlikely to cause any damage to the body. A pregnant woman compulsorily requires iron therapy because she is nurturing a whole baby growing inside of her that also needs iron to form its own blood and her placenta needs a lot of iron. She would also require a folic acid supplement as the baby derives folic acid from the mother. I would rather not classify it as ‘blood tonic,’ but I would say taking folic acid or iron therapy helps a pregnant woman.

Advice to people who buy ‘blood tonics’ for the specific purpose of boosting their blood levels?

The public needs to be properly enlightened on this. First of all, they should understand that the blood is not toned, so there is nothing like a ‘blood tonic.’ Secondly, people shouldn’t think that buying these so-called ‘blood tonic’ is able to correct the feelings of tiredness or weakness. Instead, they should find out the causes of their tiredness or weakness, and if it is proven that it is truly as a result of a shortage of blood, then it needs to be investigated medically and they should get direct treatment from a medical doctor. A lot of people have iron deficiency as the cause of shortage of blood and the answer to that is not blood tonic, but iron replacement therapy. According to the World Health Organisation, 80 per cent of the world’s population suffer from iron deficiency, with 30 per cent termed as being anaemic. There are no available statistics for Nigeria presently.

What should people look out for when they want to buy such products?

I will advise that people should visit the hospital when they feel tired or weak and are unable to function properly because of this. The automatic answer is not using ‘blood tonic.’ The constant use of blood tonics to treat all manner of weakness of tiredness or what one thinks is anaemia is not the way to go and it is not correct.

Are there natural food products to use instead of ‘blood tonics’?

If an individual truly has a shortage of blood, eating a particular kind of diet may not totally help in replacing it. However, that does not take away the fact that the reason why one may have a shortage of blood could be inadequate dietary intake. A number of people may actually develop a shortage of blood if they do not eat well. Some people deliberately don’t take the right food and so may become iron deficient.