Any condition that affects the blood can produce systemic effects in all systems of the body. These effects can produce a variety of symptoms that can make diagnosing the underlying primary condition very difficult. This difficulty is illustrated by the nearly two hundred thousand deaths globally each year due to iron deficiency anemia alone (Collaborates, 2015). However, when evaluating the true impact of anemia on public health, more than background mortality rates need to be considered. For those with prolonged undiagnosed cases of mild to moderate anemia, the long-term effects on their health are difficult to calculate. New understanding of the mechanisms of cellular systems has led to advances in the identification and treatment of anemia. Each advance is one step closer to understanding a condition first identified in humans more than four thousand years ago (Biology & University of Otago Medical School, 1996). With over a billion people affected by anemia worldwide, it is understandable how the prevalence of this condition can be seen as an epidemic affecting the overall and sustained health of all societies (Lancet,