Final answer:
a) Exacerbates The consumption of nonfood substances exacerbates anemia, as it can lead to nutritional imbalances and deficiencies that interfere with normal blood cell production, such as in the case of copper deficiency leading to hypoferremia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The consumption of nonfood substances exacerbates anemia. Anemia is a condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin, leading to reduced oxygen transport to the body's tissues. A well-known factor that can lead to anemia is nutritional deficiencies, such as iron, folate, or vitamin B12 deficiencies. Considering the effect of certain nutritional mal absorptions on anemia, we can refer to copper deficiency in animals. In the absence of adequate copper, iron absorption is not affected, but iron release into the plasma is impeded due to decreased synthesis of ceruloplasmin.
This leads to hypoferremia, a condition characterized by low iron levels in the blood that can contribute to anemia. Experimental data indicates that when there is reduced exposure to pathogens, such as in developed nations, there can be an impact on the immune response. However, this data is more relevant to immune deficiency causes than of anemia, which is specifically related to blood cell health.