Anemia is a condition where you don\’t have enough healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body. This condition can cause symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath, and/or changes to nails and hair. It is common with IBD to have anemia related to iron or vitamin B12 deficiency because inflammation in the gut reduces the amount of iron or B12 you absorb from foods, while GI bleeding can reduce your total iron level from the blood loss.