Human blood contains various cells, including red blood cells and white blood cells, which respond to different physiological and medical conditions.
The table below shows how certain situations affect the count of these blood cells:
| Situation | Number of red blood cells | Number of white blood cells |
|---|---|---|
| Having an iron-deficient diet | decreases | stays the same |
| Spending weeks training in simulated hypoxia (low-oxygen) chambers | increases | stays the same |
| Undergoing chemotherapy treatment | decreases | decreases |
Explain why a diet deficient in iron causes a reduction in the number of functional red blood cells.
Explain how the change in red blood cells from spending time in a simulated hypoxia chamber benefits endurance athletes during a race.
Explain why a decrease in the number of white blood cells due to chemotherapy increases the patient's vulnerability to serious illness.
