Why does haemoglobin reduced

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Home Blood and blood vessels. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Red blood cells explained Causes of anaemia Symptoms of anaemia Groups at high risk of anaemia Diagnosis of anaemia Treatment for anaemia Long-term outlook for people with anaemia Prevention of anaemia Where to get help.

Anaemia is a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells in your body. Red blood cells carry oxygen around your body using a particular protein called haemoglobin.

Anaemia means that either the level of red blood cells or the level of haemoglobin is lower than normal. When a person has anaemia, their heart has to work harder to pump the quantity of blood needed to get enough oxygen around their body. This blood condition is common, particularly in females. Abnormally high or low Hgb can cause symptoms like exhaustion , dizziness , or shortness of breath. You may have an underlying condition that needs to be diagnosed. Learn why you may need an Hgb test, what the typical ranges are for Hgb, and what can cause abnormal Hgb levels.

To take a sample, your healthcare provider extracts blood from a vein by pricking your finger or inserting a needle with an attached tube into the crease of your arm.

The sample is then stored in the tube to be analyzed later at a lab. The needle may cause brief discomfort, but the insertion usually lasts less than a minute.

The Hgb test may be ordered as part of a complete blood count CBC test. A CBC test also measures other important components of your blood, such as white blood cells and platelets.

Abnormal levels of any of these cells can indicate underlying conditions or blood disorders. You may need to fast — avoiding food or liquids with calories for about 12 hours — if your doctor plans to test the chemistry of your blood at the same time.

You should drink plenty of water, however. This threshold may change with certain conditions. For children these levels may also vary due to age, especially in infants under 6 months old. With anemia, a blood test will also show that you have a low red blood cell count and may have low hematocrit , the volume of red blood cells to other components in your blood. A lower than normal amount of hemoglobin can result in decreased oxygen delivery to vital organs and muscles, resulting in fatigue or a lack of energy.

CM is still the gold standard for measuring hemoglobin counts because of its accuracy. However, novel non-invasive methods to calculate hemoglobin counts include portable methods such as automated hemoglobin analyzers, HemoCue gravity method, and NBM Relationship between haemoglobin and haematocrit in the definition of anaemia. Trop Med Int Health.

High Hemoglobin Count: Causes, Treatments. Cleveland Clinic. Accessed May 31, Low hemoglobin count Causes. Mayo Clinic. Lower hemoglobin correlates with larger stroke volumes in acute ischemic stroke. Cerebrovasc Dis Extra. Office of Dietary Supplements - Iron. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. Individualized treatment for iron-deficiency anemia in adults. Am J Med.

Taking a vitamin C supplement may also help. Vitamin A and beta-carotene can aid the body in absorbing and using iron. While vitamin A supplements can help the body to process iron, the vitamin is dangerous if too much is consumed.

Excess vitamin A may lead to a condition known as hypervitaminosis A. This can cause symptoms such as bone and joint pain, severe headaches , and increased pressure within the brain. A doctor may advise a person with extremely low levels of hemoglobin to take iron supplements. It is important to note that too much iron can be dangerous. It may cause hemochromatosis , which can lead to liver disease and side effects such as constipation , nausea, and vomiting.

Supplements will cause levels of iron to increase gradually over a few weeks. Iron supplements are available for purchase online. Low hemoglobin is diagnosed when a man has less than It is possible to have naturally reduced hemoglobin levels without an underlying cause.

Some may even have low hemoglobin and experience no symptoms or indications. Normal ranges are:. Appropriate hemoglobin levels for children vary depending on age. People with very low hemoglobin levels may need additional treatment if taking supplements and changing the diet do not show sufficient results.