Your body needs oxygen and it is transported by the red blood cells. They also have a special element, hemoglobin, that helps them with the entire process. Unfortunately, the hemoglobin levels may drop at times and interfere with the body’s ability to receive enough oxygen. As a result, you feel constant tiredness, weakness, poor concentration, or shortness of breath. These symptoms often develop slowly in most cases and are often ignored unless you notice something is wrong with your body.
Only clear information about the causes of low hemoglobin count can help you recognize the early signs and understand when you need medical advice. Let’s look further into these details in this guide to also learn more about the treatment options associated with low hemoglobin levels.
What is Low Hemoglobin?
Hemoglobin is the protein present in your red blood cells. The red blood cells transport oxygen throughout your body. Oxygen is your energy source, and it fuels the cells. When your body’s capacity to produce red blood cells is hampered by a disease, the hemoglobin level can decrease.
- A low hemoglobin level is referred to as anemia, which can result from either a decrease in red blood cells or a reduced amount of hemoglobin in the circulatory system.
- This condition limits the oxygen delivery to tissues through the blood, causing weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath.
- Low hemoglobin common causes include iron deficiency that affects hemoglobin creation in the body, chronic disease, such as cancer or kidney failure where red placenta cell formation decreases, and severe bleeding due to injury or monthly periods.
- Sickle cell anemia is also a genetic disorder that causes low levels of hemoglobin.
What Should Be the Normal Hemoglobin Range?
A hemoglobin normal range is different for both men and women. The range is generally between 14.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL) and 17.5 g/dL and between 12.3 g/dL and 15.3 gm/dL for women.
In men, a severely low hemoglobin count is 13 g/dL or lower. For women, it’s 12 g/dL. The causes of low hemoglobin count are common for both men and women, as discussed below.
Causes of Low Hemoglobin Count
Several factors can contribute to inadequate hemoglobin amounts, including:
- The number of red blood cells your body produces is inadequate. The red and white blood cells form in your bone marrow. At times, diseases and ailments can lead to insufficient production or maintenance of red blood cells in your bone marrow.
- Long- term illnesses that impede the ability of blood to produce sufficient numbers of red cells can cause anemia.
- Iron, vitamin B12, and folate are essential nutrients, which participate in the synthesis of hemoglobin. Deficiency in any of these nutrients can lead to anemia.
- Among the inherited conditions that interfere with hemoglobin production or structure are sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, and others.
- Acute and chronic loss of blood can cause anemia. An accident, surgery, or childbirth may cause acute blood loss, whereas disorders, such as heavy monthly bleeding and gastrointestinal bleeding are followed by chronic blood.
- Reduced red blood cell production often results from deficiencies of bone marrow function, which could lead to aplastic anemia or myelodysplastic syndrome.
- Diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or inflammatory bowel disease interfere with erythropoiesis.
- During pregnancy, the female body produces more blood which helps to maintain a growing fetus. Anemia can develop if the demand remains higher than what the body is capable of meeting.
Symptoms of Low Hemoglobin
The severity and etiology of anemia influence its symptoms. A patient may initially have no symptoms from anemia due to its mildness. On the other hand, when the anemia worsens, symptoms of low hemoglobin often start to appear. It may not be easy to detect anemia symptoms if they are concealed by another illness.
The possible signs for detection are:
- Feeling tired or weak even after rest
- Difficulty in breathing during physical exertion or other activities
- Skin, lips, and nails that may look noticeably pale or have a whitish hue
- Feeling faint, dizzy, or having sensations of spinning
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Cold hands and feet
- Growth problems in kids and teenagers
- Frequent headaches or migraines
- Chest pain or angina
How Are Low Hemoglobin Levels Diagnosed?
The correct way to diagnose the causes of low hemoglobin count is through blood tests. There is a stepwise approach associated with the entire diagnosis process, which generally starts with basic tests and then moves to specific investigations.
Complete Blood Count Test
This test involves analyzing the complete blood count or CBC and helps measure hemoglobin levels, red blood cell count, and other parameters. It also helps you find out how low the hemoglobin count is and provides more clues on the specific anemia type.
Additional Blood Tests
If a doctor finds out that a person has low hemoglobin levels, they may recommend going for further tests. This allows them to analyze vitamin B12 and folate levels, iron stores, kidney function tests, and other markers of inflammation that often indicate chronic medical conditions or nutritional deficiencies.
Tests for Detecting Blood Loss
Sometimes, doctors may recommend doing a stool test to find out the reason behind excessive or ongoing blood loss in the body. Imaging tests and endoscopic procedures can also help find out the causes of low hemoglobin count in this case.
Specialized Investigations
Healthcare providers may ask for more investigations if the cause of a particular condition is not clear. This involves doing a peripheral blood smear to examine the size and shape of the red blood cells. In rare cases, they may also recommend a bone marrow examination to evaluate blood cell production.
Treatment of Low Hemoglobin
Your anemia type will determine how you are treated. Following are the common treatment of low hemoglobin:
- You may require medicine, blood transfusions (where you receive blood from another person), or a bone marrow transplant (where you receive stem cells from a donor) if you have aplastic anemia.
- You may require medicine to suppress your immune system if you have hemolytic anemia. A doctor that specializes in vascular issues may be recommended to you by your primary care physician.
- If blood loss is the cause, surgery may be necessary to locate and stop the bleeding. You may be advised to take iron supplements and adjust your diet if you have iron-deficiency anemia.
- Treatment options for sickle cell anemia include oxygen therapy, folic acid supplements, occasional antibiotics, and opioids.
- You will be given supplements if you are deficient in vitamin B12 or folate.
- Treatment for thalassemia is normally not necessary, but in cases when it is severe, you may require surgery, a bone marrow transplant, or blood transfusions.
- Taking iron supplements and altering one’s diet are common treatments for iron deficiency anemia.
Diseases Associated with Low Hemoglobin
Diseases and conditions that cause your body to produce fewer red blood cells than normal include:
- Aplastic anaemia
- Cancer
- Certain medications, such as anti-retroviral drugs for HIV infection and chemotherapy drugs for cancer and other conditions
- Chronic kidney disease
- Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver)
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease)
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
- Iron deficiency anemia
- Lead poisoning
- Leukaemia
- Multiple myeloma
Diseases and conditions that cause your body to destroy red blood cells faster than they can be made include:
- Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Thalassemia
- Vasculitis (blood vessel inflammation)
What are Causes of Bleeding Loss?
- Bleeding from a wound
- Bleeding in your digestive tract, such as from ulcers, cancers or hemorrhoid
- Bleeding in your urinary tract
- Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding)
Choosing the Best Treatment Options for Low Hemoglobin
Haematology is a branch in medicine that is concerned in analysing various blood components and blood forming organs (bone marrow, spleen and lymphoid tissues). The speciality is a tool used in treating blood diseases from anaemia to the blood (leukaemia), lymphoid glands (lymphoma and myeloma) and abnormalities of blood coagulation.
A low hemoglobin result indicates anaemia which can have many causes including pregnancy, blood loss, liver damage, iron deficiency and much more.
Seek Consultation at the Department of Hematology
Wockhardt hospital offers the most advanced diagnostic technologies and treatments available for such blood disorders. The department of haematology at Wockhardt Hospitals is the branch of medicine concerned with the study, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to the blood. At Wockhardt Hospitals, the speciality is fully equipped in diagnosing the various different types of blood conditions that are looked at include anaemia, thalassemia, hemophilia, general blood clots , bleeding disorders, haematological malignancies such as lymphoma and leukaemia (cancers) as well.
At our centers, we have essentially a team of highly trained specialists, nurse clinicians, physical and occupational therapists who are all equipped to provide patients with care in the field of hematology. We use the latest in pharmaceuticals and leading-edge technologies to help you win over diseases and live a normal life.
FAQs on Causes of Low Hemoglobin Count
1. At what level is hemoglobin dangerously low?
Hemoglobin levels below 7 g/dL are considered dangerously low. Below this threshold, individuals may experience severe symptoms and require medical intervention to prevent complications.
2. How do you treat low hemoglobin?
Treatment for low hemoglobin typically involves iron supplementation, dietary adjustments to include iron-rich foods, and addressing underlying conditions such as chronic diseases or blood loss.
3. Which tests help diagnose the causes of low hemoglobin count?
Healthcare providers take blood samples of the patient to diagnose low hemoglobin levels, including their causes. This allows them to measure the total hemoglobin count in the same sample. A hemoglobin test in this case also involves analyzing the different hemoglobin types present in the red blood cells.
4. How to fix low hemoglobin?
A doctor can help you with proper treatment and medications after analyzing the causes of low hemoglobin count in your body. Initially, they will conduct some tests to check if you have iron-deficiency anemia and provide you with the relevant supplements. In most cases, the doctors also recommend taking an iron-rich diet to help with the treatment process.
5. Can I treat low hemoglobin at home?
You cannot manage low hemoglobin at home on your own. However, you can avoid facing such situations by taking an iron-rich diet with a focus on essential nutrients like red meat, fish, leafy vegetables, nuts, and dried berries.
