Low hemoglobin what indicator. Low hemoglobin - symptoms, causes, consequences for a person. Medicines to increase hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is a complex protein that contains iron in all living things in the circulation. This is a compound that contains two components in its composition: protein and iron, which are found in the red blood cells of our blood. In this article, we will consider what gives the body low hemoglobin causes and consequences of low content.

Low hemoglobin is fully responsible for the state of our well-being. It plays a very important role in the human body, it is the transfer of oxygen to all tissues of the human body and, if there is a shortage, it occurs. The norms of hemoglobin for women are from 115 g / l to 150 g / l, and for men from 130 g / l to 160 g / l, but all these indicators depend on the personality of the person.

In pregnant women, for example, hemoglobin is different from the norm. They have it from 110 g / l to 130 g / l, but in children from 95 g / l to 135 g / l.

Reasons for the fall and low hemoglobin can be:

Viral and bacterial infections. Here the body throws all its strength into fighting infections and hemoglobin begins to decline.
Oncology greatly affects the level of hemoglobin.
An autoimmune disease is a malfunction in the body's program. It is laid down at the genetic level, which affects both the decrease in iron and its excessive increase.
Blood loss: This is the cause caused by external factors such as blood donation, all kinds of injuries, internal bleeding.
Congenital anemia: This is a deficiency of iron in the blood laid down at the genetic level. With this type of hemoglobin, a person lives all his life. He can only make sure that he does not go down and take timely measures to increase it.
Disease of the stomach: gastritis, ulcer.

With a decrease in hemoglobin levels, iron deficiency anemia occurs, which is accompanied by such symptoms and consequences as:

migraine or frequent headache;
Muscle pain for no reason;
Asterisks in the eyes;
Significant tinnitus;
Dyspnea;
Dizziness;

Loss of taste and lack of appetite;
Dryness, hair loss and brittleness;
peeling of the skin;
Nails break;
Constant drowsiness and excessive fatigue;
Change in the white of the eyes and skin (usually pale color);
Cold hands and feet;
Failure of sexual functions;
Rapid work of the heart;
Failure of the immune system (a person begins to constantly get sick).

If you have a couple of these symptoms, it is recommended to donate blood and check your hemoglobin, most likely it will be low.

In this case, it is necessary to take measures to increase it.

How to increase hemoglobin in the blood at home quickly

Many people think that low hemoglobin can only be increased by taking special vitamins, but, in fact, this is far from the case. You can achieve an increase in hemoglobin by eating certain foods that are rich in such a vitamin as iron.

They are the main source of hemoglobin that enters our blood with food. Also, a lack of hemoglobin in the blood can be associated with a lack of B vitamins. Fortunately, this is not fatal, because such vitamins can be consumed separately, in the form of tablets, after consulting with your doctor about this issue. Or normalize your diet in such a way that the necessary vitamins come with food.

Reduced hemoglobin can be detected during tests in connection with some chronic diseases. As a consequence, it is very often possible to notice a decrease in hemoglobin in pregnant women, but in this case, its loss should be immediately replenished.

What foods increase hemoglobin in the blood

The products, the composition of which differs in the presence of the necessary substances and hemoglobin, include:

beef liver(namely, beef, not chicken). It is also very beneficial for health and has a good effect on the formation of well-being. Together with this product, about 20 percent of the daily dose of iron enters our body.
Another product that will help you easily raise hemoglobin in the blood and eliminate the consequences is buckwheat. Cereals are useful in general, but it is buckwheat that has the necessary vitamins and minerals that are responsible for normal hemoglobin in the blood.
And don't forget about fruits. Ideal for increasing hemoglobin levels pomegranate. The only condition is that it must be fresh.
Basically our hemoglobin rises by eating meat. But the meat should be minimally subjected to heat treatment so that the necessary vitamins are preserved to the maximum.

To find out your hemoglobin, you need to contact one of the specialists - immunologist, endocrinologist, therapist, surgeon, gastroenterologist - who will prescribe the right treatment. As a rule, these are preparations containing iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid, hematogen.

Red caviar, buckwheat, pomegranate in any form, apples, raisins, walnuts, beets, dried apricots, dark chocolate, honey, carrot juice, red meat, fish should be introduced into the diet. These foods can negate the effects of low hemoglobin.

And how do you fight low hemoglobin, what causes and consequences have you observed? Leave feedback and share your opinion on the forum.

Why do people have low hemoglobin levels? Why pharmaceutical preparations do not always help, and sometimes even harmful, and how to avoid it? How to easily increase hemoglobin at home? You will learn all this in this article.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin

How can a person determine a decrease in hemoglobin? First of all, this is the presence of asthenic symptoms: the patient feels general weakness, quickly gets tired, he has drowsiness, dizziness, possible heartbeat and blood pressure disorders (low). In severe cases, patients may experience.

When a decrease in hemoglobin is a consequence of a lack of iron in the body, dystrophic symptoms are noted: the skin is dry, cracks form in the corners of the mouth, nails and hair become brittle, fall out, and slowly grow back. There may be disturbances in smell and taste.

Predominantly low hemoglobin is a sign of a disease. The most common ones are:

chronic iron deficiency anemia;

blood loss;

thinning of the gastric mucosa (chronic atrophic gastritis);

inflammatory bowel disease, dysbacteriosis (chronic enteritis);

iron deficiency anemia after surgery;

autoimmune diseases (lupus, glomerulonephritis, rheumatoid arthritis);

long-term infectious diseases (hepatitis, gastroenterocolitis, tuberculosis, pneumonia, inflammation of the kidneys, etc.);

malignant pathologies of the blood;

malignant tumor lesions, especially of the gastrointestinal tract.

Determination of hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is a complex combination of iron and protein. It is found in erythrocytes - red blood cells. Hemoglobin performs the most important function for the body - the transfer of oxygen molecules to all organs and tissues. It captures oxygen in the lungs and conducts further oxidation, transferring it to all necessary structures. Oxygen is necessary for the body to ensure life, receive and exchange energy and carry out recovery reactions.

To produce hemoglobin, you need to eat iron-rich foods. It is also important that iron is normally absorbed in the small intestine. The content of B vitamins in food, especially vitamin B12 and folic acid, is extremely important. It is also important that there are no pathological changes in the blood, i.e., acquired or hereditary blood diseases.

Normally, the amount of hemoglobin in the blood of men is 130-160 g / l, in women - 120-147 g / l. In pregnant women, the lower limit of the hemoglobin norm is reduced to 110 g / l.

How much hemoglobin should be?

For the norm of hemoglobin, values \u200b\u200bare taken, different in age, gender and other characteristics of a person.

Hemoglobin is calculated in grams per liter (g/l). For an adult male, 130-170 g/l is normal, while for a woman it is 120-155 g/l. This difference is due to the fact that men have a higher concentration of androgens (a special group of steroid hormones) that stimulate the formation of red blood cells. For pregnant women, normal hemoglobin limits drop to 110-140 g/L as the body begins to use iron more actively.

In people under 18 years of age, the hemoglobin norm is delimited by age and does not depend on gender. In the first two weeks of life, hemoglobin is considered normal 135-195 g / l, then this figure decreases to 125-165 g / l, and by one year it reaches 110-130 g / l. After that, the hemoglobin level gradually increases by about 1-3 g / l per year (both in the lower and upper limits). For example, by school age (6-7 years old) it reaches 115-135 g/l, and by 13-14 years old - 120-145 g/l.

A blood test can show a deviation in the concentration of hemoglobin, not only with metabolic disorders and various diseases, but also for other reasons. This is the use on this day or on the eve of fatty, fried, alcohol, excessive mental or physical exertion, taking certain medications, smoking before analysis.

Many people have low hemoglobin, which in 90% of cases is associated with iron deficiency. This syndrome is characteristic of approximately 30% of the population of the entire planet, especially for children and women.

Why is low hemoglobin dangerous?

With a decrease in hemoglobin due to iron deficiency anemia, a lot of symptoms can appear. This is weakness, malaise, decreased performance,. Often there is shortness of breath, heart rate increases, taste and smell are distorted, dryness appears in the mouth, and the tongue begins to tingle.

Among the external signs of anemia, dryness and thinning, pallor and peeling of the skin and lips, brittleness and loss of luster of nails can be observed. Women may experience burning or itching of the genital (external) organs. With a strong decrease in hemoglobin, fainting and dizziness begin, constant headache, rapid fatigue, attention is disturbed. Muscle relaxation is often observed, which sometimes leads to urinary incontinence.

If hemoglobin is below normal, then malfunctions appear. This can lead to complications in any disease, even if it is an elementary cold.

Decreased hemoglobin is a common occurrence for most pregnant women. A strong deviation from the norm affects the health of both the woman herself and the child she is carrying. In women, there are complications such as uterine hypotension, improper location of the placenta, hypoxia, delay or cessation of fetal development. A born child may have low weight, underdevelopment, disorders of the respiratory and nervous systems, subsequent deviations in mental and physical development, atrophy of muscles and organs.

If hemoglobin in anemia is slightly reduced, then the problem can be solved by taking vitamins and changing your diet. It should contain meat and offal, fish, pomegranates, buckwheat, apples and freshly squeezed juices. By the way, it is precisely because of the lack of meat and offal in the diet that vegetarians often have low hemoglobin. More serious deviations from the norm are already resolved at the medical level.

Often, a decrease in hemoglobin indicates the presence of a disease or other disorder in the body. This may be an infection, a hereditary pathology, a violation of hemoglobin synthesis, hemoglobin may decrease due to blood loss, and not only obvious, but also hidden, for example, with certain diseases of the stomach or intestines,.

In any case, with a decrease in hemoglobin from the norm, you need to change your diet, and with a large deviation, you should visit a specialist - a hematologist.

Iron absorption, what's the catch?

So why, when taking iron in addition inside, we in most cases do not achieve results?

Most drugs designed to replenish iron in the body are in the form of ferric iron. Unfortunately, this form is very indigestible and is more likely to cause constipation and heaviness in the stomach than help with this problem. The body absorbs only ferrous iron, but such a drug is much more difficult to find.

The second reason for low iron absorption lies in casein. All dairy products contain a special protein - casein. It sticks together with iron and does not allow it to be absorbed and is simply excreted from the body. Therefore, another important condition is that all dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, sour cream, yogurt, cream, fermented baked milk, including fermented milk products) must be excluded from the diet, at least not consumed within 5 hours before and after taking iron (if talk about pharmaceuticals).

Thirdly, if you have a low acidity of the stomach, then iron will be less absorbed. And the lower it is, the worse the effect will be!

There is one more important thing: if you have a severely reduced iron, then first of all it will accumulate in the liver, and only then it will appear in the blood, so it should be consumed from 1-2 months to six months.

Causes of low hemoglobin

The body can lose hemoglobin for various reasons. This happens most quickly with blood loss - both explicit and hidden. Explicit bleeding occurs with heavy and prolonged menstruation in women (more than five days), various injuries, injuries or operations.

Hidden ones are possible with some gastrointestinal diseases, pathologies of the female reproductive system (ovarian cyst, uterine fibroids, etc.). Autoimmune diseases, infections or hereditary diseases can lead to a decrease in hemoglobin and a short life of red blood cells.

Also, low hemoglobin is noted in blood donors (with systematic, personnel donation). In children, low hemoglobin may be the result of an unbalanced diet, poor in the body and minerals necessary for the body.

How to replenish iron levels and increase hemoglobin?

Probably everyone has heard that black caviar increases hemoglobin. Yes, it can even raise hemoglobin in one day, but not everyone can afford it, not to mention the fact that you can’t just buy it on the market, since its sale is prohibited. Sale of black caviar is carried out only through retail chain stores.

There are more affordable options as well. Dried fruits contain much more iron than fresh fruits, so you can easily make a "concentrate" at home.

Mix dried apricots (or dried apricots), raisins (you can add prunes), walnuts, lemon and honey. In a meat grinder or in a combine, grind everything into a homogeneous mixture. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day before meals.

It will not be superfluous to drink rosehip infusion instead of tea, which also contains a lot of iron, not to mention the fact that rosehip is the champion in vitamin C content. And vitamin C improves the absorption of iron by an order of magnitude, just like (but not dairy products!)

Hemoglobin is a blood pigment that transports oxygen in the body. It consists of two components: a non-protein part (heme), which includes iron, and a protein part (globin). Contained in blood cells - erythrocytes. Its presence explains the scarlet color of blood.

The level of hemoglobin and its change depends on age, gender, changes in living conditions and the physiological state of a person (pregnancy, illness). Indicators of the hemoglobin norm for a man - 135/160 g / l; for a woman - 120/140 g / l; for a pregnant woman and a child under 5 years old - 110 g / l and above.

A strong deviation of hemoglobin from the norm in pregnant women is a danger to the health of the expectant mother and fetus. Therefore, it is important to keep hemoglobin levels under control in order to avoid complications.

In a child, low hemoglobin leads to the development of diseases of the central nervous system, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The situation is complicated by the fact that in children the typical symptoms of low hemoglobin are mild or absent. Therefore, regularly conduct examinations (including determining the level of hemoglobin in the blood) prescribed by a pediatrician.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin

Low hemoglobin levels cause iron deficiency anemia (anemia). Pathology is dangerous because it causes oxygen starvation in the human body, leading to degeneration of tissues and organs. As a rule, the disease occurs along with other diseases and with weakened immunity.

Timely detect a lack of hemoglobin to prevent the development of anemia. A quick and accurate way to determine this is to take an analysis and wait for the doctor's verdict. Or know the signs that indicate low hemoglobin. These include:

drowsiness and general weakness;
fatigue, impaired attention;
frequent dizziness and headaches;
decrease in blood pressure and palpitations;
dry and flaky skin, brittle nails, dull hair;
violations of smell and taste sensations;
inflammation of the mucous membranes, the appearance of ulcers;
in severe cases, fainting is possible.

Causes of a decrease in hemoglobin

significant blood loss of any etymology;
malnutrition;
the presence of infectious diseases;
inflammatory processes;
pregnancy.

How to establish a diagnosis

To get started, contact a therapist, as he conducts the initial diagnosis of the patient and gives a referral for tests. If the therapist identifies any concomitant symptoms or other diseases, he will refer you to other specialists - a surgeon, endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, immunologist or cardiologist. This is done in order to exclude the presence of serious violations in the work of organs that caused a decrease in hemoglobin.

Ways to deal with low hemoglobin

Once you have been diagnosed with low hemoglobin, contact your GP for guidance. Depending on the state of health, the doctor will prescribe treatment.

The complex therapy to compensate for the lack of hemoglobin includes the following measures.

Changing eating habits

To produce hemoglobin, eat foods (anchor) that contain iron. When compiling a diet, remember that iron is better absorbed (about 20%) from animal products.

The presence of folic acid and B vitamins in foods is also important for low hemoglobin.

Limit your intake of tea and coffee while on a recovery diet, as they impair iron absorption.

Of all types of alcohol, give preference to red wine: in reasonable doses, it increases the level of hemoglobin.

Taking medication

Iron preparations exist in two dosage forms: injectable and oral. The former are used in cases where hemoglobin is greatly reduced and a quick therapeutic effect is required. The second includes solutions and tablets for internal use. The most common iron preparations are Globigen, Orofer, Totem, Aktiferin, Sideral, Fefol, Ferograd.

With a slight decrease in hemoglobin, vitamins or multivitamin complexes (group B vitamins, folic or ascorbic acid, vitrum, duovit) are prescribed.

Remember: only a doctor can prescribe medication!

ethnoscience

Auxiliary methods of increasing hemoglobin include traditional medicine. Their use takes place if there are no contraindications to the components. Here are some recipes:

cook water infusion of linden flowers with honey. Boil 1 liter. water, add 4 tbsp. spoons of lime flowers and 4 tbsp. spoons of honey. Let the decoction brew for three days. Take on an empty stomach 250 g (one glass) of infusion for 5-7 days.
Drink instead of tea rosehip berry decoction. The number of fruits for a decoction is calculated as follows: 1 tbsp is required per glass of boiling water. a spoonful of berries Without bringing the water to a boil (no more than 80º), pour the berries into the pan, then pour the drink into a thermos and let it brew for about 8 hours. Take half a glass of decoction three times a day during or after meals for a week.
If you do not have gastrointestinal diseases, then try taking 50 g of germinated (and pre-soaked in boiling water) grains of wheat every day for two weeks. This will fill the body's daily need for folic acid, which is found in wheat.

Low hemoglobin, or anemia, is a condition in which there is a decrease in the number of full-fledged red cells (erythrocytes) in the blood. Why does the level of hemoglobin decrease, what threatens the decrease in this protein? And what if you have low hemoglobin?

What is hemoglobin?

Human blood is made up of plasma and cells: erythrocytes (red blood cells) and leukocytes (white blood cells). Red blood cells carry oxygen, without which cells cannot exist, and white blood cells protect the body from harmful microorganisms.

Red blood cells contain an iron-containing protein called hemoglobin. In its structure there is an iron ion, which, when combined with oxygen, makes our blood red. Moving through the circulatory system through the lungs, iron combines with oxygen and delivers it to all parts of the body. In the opposite direction, hemoglobin takes carbon dioxide from the cells and carries it through the veins to the lungs.

What is a normal hemoglobin level?

Hemoglobin readings for men and women are slightly different.

Male norm: 130-170 g/l
Women's norm: 120-150 g/l

What causes a low hemoglobin level?

If the hemoglobin level is low, tissues and organs begin to suffer from a lack of oxygen. This condition is called anemia or iron deficiency anemia. Signs of anemia are easy to recognize:

Weakness
Pallor
Headache
Drowsiness
Noise in the heart
Dyspnea
Constantly cold hands and feet
fainting

In addition, with anemia, there may be such manifestations as cracked lips, severe muscle weakness, hair loss, brittle nails, and an addiction to special odors that other people find unpleasant.

Why does hemoglobin decrease?

The cause of a decrease in hemoglobin is most often dysfunctional uterine bleeding during hormonal changes in the body, blood loss during childbirth and operations.
Improper diet and stress can also cause iron deficiency anemia. The risk group, in particular, includes people who constantly resort to diets for weight loss.
Iron deficiency anemia can also develop as a result of a violation of the absorption of iron in the intestine. A similar condition occurs with chronic enteritis (inflammation of the colon), as well as after intestinal surgery, during which part of the intestine is removed.
Low hemoglobin can be a congenital condition and is often seen in older people.

How to restore hemoglobin level?

"In order to increase hemoglobin, enter indietlean meat products. Drink as many fresh juices as possible, especially pomegranate. Increase your time outdoors." says doctor-therapist Alexander Maksimenko.

To replenish iron stores in the body will also help:

Fish (including caviar)
Dairy
Whole grains

In order for the body to easily perceive protein, it must be combined with carbohydrates contained in vegetables and fruits. Add more parsley and dill to salads. Drink less tea and coffee. They contain substances that flush iron from the body. Such a diet will help replenish and increase hemoglobin.

However, if low hemoglobin persists for a long time, this means that the disease has formed, then one diet is not enough. In this case, iron deficiency is replenished with medications.

Medical treatment

To date, there are many iron preparations that restore hemoglobin levels. However, when taking tablets, unpleasant side effects from the gastrointestinal tract are possible, such as: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea. Therefore, injections are often prescribed for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia.

When treating, it is very important to observe the dosage, since an excess amount of iron in the body can cause another unpleasant disease - hemosiderosis. That is why taking iron medications on their own is not recommended.

Remember that making anemia is not so difficult, but increasing hemoglobin is much more difficult.

Which is found in erythrocytes. It is he who is the main component of red blood cells and gives them a characteristic red color. It is one of the most important components of blood, since the main function of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen from the alveoli of the lungs to the cells of the whole organism and carbon dioxide from the cells to the alveoli of the lungs. When blood passes through the arteries through the lungs, the iron contained in hemoglobin attaches oxygen molecules to itself and carries it to all organs and tissues, where oxygen is detached and enters the cells. Instead, carbon dioxide enters the bloodstream, moves through the veins to the lungs, and is exhaled into the environment. It consists of 2 parts: a protein (globin) and an iron compound (heme). It is the iron (heme) atoms that make the blood red. In fact, the functioning of the whole organism depends on the level of hemoglobin in the blood. Hypoxia of organs and tissues (when, due to the low content of hemoglobin, insufficient oxygen is supplied) leads to the development of various complications and diseases.

The norm of hemoglobin in women is 120-160 g / l. The value largely depends on the menstrual cycle: the blood loss itself naturally affects the result, plus hormonal changes make themselves felt. For men, 130-160 grams per liter of blood.

The norm of hemoglobin in pregnant women

During pregnancy, some changes occur in a woman's body, this is also reflected in the level of hemoglobin. The norm for pregnant women is 110-150 g / l. The decrease in the normal value is due to the fact that the volume of blood in a woman's body increases faster than hemoglobin is produced, and iron is consumed not only by a woman, but also by a child.

The norm of hemoglobin in children

Please note that in the first days after birth, the hemoglobin in an infant is very high, then it gradually decreases and at a certain stage approaches the levels normal for an adult. We are talking about the so-called newborn hemoglobin - fetal hemoglobin, which has special properties and structure. By the year it is destroyed and practically disappears from the child’s blood, and in the future, throughout life, it should normally be absent (indicators of not more than 1% are acceptable). The presence of fetal hemoglobin in the blood of an adult indicates a serious illness. A low level of hemoglobin in the child's blood indicates, first of all, the development of anemia, which happens due to a lack of iron and vitamins in the body. But also hemoglobin can decrease with various chronic diseases. If the level of hemoglobin in the blood of a child is elevated, this is also a sign of some kind of illness. In order for the baby to feel good, this indicator should be kept under control and not allowed to decrease or increase.

For the formation of hemoglobin, the following conditions are necessary:

Sufficient iron content in the food consumed.
Normal absorption of iron in the stomach and small intestine.
The presence of animal protein in food.
Of particular importance is the content of vitamin B12 and folic acid, which are also absorbed in the upper gastrointestinal tract and are of direct importance for the formation of red blood cells in the human bone marrow. With a decrease in the number of red blood cells, the amount of hemoglobin per liter of blood also decreases accordingly.
Absence of pathology in the blood formation system, hereditary and acquired blood diseases.

Reasons for the loss of hemoglobin in the body:

Explicit and hidden blood loss. The obvious ones include visible bleeding in conditions such as polymenorrhea (abundant, prolonged, more than five days of menstruation) in women. With hemorrhoids, bleeding gums, as well as blood loss during injuries and operations. Hidden flow of blood loss in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. There is also the concept of pseudo-blood loss, mainly in female diseases, such as ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, these are diseases in which there are cavities in the myoma or ovaries periodically filled with blood with further conversion of hemoglobin into another compound and gradual resorption with a sufficient frequency of the process.
Processes in the body leading to a reduction in the life span of erythrocytes or to their destruction. (autoimmune and infectious diseases, hereditary pathologies).
Personnel donation (when a person systematically donates blood).
One of the reasons for low hemoglobin, especially in preschool children, is nutrition that is not balanced in terms of vitamin and mineral composition.

Having found out the process of formation and loss of hemoglobin, one can understand the symptoms that manifest themselves with low hemoglobin.

Low hemoglobin (anemia)

Anemia- a condition in which the content of functionally complete red cells (erythrocytes) is reduced in the blood. Quantitatively, it is expressed by the degree of decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin - the iron-containing pigment of erythrocytes, which gives the blood a red color.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin:

Asthenic - general weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, palpitations, low blood pressure, in severe cases, fainting.
Dystrophic - a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood in most cases is an indirect sign of iron deficiency in the organs and tissues of the body. Therefore, the following manifestations occur:

changes in the nail plates, they become brittle, thinned, exfoliated, striated.
Dry skin, painful cracks in the corners of the mouth.
Hair loss or slow hair growth.
Violations of taste and smell, up to the consumption of inedible substances (chalk, tooth powder, coal, earth, clay, sand, match heads) and raw products (cereals, dry pasta, dough, minced meat, etc. ). As the most pleasant, patients note the smell of acetone, nail polish, paints, shoe polish, naphthalene, exhaust gases of cars.

The appearance of a patient with a lack of hemoglobin in the blood is characteristic, first of all, the pallor of the skin and visible mucous membranes. With a decrease in hemoglobin, the cause of which is a lack of vitamin B12, typically a change in the mucous membrane of the tongue, the so-called glossitis - “polished”, bright red, painful tongue. In some forms of anemia with a decrease in hemoglobin levels, due to increased destruction of red blood cells, the skin may take on an icteric hue.

In the initial stages of iron deficiency anemia, clinical manifestations may be mild, and in some cases even asymptomatic. Anemia accompanies many diseases and is often only a symptom of them.

Diseases accompanied by low hemoglobin:

Chronic post-hemorrhagic iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (various blood loss described above).
Alimentary iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is caused by a lack of iron in the diet.
IDA with increased iron consumption (pregnancy, lactation, growth and maturation).
Diseases associated with impaired absorption of iron and vitamin B12 in the gastrointestinal tract:
1. Chronic atrophic gastritis (thinned gastric mucosa).
2. Chronic enteritis (inflammation of the small intestine, one of the causes of which may be dysbacteriosis or irritable bowel syndrome that occurs against the background of frequent stress).
3. Post-resection IDA (with a removed part of the stomach or small intestine).
Diseases associated with a violation in the human immune system, characterized by the pathological formation of immune complexes with the participation of erythrocytes, as a result of which premature death of erythrocytes occurs. These include:
- glomerulonephritis,
- rheumatoid arthritis,
- lupus erythematosus and other systemic vasculitis.
A decrease in hemoglobin can also occur with prolonged infectious diseases (gastroenterocolitis in popular speech called dysentery and salmonellosis, chronic hepatitis C and B, long-term pneumonia, tuberculosis, pyelonephritis, etc.). The reason is also in the early destruction of red blood cells and the increased need of the body for iron to restore homeostasis.
Worm infestations - a wide tapeworm absorbing a large amount of vitamin B12 from the body.
Blastomatous (malignant) diseases of the blood.
Malignant neoplasms, especially of the gastrointestinal tract, in which a decrease in hemoglobin occurs due to impaired absorption of iron, as well as due to latent blood loss. With all other tumor localizations, the decrease in hemoglobin occurs to a lesser extent, apparently due to changes in metabolic processes in the body occurring in these diseases. But this is considered a very important sign that requires attention, especially in men who have had high hemoglobin numbers throughout their lives and suddenly there was a decrease even within the normal range.

The first four groups of diseases are the cause of low hemoglobin in more than 90% of cases.

Hemoglobin recovery

Treatment of iron deficiency anemia begins with the elimination of the causes that caused it: blood loss and malnutrition. If necessary, surgical treatment is performed to eliminate the source of bleeding. Patients are prescribed food rich in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, fish caviar) and complex carbohydrates (vegetables) necessary to obtain the necessary energy and remove protein breakdown products from the intestines, since they contain a large amount of coarse fibers that are excreted from the body unchanged, while cleansing the intestines.

In addition, drugs containing iron are prescribed either in the form of tablets taken orally or in the form of solutions that are administered intramuscularly and intravenously. Additionally, vitamin and mineral complexes are prescribed.

Low hemoglobin requires immediate recovery, otherwise a life-threatening situation is created.

If you are convinced that your hemoglobin level is low, the following products will help you raise it:

Meat products: beef kidneys, red fish, poultry, tongue and white chicken meat.
Porridge, cereals: buckwheat, rye, beans, lentils, peas, oatmeal.
Vegetables and greens: tomatoes, potatoes, onions, pumpkin, beets, green vegetables, young turnip tops, mustard, parsley.
Fruits: red/green apples, Semerenko apples, plums, bananas, pomegranates, pears, peaches, apricots (dried apricots), persimmons, quince.
Berries: blackcurrant and cranberries, strawberries/strawberries, blueberries.
Juices: pomegranate, beetroot, carrot, "Red Fruit Juice";
Other: walnuts, black/red caviar, seafood, egg yolk, dark chocolate, dried mushrooms, dried fruit, hematogen.
The richest in iron and the most rapidly raising hemoglobin are dried mushrooms, peaches, apricots, rye, pears, pomegranates, buckwheat, beans, lentils, peas, potatoes, onions, pumpkin, beets, apples, oatmeal, parsley, quince, spinach , green vegetables, young turnip tops, mustard, dried fruits.

Honey (it is better to use dark-colored varieties) is a good remedy for various degrees of anemia. There are studies confirming that the darker the color of honey, the more minerals that enhance its healing properties, it contains. In case of anemia, it is recommended to consume 40-60 grams of honey three to four times a day, the best option is before meals and combining it with goat's milk (in a ratio of one to two).

Also, hemoglobin can be elevated, which is also not a good symptom.

High hemoglobin is observed in people who live high in the mountains or in professional climbers. Elevated hemoglobin for them is considered the norm, because. this is a compensation reaction of the body - this is how it adapts to the lack of oxygen contained in the air.

High hemoglobin can be an indicator of a lack of folic acid and vitamin B12 in the body. This disease is called malignant or pernicious anemia (or Addison-Birmer disease).

Causes of pernicious anemia:

family predisposition;
diseases of the stomach (for example, atrophic gastritis, in which the gastric mucosa becomes thinner and its secretory ability decreases) in combination with autoimmune processes (immunity may fail - antibodies to their cells, including cells of the gastric mucosa, will begin to be produced).

These reasons reduce the ability to absorb vitamin B12, and its deficiency especially acutely affects the functioning of the tissues of the nervous system and the bone marrow.

Symptoms of pernicious anemia:

drowsiness;
increased fatigue;
loss of appetite;
pain in the tongue or mouth;
discomfort in the legs and arms in the form of goosebumps;
weight loss;
gait disturbance;
disorders in the genitourinary system;
visual impairment
you can also observe a bright red tongue, a slight yellowness of the sclera, pallor of the skin and a number of neurological symptoms. A laboratory study will show a reduced number of red blood cells (erythrocytes) with an increased amount of hemoglobin in them.

Treat pernicious anemia with vitamin B12. If treatment is started in a timely and correct manner, the prognosis for this disease can be favorable. If treatment was started later than 6 months after the onset of the disease, then the symptoms of damage to the nervous system can remain with the person for life. High hemoglobin and thick blood can cause cardiovascular disease. In such cases, drugs that thin the blood are prescribed.

Erythrocytosis

Erythrocytosis is a condition when the content of red blood cells increases along with hemoglobin in the blood. Erythrocytosis may appear due to a hereditary predisposition, and may develop after various diseases of the internal organs. Erythrocytosis can become a compensatory response of the body to an insufficient amount of oxygen in the tissues in diseases of the lungs and heart.

An increase in red blood cells is not always associated with oxygen deficiency, it can happen against the background of some kidney diseases, as well as after a kidney transplant operation.

An increase in hemoglobin is often a good sign, especially after a holiday in the mountains. But if the level of hemoglobin for no particular reason far exceeds the norms established for men and women, you need to undergo an examination to make sure that everything is in order with you.

In any case, you need to pass a general clinical blood test and if there are violations, then contact a specialist.

Doctors may need help:

Gynecologist
Infectionist
Nephrologist
Oncologist
Gastroenterologist