Why is hemoglobin small. Low hemoglobin levels in women: causes and treatment. How to understand that low hemoglobin: symptoms

One of the most important missions assigned to hemoglobin is the transportation of oxygen molecules to all tissues, organs and systems of the human body. With an inadequate content of hemoglobin in the blood, the cells are not fully saturated with oxygen, which leads to a failure in metabolism and in many other life support processes. It is imperative to know the causes of low hemoglobin in order to maintain a normal level of iron-containing protein.

Why does hemoglobin decrease?

The function of hemoglobin production in erythrocytes is assigned by nature to the bone marrow, the central organ of hematopoiesis. The kidneys produce a hormone - erythropoietin, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells and hemoglobin, including. Thanks to special receptors located in the kidneys, the brain receives signals about the development of hypoxia, that is, about oxygen starvation.

Therefore, it is very important to constantly monitor the level of iron. To understand why hemoglobin falls, you will need to identify the source that affects its decrease. Common causes of low hemoglobin:

First you need to know what this indicator is. Hemoglobin in the blood is found in red blood cells and is a complex compound that includes protein and iron. The red iron component of the blood is responsible for delivering oxygen and returning carbon dioxide to the lungs for elimination.

The level of hemoglobin, as a rule, differs depending on age, gender, health status and other characteristics of the body. So in an adult male, the range of hemoglobin values ​​varies from 130 to 170 grams per liter. Whereas in women, the same indicator ranges from 120 to 155 grams per liter of blood.

The difference is due to the fact that the male part of the population has an increased density of androgens, which belong to the group of steroid hormones that stimulate the formation of red blood cells.

During the period of active growth of a person, starting from birth, and gradually approaching the completion of this process closer to the age of 18, gender does not affect the hemoglobin index, but only age periods. For a newborn in the first 15 days of life, the norm will be 135-195 g / l, then this value begins to systematically decrease, and by the first year of life it ranges from 110 to 130 g / l. Further, the value of hemoglobin is again gaining height, adding about 1-3 g / l annually. By the age of seven, the iron content reaches 115–135 g/l, and by the age of 14, the hemoglobin rate increases to 120–140 g/l.

Most often, hemoglobin below normal occurs with anemia associated with iron deficiency. It is recommended to monitor this indicator primarily in children, women and the elderly. This category of citizens is most at risk of developing anemia.

Low hemoglobin has three degrees of severity:

1. The initial stage - the level of iron is 90-110 g / l.
2. The middle phase - the amount of iron-containing protein varies between 70–90 g / l.
3. The critical form of anemia is when hemoglobin is below 70 g/l.

With a small stage of manifestations, there may not be at all. In the presence of an average degree of decrease in the iron index, external and internal signs can already be felt. In a severe form of a drop in hemoglobin, not only an obvious clinical picture is usually observed, but also the development of pathological processes.

Signs of iron deficiency in the body

Clinical and hematological syndromes, namely anemia or anemia, are characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin in the bloodstream. Often this occurs with a decrease in the number of red blood cells or their total volume. When the level of iron does not decrease significantly, it mostly disappears without pronounced symptoms - a person may feel tired, lack of vitality, depression. These conditions are explained by the lack of oxygen supply to the brain cells. The pathological condition manifests itself only when hemoglobin has dropped significantly.

Common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia include the following:

• Paleness, dryness of the mucous membranes and skin.
• Changes in the structure of the nails (thinning, covering with longitudinal grooves, in advanced forms, the nails can take on a concave configuration).
• Thinning, dryness, brittle hair.
• Chronic lethargy, constant fatigue.
• Low blood pressure, VGT disorders, coolness of the lower extremities.
• Increased heart rate and shortness of breath.
• Predisposition to fainting.
• Headaches, tinnitus.
• Uncontrolled states of excitement or depression.
• Muscle pain and weakness.
• The process of swallowing, tingling of the tongue is difficult.
• Perversion of taste and smell sensations.
• Low resistance of the body to infectious diseases.

If at least one sign of anemia is detected in oneself or in family members, it is better to take a general blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin. It is especially useful to observe the above indicators when it comes to children who cannot clearly express what is bothering them. Do not miss the time, since the lack of oxygen for a developing organism is very dangerous and can provoke irreversible pathologies.

In the case when several symptoms coincide, then there can be no doubt about the advisability of conducting a blood test. Laboratory data will reveal a complete picture of the state of the blood flow, including the amount of hemoglobin. After that, it will become clear whether it will be enough to simply enrich your diet with iron-containing foods or whether you will need multi-stage therapy, which consists in taking iron supplements and trace elements for its proper production.

How to increase hemoglobin in the body

It is possible to completely restore the normal hemoglobin index both with the help of food and by taking multivitamins. And sometimes complex therapy is necessary, and if this is not enough, then a second course. It will be easier to replenish the level of hemoglobin if you know some of the features of its absorption:

1. The body needs a divalent form of iron, the trivalent form is difficult to digest, and often causes heaviness in the stomach and difficulty with bowel movements.
2. With reduced acidity, iron is absorbed worse, since it has long been established that iron is absorbed better in an acidic environment. This is one of the reasons pharmaceutical iron preparations contain vitamin C.
3. A protein found in milk and dairy products called casein can interfere with the full absorption of iron. This protein sticks together with iron molecules, preventing it from being absorbed, and then excreted. Therefore, you need to know that daily consumption of dairy and sour-milk products is good for a person, but everything needs a measure. And it would be better to take milk separately from food rich in iron, the interval should be at least 5 hours.

Food is the main primary source of easily digestible heme iron. The maximum amount of this trace element is found in animal products such as meat, liver, fish, eggs, caviar.

Plant foods contain less iron, and besides, this trace element is in a different form, such iron is also called non-heme.

The classification into two- and ferric iron just refers to non-heme iron. Trivalent iron can be reduced to the ferrous state with ascorbic acid. But, nevertheless, the absorption of ferrous iron from plant sources is significantly inferior by several times to the absorption of heme iron obtained by eating animal products.

For people on a predominantly plant-based diet, it is advisable to double the daily intake of iron. Plant foods that are rich in iron include: dried mushrooms, dried apples, prunes, legumes, beets, carrots, pumpkin seeds and many other crops.

Reduced hemoglobin is not a disease - it is a deviation from the norm, if measures are not taken in time to restore it, it can provoke any pathology. Everyone knows the common truth that it is easier to prevent any ailment than to cure it later. It is necessary to clearly understand that it will be necessary to treat, but in a neglected form, this process will cost more and take more time. It is better not to complicate your life and maintain your health at the proper level.

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To protect yourself from frequent colds and avoid other health troubles, you need to take care of a healthy balanced diet. Everyone knows this, but, unfortunately, we do not always manage to have a full meal, provide ourselves with a healthy breakfast, work and not get sick at the same time. The fact that it is necessary to reconsider the lifestyle is evidenced by low hemoglobin, the causes of which are sometimes very difficult to establish.

The danger of low hemoglobin

If you have a low level of hemoglobin, you need to normalize it as soon as possible. At the same time, it is necessary to determine the cause of the problems. The hemoglobin molecule is a combination of iron and protein. When it is destroyed, anemia occurs, better known under such a name as “low hemoglobin”. The culprit of this may be infectious diseases, metabolic disorders. A common cause is a lack of iron or oxygen. It is hemoglobin molecules that supply oxygen to all organs. If it is not enough, the organs do not receive sufficient nutrition.

Low hemoglobin cannot be determined by appearance. This is the main danger of the problem. Symptoms may not appear for a long time or may be completely absent. And only when the level of hemoglobin decreases even more, the signs become more noticeable. It can be shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, often want to sleep, general fatigue. All these symptoms are similar to chronic fatigue syndrome. Possible cracking of the lips, severe dryness of the skin, brittle nails, hair loss. Paleness of the skin, which many consider the main sign of anemia, is not significant, as it can be a physiological feature or a sign of other diseases. But pale or bluish lips and ears, most likely a consequence of a lack of hemoglobin.

Causes of a decrease in hemoglobin levels

• Blood loss, including hidden. In the first case, it can be visible bleeding in women with polymenorrhea - heavy, prolonged periods, bleeding gums, hemorrhoids, as well as blood loss due to injuries and operations. Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are one of the causes of blood loss. In women's diseases (ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids), they talk about such a thing as pseudo-blood loss. With this phenomenon, the cavity of the uterus or ovaries is periodically filled with blood, followed by the conversion of hemoglobin into other compounds and gradual resorption.
• Processes that shorten the lifespan of red blood cells or destroy them - hereditary pathologies, infectious diseases.
• Donation.

One reason for iron deficiency is an unhealthy diet that lacks vitamins and minerals.

How does low hemoglobin manifest?

Asthenic- Weakness, drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, low blood pressure.

Dystrophic- in most cases, low hemoglobin indicates a lack of iron in the body. As a result, the following phenomena occur:

• brittle nails,
• hair loss,
• dry skin, cracks in the corners of the mouth,
• violation of taste and smell, sometimes a person begins to eat inedible substances - chalk, coal, earth, etc.
• slight increase in body temperature.

At the initial stage, clinical manifestations are usually mild, and in some cases there are no symptoms.

Low hemoglobin as a sign of illness

An insufficient level of hemoglobin is often one of the signs of certain diseases. These include:

• chronic posthemorrhagic iron deficiency anemia - various blood loss,
• alimentary anemia, caused by a lack of iron in the diet,
• anemia during pregnancy, lactation, during growth and maturation, when iron consumption is increased,
• diseases in which the process of absorption of iron and vitamin B12 is disturbed - chronic gastritis, enteritis, after removal of part of the stomach or small intestine,
• diseases due to disorders in the immune system, in which the death of red blood cells occurs - rheumatoid arthritis, lupus erythematosus, glomerulonephritis, etc.
• prolonged infectious diseases,
• worm infestation,
• malignant blood diseases.

In 90% of cases, the first four groups of diseases are the cause of the problem.

Low hemoglobin in pregnant women

This problem is very relevant. Children and expectant mothers are most susceptible to the disease. A decrease in the level of hemoglobin in pregnant women occurs due to the increased expenditure of iron on both the mother's organs and the fetus. It is very important to ensure regular exposure to fresh air, in this case the body receives more oxygen.

Many people wonder why doctors are always concerned about this problem. The fact is that the internal organs need oxygen, and in large quantities. With its lack, wilting and aging occur. In some cases, the organs cease to fully perform their functions, as they do not have enough nutrition. But the main problem is that many organs do not have nerve endings, as a result of which they cannot get sick. Danger can be seen only when the situation becomes critical.

In pregnant women, hemoglobin drops rapidly, which immediately negatively affects the development of the fetus. This is especially dangerous in the first trimester of pregnancy. And it needs to be treated. This is why a blood test is performed before each examination. If this factor is not taken into account, the fetus will not receive sufficient nutrition, stop development or greatly slow it down. In another way, this is called fetal hypoxia - the child begins to suffocate, which threatens with atrophy of organs, muscles, and disorders of the nervous system.

If a person has an insufficient level of hemoglobin, urinary incontinence is possible, which is due to severe muscle relaxation. All these problems can not only worsen life, but also cause more serious consequences.

Hemoglobin can be increased with the help of drugs that contain iron. It is impossible to completely compensate for the lack of food. But eating foods high in iron will definitely give a positive result. If the hemoglobin level is normal, iron-containing foods should be included in the daily diet. This will support the health and nutrition of the body.

Consequences of low hemoglobin levels

Due to the lack of iron in the body, the supply of oxygen to cells is disrupted. Consequently:

• anemia develops.
• immunity decreases, the likelihood of infectious diseases is much higher,
• growth retardation and mental development in children, increased fatigue, problems with academic performance,
• Feeling constantly tired in adults
• negative changes in tissues and organs,
• increased risk of developing cardiomyopathy. If anemia is not treated, the body, in order to provide itself with the missing amount of oxygen, makes the heart work with a double load, which inevitably leads to heart failure. The amount of blood passing through the heart increases. This causes dilatation of the left ventricle and its gradual hypertrophy, and ultimately leads to the death of a person,
• edema appears on the lower extremities, the liver enlarges.

Epithelial tissues are especially affected by low hemoglobin: mucous membranes of the mouth, gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract, and skin. One of the causes of dermatitis, eczema and other skin diseases is an insufficient level of hemoglobin. Violation of the gastric mucosa inevitably impairs the absorption of nutrients. Intestinal infections and acute respiratory infections can occur twice as often.

Insufficient hemoglobin levels affect the nervous system. As a result, there is a lag in the psychomotor development of children, impoverishment of their emotional sphere with a predominance of bad mood, irritability, lethargy, tearfulness. Schoolchildren have reduced concentration, they quickly get tired. There may also be a decrease in pressure, frequent dizziness, palpitations. In children under the age of five years, anemia is considered to be a hemoglobin level below 110 g / l, in adults - below 120 g / l.

To know if your body has enough iron, if hemoglobin is normal, you need to donate blood for analysis every year. This will allow timely detection of a decrease in the level of erythrocytes in the blood and a change in their shape. The consequences of low hemoglobin are serious and are often signs of other diseases.

To prevent the negative effects of low hemoglobin, it is recommended to eat foods rich in iron. These are kidneys, liver, tongue, buckwheat, beans, peas, porcini mushrooms, blueberries, chocolate. One hundred grams of each of these products contain more than 4 mg of iron. Also, this element is rich in beef, lamb, horse meat, millet, oatmeal, pears, apples, figs, nuts, spinach. Eat more of these foods to increase your hemoglobin levels.

The human body cannot exist without oxygen transported to tissues and cells by the iron-containing protein component of erythrocytes. If this compound is not enough in the blood, the analysis shows low hemoglobin - the causes and consequences of this condition adversely affect the overall health and functioning of individual organs. After all, they have to function in conditions of constant hypoxia.

Functions and norm of hemoglobin

Gas exchange is the most important process in the body. It provides for the redox reactions that underlie metabolism. Entering the lungs from the environment, oxygen molecules attach to red blood cells and are transported through the vessels to the tissues in need.

In the opposite direction, hemoglobin takes carbon dioxide from the cells in order to remove it from the body through the respiratory tract. It is oxygen saturation that determines the color of the blood: arterial - contains oxyhemoglobin, making it bright scarlet; Carboxyhemoglobin carries carbon dioxide, so venous blood has a dark tint.

An adult at rest requires 1.8 - 2.4 g of oxygen every minute. With physical activity, consumption increases many times. Whether the body can provide itself with the vital gas in full depends on the level of hemoglobin in the blood. If it meets the age and sex norms, oxygen starvation does not threaten a person.

Good to know

There is no single optimal hemoglobin indicator for everyone. Its concentration varies significantly depending on gender, age and physiological processes in the body. It is highest in the first weeks of life, gradually decreasing in infancy and increasing as the child grows older.

The norm of hemoglobin in the blood - a table of indicators

Starting from adolescence, the norms for different sexes differ. The physiological characteristics of the female body associated with reproductive functions lead to a faster depletion of iron reserves than in men. Therefore, women are characterized by a slightly lower level of hemoglobin. During pregnancy, the rate is further reduced.

Men do not lose as much iron, and besides, their sex hormones - androgens - have a stimulating effect on the production of red blood cells. The minimum and maximum values ​​of hemoglobin in different categories of patients are presented in the table.

Causes of low hemoglobin

In 90% of cases, low hemoglobin is a sign of iron deficiency anemia. This syndrome is caused by an excess of iron consumption over its intake into the body. The causes of this condition may be blood loss, lack of an element in food, impaired absorption and ferrotransportation. In conditions of shortage of one of its two main structural components, new hemoglobin is not able to be synthesized.

At the initial stage, there is a hidden iron deficiency, which is characterized by the depletion of deposited metal reserves. Latent insufficiency has no pronounced signs and is determined only by special serum ferritin levels. When a clinical blood test shows hemoglobin below normal, the symptoms of anemia are already noticeable, but not always correctly interpreted by the patient.

Loss of hemoglobin can occur for various reasons:

1. The first and most obvious provocateur is bleeding. Injuries, blood loss during operations, hemorrhoids, uterine bleeding can cause a sharp drop in hemoglobin. Hidden bleeding that occurs in diseases of the digestive tract, the reproductive system, slowly and imperceptibly leads to anemia. In the same risk group are active donors who donate blood not from time to time, but on an ongoing basis.
2. The causes of low hemoglobin in children most often lie in poor nutrition. If a child does not receive all the necessary vitamins and minerals with food, iron deficiency occurs much faster than in adults, and negatively affects physical and intellectual development. Girls and women also often suffer from anemia, torturing their body with strict diets. For normal hemoglobin, in addition to iron, a sufficient amount of folic acid and vitamin B12 must be supplied to the body.
3. A balanced diet does not provide a high level of hemoglobin if iron is poorly absorbed from food. Absorption of the element is prevented by pathologies of the digestive system, such as dysbacteriosis, chronic enteritis, colitis, atrophic gastritis, enzymatic deficiency and other gastrointestinal problems.
4. Autoimmune diseases, chronic infections, hereditary factors can also affect the composition of the blood. Often the problem is not that the hemoglobin in red blood cells is lowered, but that the red blood cells themselves die prematurely. By nature, their life cycle is shortened in sick people relative to healthy ones. Anemia often accompanies patients with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, glomerulonephritis, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and other serious pathologies.
5. Hematopoietic diseases qualitatively change the composition of the blood, increasing the ratio of red and white blood cells in favor of the latter. Pathologies of the bone marrow, leukemia cause severe forms of anemia.
6. A persistent decrease in hemoglobin may be one of the signs of malignant neoplasms. Some cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, also destroy red blood cells and their constituent proteins.

About 10% of anemia cases are not related to iron deficiency. Low hemoglobin may be a congenital condition caused by hereditary hemoglobinopathy.

Decreased hemoglobin in women

The causes of low hemoglobin in women are associated with the characteristics of the reproductive system. Women's norms are initially underestimated relative to men's by 10 g / l and are already set taking into account monthly blood loss of 15 - 30 g / l. However, with prolonged and heavy menstruation, iron is excreted in much larger volumes. It is difficult for the body to compensate for such a deficit and maintain concentration at least at the lower limit of the norm. Patients with gynecological and endocrine disorders often develop chronic anemia.

During pregnancy, the body's overall need for iron increases: blood volume increases, a significant part of oxygen and nutrients is directed to the development of the fetus, which exacerbates the drop in hemoglobin levels. Low hemoglobin in pregnant women is a risk factor not only for the health of the expectant mother, but also for the life of the child. Under conditions of hypoxia, fetal tissues suffer, the formation of organs and systems is disrupted, and brain cells die. With a severe form of oxygen starvation, intrauterine death is possible.

According to statistics, up to 30% of patients of childbearing age have a latent iron deficiency, and one in ten has anemia. Polymenorrhea, uterine bleeding, fibroids, childbirth are the main causes of a drop in hemoglobin in young women. In women after 50, posthemorrhagic anemia is less common, but menopause makes its own adjustments to the blood structure. As a result of hormonal changes, the concentration of iron-containing protein in erythrocytes decreases somewhat and remains stable in the absence of serious diseases.

Active loss of hemoglobin begins in women after 40 years. Here are the accumulated health problems, and the extinction of sexual functions with concomitant endocrine and menstrual disruptions. The body can no longer restore blood cells as quickly as at a young age. Hence the increase in the incidence of anemia in the premenopausal period.

Signs of low hemoglobin

There are no specific symptoms that clearly indicate a decrease in hemoglobin. One can only suspect the development of anemia due to general weakness and external dystrophic processes. An organism experiencing oxygen deficiency is characterized by:

• drowsiness;
• headache;
• dizziness;
• bradycardia;
• pallor;
• fainting;
• dry skin and mucous membranes;
• cracks in the corners of the lips;
• fragility of nails and hair;
• alopecia;
• impaired sense of smell;
• taste perversions.

With anemia, arterial blood looks lighter, but it is only possible to accurately determine the level of hemoglobin in the laboratory. To do this, it is enough to pass a clinical blood test and biochemistry. The study of the quantitative and morphological characteristics of erythrocytes, the concentration of serum iron, transferrin help the doctor to establish the possible cause of the disorder. Before the analysis, you should not smoke, experience excessive physical exertion, take alcohol, eat heavy food, so as not to falsify the test results.

Treatment for low hemoglobin

Under conditions of anemic syndrome, immunity suffers, working capacity, memory, attention decrease; appearance deteriorates. A person begins to get sick more often and recover more slowly, quickly aging. In severe cases, the patient is so weakened that he cannot work, he develops heart failure, urinary incontinence. Of course, such a condition does not appear immediately, and the reasons for low hemoglobin in the blood of such patients are beyond the limits of banal errors in nutrition.

At the latent and initial stage of anemia, it is still possible to prevent the development of pathological iron deficiency by adjusting the diet. It should be based on food rich in iron, animal protein, vitamins C, B12, folic acid.

When solving the problem of how to increase low hemoglobin through nutrition, it is necessary to concentrate on foods high in iron and stimulants of hematopoiesis in bone marrow cells. The list of healthy foods includes:

• offal (liver, heart, kidneys);
• red meat, poultry;
• Fish and seafood;
• legumes (lentils, beans, peas);
• buckwheat;
• vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes, pumpkin, onions, lettuce);
• greens (spinach, parsley, dill);
• fruits (apples, pomegranates, bananas, persimmons, quince, plums, apricots);
• dried fruits, nuts;
• black chocolate;
• vegetable and fruit fresh juices.

Dairy

For better absorption of iron, dairy products are temporarily excluded from the menu: cheeses, cottage cheese, kefir, fermented baked milk, condensed milk, sour cream. You can simply spread their intake with iron-containing meals by at least 5 hours. It binds and removes tannin from the body, which means that coffee, tea and alcohol in case of anemia are prohibited drinks.

If enhanced nutrition does not help, it is recommended to take iron supplements in combination with catalyzing vitamin C: Sorbifer, Maltofer, Ferumlek, Totem. In parallel, vitamins of group B are prescribed, preferably in the form of a long course of injections (up to 1.5 months), folic acid tablets.

With hypochromic anemia, hematopoietic therapy is indicated. Preparations of erythropoietin, hemostimulin activate the production of red blood cells, especially in combination with exogenous glucocorticosteroids. In a situation of post-hemorrhagic anemia, the primary task is to stop the bleeding and, if necessary, replenish the volume of lost blood with a transfusion. After that, the standard treatment regimen is applied.

Difficulties in the treatment of anemia are often created by the patients themselves, not going to the doctor in a timely manner and not undergoing regular medical examinations. One of the goals of preventive examinations is the early detection of abnormal blood composition, low hemoglobin, which are determined by an elementary general analysis.

Hemoglobin performs one of the most important functions in the human body - it is a carrier of oxygen from our respiratory organs to all tissues and organs. For this reason, a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood strongly and quickly affects our well-being and the symptoms of low hemoglobin are quite easy to recognize.

Lack of hemoglobin has an extremely negative impact on human health and can lead to the development of a disease called anemia. A low level of hemoglobin in the blood affects all systems and organs of our body. The signs of low hemoglobin are quite noticeable, but many do not attach much importance to them (especially in the initial stages), considering them to be a common ailment.

Oxygen is a participant in redox reactions inside our body, thanks to which we get energy. Therefore, low hemoglobin immediately has a negative impact on almost all of our metabolic processes, which immediately manifests itself in numerous external signs.

With a lack of hemoglobin in the blood, our tissues and organs experience serious oxygen starvation, which negatively affects our well-being and health.

In simple terms, the body begins to receive less energy and this is immediately displayed in very characteristic symptoms. Symptoms of a low hemoglobin level can be conditionally divided into several groups, the first of which is associated with a general depressed state of the body.

Here are the typical symptoms of low hemoglobin in our blood:

In our body, iron performs not only the function of transporting oxygen, but a low level of hemoglobin indicates a lack of this element in the body.

It is iron deficiency that causes the following symptoms:

Particularly curious is the last sign of a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood. The patient has a strange craving for absolutely inedible products, he wants to try chalk, coal, clay, sand and other similar substances. A person wants to try raw foods: meat, minced meat, fish, pasta, cereals. Smell problems begin: smells that previously caused disgust (gasoline, thinner, paint, exhaust fumes) now seem very attractive. All these are typical signs of a decrease in the concentration of hemoglobin in the blood.

Another symptom of this disorder is frequent colds.

All of the above symptoms manifest themselves differently in people, it is not necessary to have the entire list of signs, in the initial stages of the disease the symptoms may be mild or not appear at all, but even if some of them are characteristic of you, you should immediately visit a doctor and pass all the necessary analyses.

Symptoms in women

Symptoms and signs of low hemoglobin in women are, in principle, similar to the general symptoms of this disease. This is a general depression, weakness, frequent dizziness, shortness of breath and fainting. Skin problems begin, hair becomes brittle and falls out. Weakened immunity is the cause of frequent colds and other diseases.

But there are some nuances associated with the peculiarities of female physiology. Women are more vulnerable to anemia because the female body loses a large amount of blood every month, and this puts an additional burden on the blood-forming organs and creates an additional need for iron.

Low hemoglobin in children

Low levels of hemoglobin in the blood in children is a very common problem today. According to recent studies, one in five children suffer from this disorder. At the same time, detecting the symptoms of low hemoglobin in a child is not at all easy - they are often mistaken for other diseases. Most often, low hemoglobin shows a routine medical examination.

Usually, with a lack of hemoglobin in the blood, the baby becomes less active, he may experience periodic headaches and sleep disturbance. Low hemoglobin in the blood can cause digestive problems in a child (frequent constipation) and cause urinary incontinence (nighttime).

Another sign of low hemoglobin in the blood is the weakening of the child's immunity, resulting in frequent diseases of the respiratory system, colds and other diseases.

The lack of hemoglobin in the blood has the most detrimental effect on the development and growth of your baby, all body systems suffer, because they do not receive the required amount of oxygen, but the nervous system suffers the most.

In the event that even changes in the diet did not lead to positive results, go to the doctor. The doctor will be able to give a qualified answer to an important question: why did the hemoglobin drop in your case.