Low hemoglobin

Low hemoglobin can be caused by various diseases, some of which are severe.

Hemoglobin plays an important role in transporting oxygen to the tissues and transporting carbon dioxide back to the lungs, through which it is exhaled from the body.

The oxygen that is inhaled is carried into the body through the blood.

To do this, hemoglobin binds to oxygen molecules and transports them to the organs and tissues that need them.

If the hemoglobin level is reduced too much, this process can change and reduce the oxygen content in the body (hypoxia).

Normal and decreased values

Normal hemoglobin levels vary depending on a person’s age and gender (male or female).

The widely accepted values vary depending on the age group of the persons and are listed below.

Premature babies suffer from anemia.

If the values are slightly lower, there is no need to worry, but the blood test should be repeated to follow the progress.

Causes of decreased hemoglobin

There are many types of anemia that can have various causes:

Sideropenic anaemia (due to iron deficiency)

This is the most common form. The cause is a lack of iron, which serves the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.

If the iron concentration is insufficient, the body is unable to make red blood cells.

Usually, the organism processes the iron contained in the red blood cells after their cell death to produce new blood cells.

If a person loses blood, he also loses iron.

At risk are:

1. women during pregnancy or heavy menstrual bleeding,
2. People with chronic and slow blood loss in the body (for example, with a peptic stomach ulcer).

A low-iron diet leads to anemia due to deficiency of this mineral.

Consequences are microcythemia (red blood cells with low volume) and a decreased hematocrit.

Anemia due to vitamin deficiency

In addition to iron, the body needs vitamin B12 and folic acid to make an adequate number of healthy blood cells. If these vitamins are missing in the diet, this can promote the decrease in blood cells.

People with intestinal disorders that affect the absorption of nutrients are prone to this type of anemia.

These anemias fall under the category of megaloblastic anemia, in which the bone marrow produces too large red blood cells.

Anemia caused by chronic diseases

Chronic diseases such as cancer (leukemia or lymphoma), rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Crohn’s disease and other inflammatory diseases interfere with red blood cell formation and cause chronic anemia.

Another cause of anemia can be renal insufficiency: the kidneys produce the hormone erythropoietin, which stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.

The lack of erythropoietin can lead to a reduction in red blood cells.

Aplastic anemia

It is caused by the inability of the bone marrow to make the three types of blood cells:

1. Red blood cells,
2. White blood cells,
3. The platelets.

Sometimes the cause of aplastic anemia is unknown, but often it is autoimmune diseases.

Some factors responsible for this type of anemia are:

1. Chemotherapy
2. Radiotherapy
3. environmental toxins,
4. Lupus
5. Pregnancy.

Anemia caused by bone marrow disease

Diseases such as leukemia and myelodysplasia (preleukemia) can cause anemia because they interfere with blood production in the bone marrow.

These types of cancer range from a slight change in blood cell production to a complete blockage of the formation process of blood cells.

Thus, leukemia can also lead to decreased platelets.

Hemolytic anemia

It is characterized by the faster destruction of red blood cells, which occurs faster than they are produced in the bone marrow.

The increased destruction of red blood cells can lead to certain blood diseases.

Drugs such as antibiotics or an autoimmune disease can also lead to the destruction of red blood cells.

The consequences of hemolytic anemia include:

1. Jaundice
2. Splenomegaly
3. Increased bilirubin.

Sickle-cell anaemia

It is a severe and hereditary form that affects people of the following origins:

1. African
2. Arab.

This anemia is caused by a defect in hemoglobin, which gives red blood cells the abnormal shape of a crescent moon.

Anemia occurs due to the death of irregularly shaped red blood cells.

In addition, these crescent-shaped red blood cells block blood flow in the small vessels and this can lead to pain in the joints and organs.

Other anemias

There are other forms of anemia, such as thalassemia.

Coeliac disease

Celiac disease is a condition characterized by intolerance to gluten.

This disorder leads to indigestion and changes in blood levels for mineral salts, vitamins and proteins.

Celiac disease leads to the humiliation of:

1. Hemoglobin
2. Iron
3. Folic acid/B12
4. Vitamin A, D, E, K
5. Sodium
6. Potassium
7. Chlorine
8. Magnesium
9. Zinc
10. Phosphorus.

Other causes of decreased hemoglobin:

1. Metastases or bone marrow tumors (such as leukemia or multiple myeloma) can lead to insufficient production of red blood cells in the bone marrow and consequently to anemia.
2. Chemotherapy for a tumor can cause bone marrow damage and lead to a reduction in red blood cell production, resulting in anemia.
3. Abundant blood loss in the menstrual cycle can cause the onset of this disease and oxygen starvation in the body.
4. Cirrhosis
5. Hypothyroidism
6. Hemorrhage – as it causes blood loss.

Symptoms of decreased hemoglobin

1. feeling of fatigue;
2. Headache;
3. dizziness due to lack of oxygen in the brain;
4. Exhaustion;
5. Lack of concentration;
6. Rapid heartbeat;
7. Pale nails, skin and gums.

Decreased hemoglobin is the main cause of anemia.

Slightly below the norm hemoglobin levels may be asymptomatic.

Anemia indicates low oxygen levels in the blood, which often lead to shortness of breath.

To compensate for the lack of oxygen in the blood, the body tries to increase the heart rate and the heart pumping power.

This can lead to:

1. Tachycardia
2. Chest pain.

Low hemoglobin levels can exacerbate pre-existing heart problems.

Low hematocrit and hemoglobin

People who have low levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit need to remember that they are at high risk for anemia.

Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels depend on the amount of red blood cells in the body.

The hematocrit refers to the volume fraction of red blood cells in a certain amount of blood in a person’s blood.

To calculate the hematocrit level, the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and the distribution width of the erythrocytes (RDW) are used.

These blood tests help doctors determine decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.

1. The MCV indicates the effective size of the blood cells.
2. The RDW values indicate the differences in the sizes of red blood cells.

If a person has a low MCV and high RDW in his blood tests, the anemia is caused by a chronic iron deficiency.

People who are more likely to have decreased hemoglobin and hematocrit include:

1. children who absorb too little iron through their diet;
2. children who experience a sudden growth spurt, which is why the iron present in the body is too low;
3. women in pregnancy after the 4th month;
4. Hemorrhage may occur after surgery;
5. women who have recently given birth;
6. women who had an abortion;
7. People with chronic kidney disease.

Symptoms of decreased hemoglobin in pregnancy

In pregnancy, low hemoglobin or anemia is a common problem.

Pregnant women need to meet the child’s iron needs.

The amount of blood must increase to feed the fetus, which grows in the womb.

Sometimes the need exceeds the amount of iron stored in the body and can lead to decreased iron, which is the most common form of anemia during pregnancy.

Anemia may be asymptomatic.

However, some symptoms may occur due to decreased hemoglobin:

• fatigue and weakness;
• Reduced performance, especially in endurance sports such as cycling and running;
• Pale skin;
• Recurrent mild or severe headache;
• dizziness and inability to devote himself to work;
• Numbness
• Cold hands and feet;
• Tachycardia;
• lowering body temperature;
• Mild chest pain;
• Difficulty breathing,
• Irritability;
• Unusual appetite for strange things like clay, paint, mud and sometimes pieces of ice;
• Sensation of tingling on hands and feet.

Risk factors for low hemoglobin in pregnancy

1. morning sickness, which leads to vomiting;
2. multiple pregnancy;
3. Heavy menstrual bleeding before pregnancy;
4. Nutrient-poor and iron-rich diet.

What are the consequences of low hemoglobin?

The risks and consequences of reduced hemoglobin also include infarction.

The heart is forced to work harder to compensate for hemoglobin deficiency. Therefore, cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure can develop, which can lead to a heart attack.

Natural remedies for decreased hemoglobin

Nettle

The nettle is a very helpful plant to raise hemoglobin levels.

It is a good source of iron, B group vitamins, vitamin C and other vitamins that can improve hemoglobin levels.

1. Put 2 teaspoons of dried nettles in a cup of hot water,
2. Wait 10 minutes.
3. Strain and add a little honey.
4. Drink this tea twice a day.

Movement

It is recommended to start with regular physical training.

During exercise, the body creates more hemoglobin to respond to the body’s oxygen consumption.

1. Aerobic activities (low intensity and long duration) are of fundamental importance.
2. Strengthening exercises are recommended to increase muscle mass and combat fatigue.

Iron-rich or fortified foods with this mineral serve to increase hemoglobin in the blood.

If iron-containing supplements are used, one should know their side effects.

These tablets must be taken exactly at the indicated dose.

What should you eat? Diet and nutrition for low hemoglobin

To increase hemoglobin levels, one should resort to iron-rich foods.

These include:

• Yolk;
• whole grain cereals;
• Oysters;
• Clams;
• Scallops;
• Sardines;
• Prawns;
• red meat;
• Liver;
• Beef;
• Chicken;
• Spinach;
• Broccoli;
• Kale;
• Lettuce;
• Beans;
• Lenses;
• Chickpeas;
• Dried peas;
• Iron-enriched cereals;
• Dried apricots;
• Figs;
• Almonds;
• Dried plums;
• Raisins.

One should reduce the consumption of tea, coffee and soy products, as they can hinder the absorption process of iron.

Vegetarians do not risk anemia.

Therapy for decreased hemoglobin

The best way to treat anemia is to increase the iron in the diet.

Iron increases hemoglobin levels in the blood and thus treats the cause.

The dosage of iron must be determined by the doctor who:

1. prescribes the appropriate dose,
2. The duration of intake is determined.

An excessive iron-rich diet can have negative effects. So you should be very careful with it.

In some cases, a drug can interfere with the production of hemoglobin and red blood cells.

You have to recognize this and then stop using this drug.

If the anemia occurs together with a stomach ulcer or intestinal tumor, therapy must be carried out.

These diseases:

1. Cause an unnatural loss of red blood cells,
2. Must be treated for low hemoglobin before starting therapy.

In severe cases, the only solution is an immediate blood transfusion.

If you want to treat a decreased hemoglobin with home remedies, you should talk to your doctor beforehand.

Prognosis for patients with decreased hemoglobin

Usually, the prognosis is good and many types of anemia can be cured.

The overall prognosis depends on the cause of anemia, its severity and the general health of the patient.

The recovery time after a (not massive) bleeding is a few days to give the body time to regenerate blood cells.

• High hemoglobin in the blood and urine
• Increased hematocrit in the blood, causes and symptoms
• Decreased hematocrit, values and causes