MCHC Värde blood test can determine your mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) level; a lower or higher than normal MCH could be a sign of anemia or high cholesterol. MCH is a measurement of the average amount of hemoglobin within a red blood cell. Hemoglobin is a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to various cells throughout the body, where the cells use the oxygen to grow and reproduce MCHC Värde .
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What Does MCH Reveal?
As part of a complete blood count, MCH is measured. The condition of your red blood cells is one of the many factors that a complete blood count assesses. One metric that can provide insight into the condition of your red blood cells is MCHC Värde MedlinePlus. RBC indexes.
As part of a routine examination or to aid in the diagnosis of specific illnesses, your healthcare professional may request a complete blood count.
MCHC Värde is primarily useful in diagnosing anemia, which is a disorder caused by the body producing too few healthy red blood cells. People with anemia do not receive enough oxygen-rich blood throughout their bodies, which can leave them feeling weak and exhausted. The normal range for MCH is 27 to 31 picograms per cell. RBC indices. Anything below or above that could be a sign of an underlying medical condition.
What Does Low MCH Mean?
Hypochromic anemia, also known as iron-deficiency anemia, is characterized by an MCHC Värde level below the normal range. This type of anemia arises when there is insufficient hemoglobin in the blood. Lack of iron is the most common cause of hypochromic anemia in the United States. Iron plays a crucial role in hemoglobin production; without it, hemoglobins cannot be produced. Auerbach M. Patient education: Anemia caused by low iron in adults (beyond the basics). In: UpToDate Wolters Kluwer; 2022.
Iron-deficiency anemia can develop for several reasons, including:
- Blood loss: This can be from heavy periods, bleeding within the gastrointestinal tract (like from inflammatory bowel disease), surgery, or traumatic injuries.
- Problems absorbing iron: This can be due to rare genetic conditions, endurance sports, intestinal and digestive conditions, and surgery on your stomach or intestines.
- Kidney disease: You may not make enough erythropoietin, a hormone your body needs to produce red blood cells.
- Chronic conditions that cause inflammation: It might be hard for your body to use iron.
- Not enough iron in your diet: This cause is not as common in the U.S.6 When it does happen, it would most likely affect children between 9 months and 1 year.
Symptoms of Low MCH
You may not exhibit any symptoms if you are diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia due to a low level of MCH. If symptoms have been bothering you, they could include:
What Does High MCH Mean?
Anemia brought on by low folate or B12 levels may be indicated by an MCH level that is higher than normal. Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, aids in the synthesis of red blood cells. The growth of proper red blood cell production requires vitamin B12.
Folate-deficiency anemia can develop if you:
- Don’t take in enough folate in your diet (found in liver and green, leafy vegetables)
- Drink heavily in the long term
- Use certain medications, including Azulfidine (sulfasalazine) and Dyrenium (triamterene)
Vitamin B12–deficiency anemia can develop if your body can’t properly absorb vitamin B12. This poor absorption can happen because of:
- A lack of intrinsic factor (a protein that helps your body absorb vitamin B12)
- Heavy alcohol use
- Certain medicines, such as heartburn medicine and the diabetes medication metformin
- Certain conditions, such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and vitiligo
- Stomach surgery
While rare, you can also develop vitamin B12–deficiency anemia if your diet doesn’t include enough vitamin B12.
MCH levels may also be high if you have anemia caused by chemotherapy.
Falsely high MCH levels may also appear in the setting of high cholesterol.
Symptoms of High MCH
You may have anemia symptoms if you have elevated MCH as a result of anemia. Symptoms of anemia caused by folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies may include weakness, headaches, paleness, and exhaustion. Your tongue and mouth may hurt if you have folate-deficiency anemia.
MedlinePlus Folate-deficit anemia.
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How Are Abnormal MCH Levels Treated?
Depending on which disease or medical condition is causing the abnormal levels, different treatments are given for high and low MCH levels. To get a complete picture, a healthcare provider will likely look at the other results of your complete blood count. Other indicators of the health of your red blood cells include:
- Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): Measures of the average size of your red blood cells
- Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): Measures the amount of hemoglobin a red blood cell has relative to the cell’s volume
- Red cell distribution width (RDW): Measures differences in the volume and size of your red blood cells
Anemia is usually what’s associated with abnormal MCH levels. If it’s determined that anemia is causing the abnormal MCH levels, the healthcare provider will then have to figure out what is causing the anemia. Depending on the cause and how severe the anemia is, you will receive a tailored treatment.
Treatment for anemia might include:
- Medication
- Supplements
- Blood transfusion
- Blood and bone marrow transplant
- Surgery
- Dietary changes
A Quick Review
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin is referred to as MCH. The average amount of hemoglobin in a red blood cell is measured by MCH. During a complete blood count, MCH is one indicator of the condition of your red blood cells.
MCH typically ranges between 27 and 31 picograms per cell. Anything above or under that could be a sign of an underlying illness, most often a kind of anemia. Iron-deficiency anemia may be indicated by low MCH levels, but anemia brought on by low folic acid or vitamin B12 levels may be indicated by high MCH levels.
What is causing your abnormal MCH levels will be determined by a healthcare professional. If anemia is the cause, they will identify the kind of anemia and its cause. After that, they will be able to control the issue and try to restore your levels to normal.