Why does hemoglobin in the blood drop sharply? A decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, the reasons, what to do if it is low? What is the low hemoglobin level?

Each of us takes a finger-tip blood test many times during our lives. Coming to the doctor for the result of the analysis, we hear from him certain figures about the amount of hemoglobin, which are always in a high place in terms of the importance of indicators, and, accordingly, indicate the state of the body.

Let's try to figure out what this sonorous word means - hemoglobin, and in what cases its deficiency, called anemia, occurs. Hemoglobin is a two-component element of erythrocytes and consists of a protein (globin) and an iron (gem) part. Blood hemoglobin is present in our body in several forms:

Oxyhemoglobin - that is, hemoglobin + oxygen. It is found in arterial blood and causes its scarlet color;
Reduced hemoglobin is the one that gave oxygen to the tissues;
Carboxyhemoglobin is hemoglobin + carbon dioxide. It is found in the venous blood and forms its dark cherry color.

Functions of hemoglobin in the body

Transfer of oxygen that has entered the lungs to the tissues
Transport of protons and carbon dioxide from tissues back to the lungs
Maintaining blood pH

Hemoglobin rate

A normal hemoglobin level indicates normal physiological functions for which it is responsible. With indicators below the indicated ranges, we are talking about anemia - a condition dangerous for the body.

The main causes of low hemoglobin

with cancer, kidney disease, endocrine insufficiency, chronic infections - when there is a violation of erythropoiesis or the production of erythrocytes by the bone marrow
fasting - often women who follow a weight loss diet develop anemia
destruction of red blood cells or shortening of their life span in the blood (less than 4 months)
acute or chronic bleeding
deficiency of iron, vitamins B 12, C, folic acid and pyridoxine
treatment with aspirin or (see).

It should be noted that anemia often accompanies heart failure and is diagnosed in 5-55% of cases. A study of a sample of about a thousand patients with chronic heart failure led to the following results:

a low hemoglobin level is associated with an increase in urea and creatinine and a deterioration in hemodynamics
hemoglobin levels less than 136 g / l increased the risk of heart failure progression to terminal stages
hemoglobin level acted as an independent risk factor for death in this pathology - each drop in hemoglobin level by 10 g / l increased the relative risk of death by 13%

Diagnosis of anemia

All anemias are secondary conditions and in the bulk are a symptom of the underlying disease. Differential diagnosis of anemia is conventionally divided into 2 stages. In practice, two stages of diagnostics are carried out simultaneously.

At the first stage, the pathogenetic variant of anemia is determined, namely, the main mechanism causing the decrease in hemoglobin. In fact, this is a syndromic diagnosis, since all pathogenetic variants of hemoglobin deficiency are only a separate syndrome. This stage is carried out in the laboratory. At this stage, the following studies are carried out:

Determination of hemogram using a hematological analyzer
Examination of a blood smear with counting the number of reticulocytes and drawing up a leukocyte formula
Biochemical analysis of blood serum with determination of iron content, and the total ability of serum to bind iron
Microscopic analysis of bone marrow punctate

The second stage of the diagnostic search- this is completely the prerogative of the attending physician. The task of the doctor is to diagnose the pathological process, which is the basis of the anemic syndrome in each individual. Simply put, the attending physician identifies the causes of anemia in a patient. As a rule, the doctor acts by elimination. The most dangerous conditions are initially excluded:

latent bleeding (gastrointestinal tract, bleeding into the chest cavity, into the abdominal cavity, into the joint cavity, into the pericardial cavity)
oncological pathology, for which the patient is assigned additional studies (for example, MRI of the whole body to exclude oncology, analysis of feces for occult blood to exclude bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract, etc.)
a thorough questioning of the patient is carried out to clarify all the symptoms that alert the person or have never manifested themselves before
the nature of the diet must be specified, whether drug therapy was carried out, and what drugs

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in children

If low hemoglobin is determined in a child, symptoms can be from different systems and organs. But their combination allows one to suspect this condition.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in women and men

The most common symptoms of low hemoglobin in women and men are similar to those in children. However, adults do not always pay attention to alarming manifestations in time, thereby aggravating their condition.

What are the common symptoms of low hemoglobin?

it's a constant weakness
drowsiness, fatigue
headaches, dizziness
tachycardia, low blood pressure, and even fainting

A decrease in hemoglobin in the prevailing majority of cases is an indirect sign of iron deficiency in the tissues of the body. Accordingly, the following symptoms are noted:

changes in nails in the form of brittleness, thinning, stratification
dry skin and painful seizures
hair loss or slow growth
disturbances in taste and smell (eating chalk, earth, clay, raw minced meat, dough; taking odors of acetone, paints, exhaust gases)
unreasonable subfebrile condition up to 37.5 C

The appearance of such people also has characteristic features. In general, a person looks haggard and painful, pallor of the skin is observed, sometimes even yellowness (see), cyanosis of the lips, bright red color of the surface of the tongue.

However, the clinical picture does not always allow one to suspect low hemoglobin. Pathology can be asymptomatic, so it is necessary to undergo regular preventive examinations.

If low hemoglobin is found during pregnancy, the symptoms are as described above. The only thing that pregnant women are characterized by low body temperature, and not subfebrile condition. Any of these symptoms in pregnant women is a signal for immediate medical attention (see).

Treatment of various types of anemias

There is no universal remedy for anemia yet. Treatment for low hemoglobin depends on the causes of this condition and is always long-term.

The diet must be corrected with the inclusion of berries, fruits and vegetables that improve the renewal of red blood cells and hematopoiesis in general: onions, garlic, strawberries, lettuce, buckwheat. It is imperative to eat red meat - the human body is most assimilable iron from meat.

In case of massive blood loss, a blood transfusion is required to restore the volume of free blood. This is an extreme measure, however, the most effective, and sometimes the only possible one, to save lives.
With a lack of iron, advising iron-containing drugs are prescribed: Tardiferon, Ferlatum, Ferumlek, Maltofer, Sorbifer, etc. (see full). In parallel to this group of drugs, vitamin C is prescribed, which contributes to better absorption of iron.
With a deficiency of folic acid, its artificial substitutes are prescribed in the form of medicines (vitohepat, folic acid).
With hypochromic anemia, hematopoietic drugs (hemostimulin, erythropoietin) are indicated.
With a deficiency of vitamin B-12, subcutaneous injections of the vitamin are carried out for a course of up to 6 weeks.

Folk remedies in the fight against low hemoglobin

If low hemoglobin is found, treatment with folk remedies is an effective practice in combating this dangerous condition.

and strawberry leaves strengthens the body as a whole and enriches it with vitamins. You can drink it instead of your usual tea during the day.
Fresh juice from red beets, which is drunk one glass a day, has a good effect. The peculiarity of beetroot juice is that it cannot be drunk immediately after pressing, as soon as juice from fresh beets is squeezed out, it should be refrigerated for 3-4 hours to evaporate toxic compounds, only after that the juice can be drunk.
Currant infusion is rich in vitamin C and is good for anemia.

All the described medicinal compositions must be drunk for at least a month - only in this case they are effective. In general, all red fruits and berries are shown, as well as green vegetables. After the course of treatment, clinical tests for the effectiveness of therapy are repeated.

Low hemoglobin in women is detected more often than in the opposite sex. The tendency to anemia is associated with the physiological characteristics of the female body.

The insidiousness of the disease is that a slight deterioration in well-being caused by a mild or moderate decrease in Hb is similar in its manifestations to overwork. Often, women ignore the first signs of deterioration in health, and this leads to the fact that the course of the disease is aggravated.

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The loss of hemoglobin in women can occur for natural reasons (menstruation, donation of blood), but at the same time, moderately low Hb is found in the blood and there are no signs of anemia. But more often there is a pathological decrease in hemoglobin level due to a disease or negative influence of external factors.

What does indicator mean?

Hemoglobin is a protein necessary for the complete synthesis of red blood cells. Red blood cells have an important function:

capture and transport oxygen to tissues;
the products of respiratory metabolism (carbon dioxide) are removed from the cells.

A woman's hemoglobin level is an indicator of oxygen metabolism. If Hb is low, this means that tissue hypoxia appears and the work of internal organs worsens.

What does it fall from?

The norm of hemoglobin in a woman is 120-140 g / l. With heavy menstruation and in the first days after menstruation, a slight decrease in hemoglobin level is possible, but then the indicator is restored on its own due to increased synthesis of red blood cells.

Often, low hemoglobin in women appears with hormonal changes. The risk of anemia increases with puberty and.

Chronic inflammation and latent blood loss are considered the most dangerous. In these cases, the woman gradually adapts to the condition that has arisen and does not immediately seek help. Lack of medical care leads to the progression of anemia.

For gestation, moderately low hemoglobin up to 110 g / l at an early stage and up to 100 before childbirth is considered a borderline variant of the norm. There are several reasons why Hb falls in the blood of a pregnant woman:

Formation of placental blood flow. At the same time, the volume of liquid plasma increases, and the level of hemoglobin protein remains the same.
Active intake of iron by the growing fetus. Often, low hemoglobin is detected in a woman at 16-20 weeks of gestation, when the child begins to form his own hematopoietic system.

To cover the lack of iron, a woman should consume iron-containing foods and vitamins. Failure to follow the rules of nutrition will lead to the development of anemia and negatively affect the condition of the fetus.

What are the dangerous consequences of a prolonged decline?

Considering why a low hemoglobin index is dangerous for a woman, one should take into account the duration of the condition that has arisen and the degree of decrease.

What does it affect?

What the hemoglobin level says was noted above - about the nature of oxygen metabolism. Low hemoglobin leads to a deterioration in the supply of oxygen to tissues and disrupts the full functioning of the body.

Tissue hypoxia leads to the following:

cellular metabolism is disrupted;
the synthesis of hormones and enzymes decreases;
hematopoiesis slows down.

There is no better answer to the question of what Hb affects: everything. With a low hemoglobin protein, a woman experiences health problems, gets tired faster and is more susceptible to infections.

Anemia under the microscope

What is the threat?

If a woman's low hemoglobin persists for a long time, then chronic tissue hypoxia develops, which leads to the following consequences:

Myocardial overload. To compensate for oxygen deficiency, the heart begins to contract more often. A large load on the heart muscle leads to wear and tear of the organ and the appearance of functional failure.
Decreased immunity. A woman is more likely to suffer from infectious diseases, which, due to a decrease in hemoglobin, are severe.
Impairment of memory and decreased brain activity. Than chronic cerebral ischemia threatens - gradual death of cerebral structures and irreversible personality change.

Other functions in the body also suffer. A woman's ability to work decreases, apathy appears and her interest in life disappears.

Low hemoglobin is also dangerous during pregnancy. A lack of protein leads to abnormalities in the development of the child, and in a woman it can cause a miscarriage or premature birth.

Symptoms and Signs

When the hemoglobin protein is low, the symptoms of anemia can be noticed during an external examination of the woman:

dry, pale skin;
brittle hair falling out;
peeling nails;
puffy face.

Depending on the cause of the decrease in Hb, the symptoms may be mild (acute profuse blood loss, which is characterized only by pallor) or the patient will have a "classic" picture of chronic anemia.

In addition to external signs, in women, a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin causes the following symptoms:

drowsiness;
asthenic syndrome;
dizziness;
noise in ears;
violation of the emotional background (nervous excitement or a tendency to depression);
hypotension;
increased breathing;
lack of coordination;
muscle weakness;
decreased sexual activity;
menstrual irregularities.

Sometimes low hemoglobin provokes a change in taste preferences or cravings for unpleasant odors. A woman wants to eat soap or sniff kerosene.

Despite the fact that the symptoms of anemia are similar to those of other diseases, you should not postpone the visit to the clinic. To determine the level of hemoglobin, it is enough to take a blood test, but a thorough examination will help to identify from what exactly Hb falls in the blood.

Despite the fact that with the help of a well-designed diet, you can increase the content of hemoglobin in plasma, medical examination should not be neglected. The doctor will determine the causes that have lowered the hemoglobin level in the blood, and will assess the severity of the symptoms that have arisen. Some women, in addition to dieting, are prescribed vitamins or.

What foods should you eat and what shouldn't?

Food affects metabolic processes and protein synthesis. Increase low hemoglobin:

beef offal;
rabbit meat;
buckwheat and barley porridge;
legumes;
spinach;
nuts;
berries and fruits;
dried apricots;
fresh vegetables;
seafood;
sea fish.

Pomegranate juice will be useful

During the treatment of anemia, the following foods should be excluded from the diet:

chocolate;
condensed milk;
rich pastries;
oatmeal and millet.

You should also give up alcohol. Alcohol abuse is one of the factors that provoke a decrease in hemoglobin.

It has been proven that dairy products slow down the absorption of iron, but you cannot refuse milk or cottage cheese - calcium is necessary for the female body. In order to quickly raise low hemoglobin, it is recommended to consume dairy products separately from iron-containing products.

Optimal diet

The peculiarities of female psychology is that, having heard among the doctor's recommendations about what to do if the hemoglobin index is lowered, the word diet, a woman adjusts to restrictions. But the list of recommended foods allows you to eat deliciously, you just need to follow the following rules:

Diversity. It is recommended to make a menu for the week.
Fresh vegetables and fruits. They should be eaten daily instead of snacks.
Separation of products. It is better to eat meat separately from cereals or dairy products. It is advisable to serve stewed vegetables as a side dish for fish or meat dishes.

Adequate nutrition will help raise low hemoglobin levels, but don't rely on diet alone. In order to cure anemia, it is necessary to eliminate the cause of the disease.

Parents who are wondering what it means if a child's hemoglobin in the blood is lowered, they are worried for good reason. Anemia for a child's body has much more serious consequences, since a lack of oxygen supply slows down the development of tissues and organs. The reasons why a child has low Hb in the blood are the same as in adults:

insufficient;
violation of hematopoiesis;
blood loss.

If a low hemoglobin index is detected, the child must be examined. This will help to identify the causes that provoke anemia, and the consequences of the condition that have arisen will be less severe.

Useful video

Olga Garbuzova, Associate Professor of the Department of Therapy of one of the medical universities, will talk about the causes and consequences of iron deficiency anemia:

Conclusion

Low hemoglobin is dangerous for a woman.
Lack of treatment leads to chronic hypoxia and irreversible organ damage.
To avoid serious consequences, you should carefully consider the deterioration of health and be examined.

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After reading the article describing the essence of hemoglobin in the body, you will easily understand that low hemoglobin is a very dangerous indicator, leading to a decrease in oxygen saturation of all body tissues, creating an increased load on the cardiovascular and respiratory system, as well as hematopoietic organs. This, in turn, leads to a general depletion of the body and a decrease in immunity.

How to prevent unwanted consequences? The very first action is the timely identification of the problem, namely, the diagnosis of low hemoglobin.

Symptoms with low hemoglobin

First of all, it should be noted that a decrease in hemoglobin is not an independent disease and does not have specific symptoms that can give an unambiguous definition of the diagnosis. Low hemoglobin can be determined only through a complete blood count. But when to do an unscheduled analysis? This decision may be prompted by the following symptoms:

Symptoms characteristic of deviations in the hemoglobin index from the norm:

weakness;
fast fatiguability;
sleep disturbance;
headache.

These symptoms are also characteristic of high hemoglobin, and their presence is associated with a change in the physicochemical parameters of blood when its composition changes.

Subjective symptoms characteristic of low hemoglobin:

dizziness;
dyspnea;
noise in ears;
menstrual irregularities (starting with a failure in time, ending with a complete absence of menstruation);
decreased potency in men (up to temporary impotence with extremely low hemoglobin);
anorexia (loss of appetite, even aversion to food).

These symptoms indicate both a decrease in tissue oxygen saturation due to the inability to maintain a sufficient level of oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange in tissues with a small amount of hemoglobin, and a violation of the acid-base balance in cells (since an equally important function of hemoglobin is the regulation of acidity). With a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin below 50 g / l, a pronounced development of acidosis (blood acidification) begins, which is an extremely dangerous condition and can lead to the appearance of symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, a sharp increase in blood pressure, suppression of the activity of the heart and respiratory centers.

Subjective dystrophic symptoms

damage to nails (brittleness, changes in structure, the appearance of spots, susceptibility to fungal diseases);
dystrophic changes in hair (dryness, brittleness, split ends, slow growth, loss);
changes in the mucous membrane of the tongue (the tongue "turns red", painful sensations appear in various parts of the tongue: when touching the teeth / palate, eating food with a sharp taste, etc.);
pallor and dryness of the skin (possibly also with discomfort when touched);
tingling in the limbs (especially often in the feet);
frequent leg cramps.

These symptoms appear even with a slightly reduced hemoglobin level with a prolonged lack of it in the body. They are the first signs of exhaustion of the body and its inability to full-fledged trophism.

Objective symptoms with low hemoglobin

tachycardia (an increase in heart rate over 90 beats per minute);
murmurs in the heart (systolic murmur at the apex of the heart);
increased heart beat;
low blood pressure;
change in the color indicator in the general blood test.

Objective symptoms - symptoms to which a quantitative calculation can be applied (measurement of pressure, determination of pulse rate, etc.). As a rule, the calculation is done by a physician. Subjective on the contrary, they are determined by the patient himself and are manifested in complaints about a particular symptom.

Important! According to the characteristic symptoms, one can suspect not only a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, but also assume one of the many reasons for this symptom. You can read more about the characteristic symptoms in the article on the types of anemia ( anemia).

Causes of low hemoglobin

So, we figured out the symptoms, suspected something was wrong, and did a general blood test, which revealed that the desired indicator was below normal. And now, before discussing treatment, let's look at the causes of low hemoglobin in order to understand what exactly is stopping us.

We know that hemoglobin is formed from iron, which is an essential trace mineral from food. Based on this, let's step back from the abstruse medical classification and divide the causes of low hemoglobin into three understandable categories:

1. Hemoglobin is not synthesized because the body lacks iron.

The examination will help to find the underlying disease that caused the anemia. This can be cancer, genetic pathology, infection and autoimmune defects.

women with profuse discharge during menstruation when bleeding lasts more than 5 days;
people constantly experiencing blood loss;
women with frequent pregnancies;
often giving birth and women who have been breastfeeding for more than a year;
premature babies;
children from large families or those born from anemic mothers;
vegetarians who adhere to a dairy-plant diet for a long time;
tall people;
obese people.

The reasons why hemoglobin falls are not necessarily related to diseases of the blood and other systems or organs.

So, due to the rapid growth in childhood and adolescence, the need for iron increases, and hemoglobin may decrease.

Hemoglobin in women drops due to iron loss during menstruation and in the last months of pregnancy. Such reasons are temporary; to correct blood parameters, it is enough to drink a course of vitamins.

Anyone who has a drop in hemoglobin, regardless of why it happens, needs to check the level of serum Fe first.

In addition, you need to take a blood test for vitamin B 12 and identify the content of folic acid in serum and erythrocytes.

This will require additional blood tests. Lack of vitamin B 12, ascorbic and folic acids are likely reasons why hemoglobin falls.

Symptoms of a drop in hemoglobin

The fact that hemoglobin is steadily falling can be determined by the appearance of sideropenic syndrome (brittle nails and hair, painful swallowing, seizures, spoon-shaped nails) and by laboratory blood tests.

With anemia, the saturation rate of erythrocytes falls, and target cells are found in the blood. On a visual assessment of the blood, its pallor can be noted.

Why the blood turns pale can be understood by looking at it under a strong magnification - in the eyepiece of the microscope, erythrocytes will not be visible as red discs, but in the form of rings with a light spot in the center.

When staining a smear on a ferum, a low concentration of erythrocytes containing iron - siderocytes - is revealed.

An assessment of the volume and diameter of erythrocytes helps to detect a lack of hemoglobin - with anemia, these parameters are lowered.

The RDW index, which is normally 14-15%, increases with a lack of hemoglobin.

Table 1. Lack of Fe in dynamics

If hemoglobin falls, then it can be detected even without blood tests and subsequent complex calculations.

The main symptom that hemoglobin falls is constant physical weakness and pallor of the skin, gums and tongue, up to their cyanosis.

It is understandable why the skin of people with low hemoglobin levels is pale - due to the lack of red blood cells in the lymph, which gives the dermis a healthy pinkish tint.

Prevention of a decrease in hemoglobin:

elimination of the reasons due to which hemoglobin falls;
good nutrition with sufficient iron;
prophylactic intake of Fe-containing drugs;
dispensary accounting.

Preventive measures are needed primarily for pregnant women and people who have already been repeatedly diagnosed with a decrease in hemoglobin for any reason.

Even if everything is in order with health, it is advisable to take a general blood test at least once a year. With this test, you can detect pathology at an early stage or make sure that your health is normal.

Treatment of Fe-deficiency anemia

To treat Fe-deficiency anemia, you first need to eliminate the background diseases that caused the hemoglobin deficiency in the blood.

At the same time, iron is replenished with pharmaceutical compositions. The diet should include foods high in Fe and ascorbic acid and limit foods that interfere with their absorption - these are mainly milk and dairy products.

If it is impossible to eliminate the causes of iron deficiency anemia, and hemoglobin is still falling, then the patient begins taking iron-containing agents at a dosage of 30-60 mg of simple Fe per day.

Hemoglobin recovery will take several months. The modern pharmaceutical industry offers a wide range of medicines for Fe reduction.

Pharmaceuticals for the treatment of anemia are divided into:

iron salts;
hydroxide polymaltose compositions.

For decades, hemoglobin was reduced by Fe-containing polysaccharide pharmaceuticals and monocomponent iron salts.

Why are these drugs still used today? Mainly because of their cheapness. Iron from multicomponent preparations is absorbed in bivalent form, therefore the daily course dose is equal to the Fe 2 content in the medication.

When calculating the dose, it is necessary to take into account that no more than 15% of ferrous iron is absorbed from the preparations. You can calculate the dose of the Fe-containing composition to restore the level of hemoglobin in the blood using the formula: Fe (in mg) = (Hb norm - Hb current) x patient weight (in kg) x 2.21 + 1000.

When using the latest generation of pharmaceuticals, it is not required to calculate the course dose. Why?

The fact is that modern medicines are prescribed in standard doses. You need to take such an amount of elemental Fe per day so that the remaining volume provides the daily requirement and a small increase in hemoglobin. Adults are prescribed 4-5 mg per kilogram of body weight, children - 6 mg per kilogram.

Some Fe preparations are poorly tolerated by the body, so they need to be selected individually.

Now you know why hemoglobin can go down and how to raise it with home methods.

In addition, together with your doctor, you can choose an Fe-containing drug for yourself if hemoglobin, despite the correct diet and treatment of the underlying disease, still falls for some reason.

A low hemoglobin count is enough reason to be concerned about your health. Unfortunately, not knowing the consequences, people do not pay attention to it. Decreased hemoglobin in 90% of cases indicates the presence of iron deficiency anemia and other very serious diseases. That is, hemoglobin should be normal, this should be monitored.

Reasons why hemoglobin decreases

Low hemoglobin levels are often associated with any disease, often latent. In addition, the cause can be improper diet, unhealthy lifestyle. If you turn to a therapist, he will certainly find out what exactly influenced the decrease in hemoglobin, and look for ways to restore it to the normal level.

There are many reasons: undergoing surgery, large blood loss, chronic malnutrition, pregnancy, childbirth, chronic anemia (iron deficiency in the blood), inflammatory processes in the intestines and stomach, blood pathologies, malignant lesions, autoimmune diseases. Even gastritis can be a reason for lowering hemoglobin, but proper treatment will restore it. At the same time, the doctor will definitely recommend that the patient donate blood every three months in order to track the dynamics of treatment.

Lowering hemoglobin in a child: causes and remedies

Hemoglobin, lowered to the normal limit, is most often observed in adolescents during a period of dramatic hormonal changes in the body. But it may also be the result of a child whose parents do not follow the required children's diet, in which lean high-quality meat and iron-containing vegetables and cereals must be present.

In babies, hemoglobin may decrease due to the fact that the mother also suffered from low hemoglobin during pregnancy. If the child's health is generally normal, hemoglobin can be restored to normal with the help of a properly adjusted diet, a balanced diet. In more complex cases, a detailed examination will be required.

Low hemoglobin in pregnant women is dangerous for the baby

Low hemoglobin levels are especially dangerous during pregnancy. There are not enough red blood cells even for the mother's body, not to mention the child, who already in the womb needs proper nutrition and supply with all the necessary elements. The doctor observing the pregnancy will first of all prescribe the correct diet: liver, herbs, fruits, vegetables, cereals - all this contains hemoglobin. But if this does not lead to the desired result, then he will recommend taking iron supplements. Low hemoglobin levels during pregnancy should be corrected by any means available.

How to determine the lowered hemoglobin yourself

Decreased hemoglobin (in other words, anemia) is not a disease in itself. It has its own symptoms, but begins to manifest itself noticeably when the level of iron in the blood falls below the permissible norm. At the same time, the person looks pale and sickly, it is noticeable that he has dry skin.

First of all, one should pay attention to constant fatigue and low efficiency, to constant sleepiness. Severe headaches, dizziness may begin, it often darkens in the eyes and the pressure is almost constantly lowered. A frequent symptom is increased heart rate or tachycardia. You should pay attention to the fact that nails begin to break, hair is cut, the sense of smell weakens, taste sensations change.

Why is low hemoglobin dangerous?

If you start anemia and bring it to a chronic state, then other health problems will soon appear. The immune system malfunctions, poorly resists environmental aggression. A person begins to get sick often, ailments often turn into chronic ones. People suffering from low hemoglobin very often suffer from osteochondrosis, and subsequently osteoporosis. In addition, teeth deteriorate, nails crumble, hair falls out. And for children, this can become an even more disastrous factor: there is often a lag in growth and development. Below normal hemoglobin levels also cause the person suffering from this condition to develop heart failure. With low hemoglobin, the liver begins to increase markedly, which leads to disruptions in its activity.

What to do with low hemoglobin

The most reasonable decision if you suspect low hemoglobin is to visit a doctor. He will prescribe an examination, while he will recommend to reconsider the attitude to nutrition and lifestyle. What does it mean? The recommendations are simple: you need to follow the daily regimen, sleep at least 8 hours, be outdoors more often, quit smoking. It is very important to find the cause of low hemoglobin.

For example, low hemoglobin in women may be due to the fact that they suffer from heavy bleeding every month, and in this case, the treatment will be in vain - neither diet nor supplements can increase hemoglobin with regular blood loss. If your period is more profuse than it should be normal, this is a serious reason to see a doctor. Nutrition should be monitored with great care. Eat foods that are rich in iron more often: pomegranate juice, buckwheat porridge, liver. You need to eat a lot of plant foods, cereals, and lean beef. But there are also limitations. During this diet, you should not eat pastries, as well as sweets.

It is better to replace white bread with whole grain. Fish must be eaten at least three times a week to maintain not only the required level of phosphorus in the body, but also so that the body receives enough iron. Caviar, both black and red, also perfectly increases hemoglobin, but it is important that it is natural. Apples contain a lot of iron, especially those that darken quickly when cut. It is beneficial to take ascorbic acid, preferably in the form of citrus fruits. In addition, it is advised to include high quality red dessert wine in the menu.

Traditional medicine suggests grinding dry buckwheat to increase hemoglobin, and before each meal take a spoonful, washed down with kefir.

Low hemoglobin treatment

Anyone should know the normal hemoglobin values: for men, the lower threshold should not fall below 130, for women - below 120. The doctor prescribes treatment in accordance with the hemoglobin values. It is customary to distinguish between three degrees of its decrease:

easy - when hemoglobin is from 110 to 90 g / l;

average, when hemoglobin is lowered from 90 to 70 g / l;

severe, when very low hemoglobin - less than 70. Treatment can be aimed at restoring the basic parameters and restoring the balance in the blood serum. In this case, first of all, it is necessary to eliminate the causes that entailed a decrease in hemoglobin.

At the second stage, you need to ensure that the red blood cells are normal.

Blood transfusion with low hemoglobin is one of the extreme measures. However, she can really help. This procedure is prescribed when the hemoglobin level drops below 60 g / L. With a higher hemoglobin, any doctor will insist on a special diet, on other medications.

In especially severe cases, iron injections are also prescribed, but such treatment must be inpatient. There are strong allergic reactions to some drugs, up to and including. So only a doctor prescribes both medications and their doses. An excessive dose of an iron-containing drug can cause an allergic reaction, and an insufficient dose will not allow you to achieve positive results. In the pharmacy, you can buy over-the-counter drugs that are used in mild cases. But even with them, you should be careful and not take without a doctor's prescription.

If you want to be healthy, watch your hemoglobin

Hemoglobin must be normal, otherwise a decrease in both men and women can lead to fatal consequences. Even a healthy person should have a complete blood count every year. And if trouble with hemoglobin is found, then a blood test is needed every three months so that the doctor can adjust the treatment. It is important to find in a timely manner the cause that led to iron deficiency and choose a drug that can get rid of the disease.

Hemoglobin is the main component of blood cells - erythrocytes, which are responsible for the supply of oxygen to tissues.

It is the level of hemoglobin that is considered the most important indicator of blood composition in any biochemical analysis, and its fluctuation in one direction or another in women makes it possible to judge not only the presence of problems in the body, but also about the reasons for their occurrence.

In the article, you will learn why women have a low hemoglobin level, what it says and what needs to be done to restore it.

Causes of low hemoglobin in women

Consider why there is a low level of hemoglobin in the blood in women. The body can lose natural hemoglobin in many ways. Bleeding usually leads to rapid losses, which can be both obvious (visible) and latent, passing somewhere inside the body.

The obvious blood loss in women includes:

Long (more than 5 days) and very heavy menstruation.
Bleeding from wounds and injuries.
Postoperative bleeding.
Hemorrhoidal bleeding.
Abortion.
Spontaneous miscarriages.
Natural childbirth.

Latent blood loss can result from:

Various ailments of the digestive system, for example, intestinal or stomach ulcers.
All kinds of pathologies of the female reproductive system, in particular, the presence of polyps in the uterine cavity, fibroids, tumor processes, ovarian cysts.

A decrease in the level of this substance can also occur due to the too short life span of erythrocytes, which often leads to various ailments of an autoimmune nature, many hereditary ailments, as well as infections.

Very often, low hemoglobin is observed in blood donors, mainly in those who systematically donate blood for transfusion to other people.

Another reason for a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood in women may be an improper and unbalanced diet, in which the body does not receive the daily norm of important nutrients, minerals and many vitamins it needs.

Often, this condition is observed in women when they begin to follow various diets in order to maintain their weight, limiting the consumption of many foods, taking instead multivitamin complexes that cannot compensate for the lack of natural substances.

Norm and tolerances

Hemoglobin norms are different for different age groups and depend on many characteristics of the human body, as well as on gender. In women, in the normal state, it is considered to be a value from 120 to 155 g / l, and during the period of bearing a baby, this indicator slightly decreases and ranges from 105-110 to 120 g / l, since during this period the female body begins to use the incoming iron much more actively.

If a woman is involved in a professional sport, her normal hemoglobin level can be up to 160 g / l, and this is not considered a serious deviation.

For women who smoke, this indicator can also be overestimated and reach 150 g / l, which is also considered a kind of norm.

During pregnancy, this indicator is assessed on a completely different scale., this also takes into account the gestation period. In particular, in the 1st and 3rd trimesters, the hemoglobin level should not fall below 110 g / l, and in the 2nd trimester, the lower limit is 105 g / l.

At the same time, the maximum indicator throughout this crucial period should not be higher than 120 g / l. You can learn more about the normal level of hemoglobin in pregnant women.

Deviations in indicators during pregnancy and in a normal state in women are explained by changes in physiological processes. When carrying a baby in the body, the blood volume naturally increases, by almost 50%. For this reason, the bone marrow begins to fail to cope with the task and cannot supply the body with the required volume of hemoglobin, therefore its level decreases.

Symptoms of low hemoglobin in women

The main signs that the body has a low level of hemoglobin are:

Feeling of constant tiredness;
Weakness;
Constant sleepiness;
Fatigue;
Frequent dizziness
Heart rhythm disorders;
Headache;
Decrease in pressure;
Shortness of breath;
Itching sensation in the groin area;
Violation of taste preferences: the patient wants to eat any certain foods to which there was no previous addiction, or inedible substances, for example, lime, chalk, raw dough or raw meat, laundry soap.
The sense of smell may be impaired: a person begins to be attracted by various toxic odors, in particular, exhaust gases, the smell of paint, acetone, solvents, and naphthalene. He can smell smells that are not actually around.

With a strong decrease in indicators in women, frequent fainting may begin.

Sometimes hemoglobin levels drop due to a lack of iron in the body., in this case, certain dystrophic conditions are considered symptoms, for example:

The appearance of cracks in the skin at the corners of the lips;
General dry skin;
Brittle hair and nails;
Hair loss;
Slow growth of nails and hair;
Changes in taste and smell (can be observed in some cases).

You can learn more about the symptoms of low hemoglobin in women and men.

Consequences of low hemoglobin levels and how dangerous it is

Why is low hemoglobin dangerous for women? If the level of hemoglobin decreases significantly, all tissues of the body begin to experience oxygen deficiency, which affects the work of almost all organs and systems, disrupting their normal functionality. First of all, the human brain and its nervous system suffer from a lack of oxygen, which explains the appearance of a feeling of fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness and fainting.

Due to the lack of oxygen in the tissues, the work of other organs is also disrupted, but a person rarely feels this, since most of them do not contain nerve endings, and, therefore, cannot signal the presence of violations by the appearance of pain. But at the same time, the latent appearance of many diseases begins.

The important point is that a strong decrease in hemoglobin levels leads to a sharp deterioration in the functioning of the immune system, which reduces the natural protective functions and the body becomes susceptible to all kinds of infections.

During the period of childbearing, a decrease in this substance can lead to serious consequences, in particular, to too low a baby's weight at birth, to intrauterine hypoxia, delayed fetal development (both physical and mental, which will manifest itself later), cause disruption of the system in the crumbs breathing, reduce labor activity due to uterine hypotension.

Many women are not aware of the consequences of a decrease in hemoglobin in the blood, and they try to ignore the obvious signs of a lack of substance. In the case when the level of hemoglobin is lowered for a long time, the general situation in the body becomes aggravated, which can provoke the development of many ailments.

Therefore, if you notice any symptoms indicating a decrease in hemoglobin, you should consult a doctor and take a blood test to check the indicators in order to take the necessary measures in time.

Diet and nutrition with low hemoglobin in women

In case of anemia, the patient should eat 5 times a day, observing a special one in order to provide the body with the necessary substances, especially iron. An approximate menu for the day may be as follows:

First breakfast: a plate of millet porridge with prunes, dried apricots and nuts, as well as a small wheat bun and a glass of freshly squeezed apple juice.
At the second breakfast, you can eat a slice of white bread with natural cheese and drink a glass of strong rosehip broth.
The patient's dinner should consist of a soup on strong beef broth with vegetables, dried fruit compote, as well as a multi-component vegetable salad with the addition of boiled meat.
For an afternoon snack, you can eat a fresh salad of berries and fruits (you can simply replace it with separate fruits), crackers, and drink a glass of fresh carrot juice.
For dinner, it is best to cook buckwheat porridge with beef, vegetable salad with the obligatory addition of green peas, and drink a cup of good green or red tea.

It is not recommended to eat at night, but if you really want to have something to eat, you can drink a small glass of fresh kefir, but not more than the specified norm, since the consumption of dairy products reduces the level of absorption of iron by the body.

Of course, the daily menu can be quite varied, but in any case, it must be completely balanced, provide the body with all the necessary substances and contain a large amount of iron.

But with the help of only a diet, even with the strictest adherence to it, it is impossible to eliminate the state of anemia. Normalization of nutrition in this case creates the basis for a faster recovery of the body and provides it with the necessary substances for a normal existence.

In addition to normalizing nutrition with low hemoglobin in women, you should additionally take drugs that increase the level of iron, which are now available in different forms, for example, capsules, tablets, injectable solutions, syrups. The type of drug, the form of its administration and dosage are determined by the doctor, taking into account the patient's condition.

In addition to iron supplements, in most cases, the doctor prescribes folic acid and vitamin C intake, for a period of about 2-3 months with mandatory monitoring of hemoglobin levels.

It is important not to take simultaneously with iron preparations and products containing it, calcium (pharmaceuticals and dairy products), as well as antibiotics of a number of tetracyclines and antacids, since they significantly reduce the body's ability to absorb iron, making therapy almost useless.

An excellent means of restoring hemoglobin levels is a special vitamin cocktail made from freshly squeezed apple, beet and carrot juices in equal proportions. It must be taken before each meal about half an hour before meals.

Drugs to increase the level of hemoglobin

To compensate for the deficiency of hemoglobin, they are usually prescribed, which contain a large amount of ferrous iron, since it is this which is best absorbed in the human digestive system. In most cases, such drugs are prescribed specifically for internal administration, while the patient must take from 100 to 300 mg of the substance per day, depending on the state of the body and hemoglobin parameters.

Do not exceed the maximum dose, since the body is able to absorb only a limited amount of iron per day, which means that such actions do not make sense. The dosage is always determined by the doctor, taking into account the severity of the anemia and the body's ability to assimilate the element.

Drugs are prescribed an hour before meals, while it is recommended to simultaneously take succinic acid or vitamin C. But, in addition, it is important to remember that the use of fructose contributes to the maximum absorption of iron.

In most cases, doctors prescribe drugs:

Sorbifer Durules;
Aktiferrin;
Totem;
Hemofer;
Tardiferon;
Ferroplex;
Fenuls.

We should not forget that such drugs often cause a number of side effects, for example, constipation or, conversely, diarrhea, a feeling of heaviness and discomfort in the abdomen, bloating, flatulence. Such manifestations, as a rule, go away on their own after stopping therapy or reducing the dosage.

If, for any reason, the human body is unable to fully absorb iron from the digestive system, the doctor may prescribe the introduction of the substance intravenously. Such a measure is usually required if a person has serious gastrointestinal ailments that disrupt the normal absorption process.

In this case, drugs are used: Ferrum-Lex, Ectofer and Venofer.

What not to eat with low hemoglobin

It is important to remember that certain foods and substances may be hazardous to health in the presence of anemia. Therefore, if there is such a problem it is recommended to refuse:

Fatty foods;
Sweet muffins;
Milk;
Various carbonated drinks, especially Coca-Cola and Pepsi;
Coffee;
Black tea;

Other foods and medications containing caffeine should also be discarded as it interferes with the normal absorption of iron.

You should exclude from your menu all dishes that contain vinegar and various pickles, since they have a destructive effect on the blood. You can not take calcium in any form during the treatment period.

Drinking alcoholic beverages with anemia can be life-threatening.

This is especially true for drinks of high strength and substances of unknown home production. Such drinks cause many pathological processes in the body, but with anemia they also create many dangerous complications, one of which is a blood clotting disorder.

The norm of hemoglobin in pregnant women

During pregnancy, some changes occur in a woman's body, this is reflected in the level of hemoglobin. The norm for pregnant women is 110-150 g / l. A 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 of an infant is very high, then it gradually decreases and at a certain stage approaches the values normal for an adult. We are talking about the so-called hemoglobin of a newborn - fetal hemoglobin, which has special properties and structure. By the age of one year, it collapses and practically disappears from the child's blood, and in the future, throughout life, it should normally be absent (permissible indicators are not higher than 1%). The presence of fetal hemoglobin in the blood of an adult indicates a serious illness. A lowered level of hemoglobin in the child's blood indicates primarily 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 child's blood is increased, this is also a sign of some kind of ailment. 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 required:

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 decreases accordingly.
Absence of pathology in the blood formation system, hereditary and acquired blood diseases.

The reasons for the loss of hemoglobin by the body:

Explicit and latent blood loss. The obvious include visible bleeding in conditions such as polymenorrhea (profuse, prolonged, more than five days menstruation) in women. With hemorrhoids, bleeding gums, as well as blood loss from injuries and operations. Blood loss occurs latently in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. There is also the concept of pseudo blood loss, mainly in female diseases, such as ovarian cyst, uterine fibroids, these are diseases in which there are cavities in the myoma or ovaries periodically filled with blood with the further conversion of hemoglobin into another compound and gradual resorption with sufficient periodicity of the process.
The processes in the body leading to a reduction in the life span of red blood cells or to their destruction. (autoimmune and infectious diseases, hereditary pathologies).
Personnel donation (when a person regularly donates blood).
One of the reasons for low hemoglobin, especially in preschool children, is nutrition unbalanced in terms of vitamin and mineral composition.

Having ascertained the process of formation and loss of hemoglobin, one can understand the symptoms manifested 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 for low hemoglobin:

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

changes in the nail plates, they become brittle, thinned, exfoliating, striated.
Dry skin, painful cracks in the corners of the mouth.
Hair loss or slow hair growth.
Disturbances 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 from 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, a typical 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 erythrocytes, the skin may take on an icteric tint.

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

Diseases accompanied by low hemoglobin:

Chronic posthemorrhagic iron deficiency anemia (IDA) (various blood loss described above).
Alimentary iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the cause of a lack of iron in food.
IDA with increased iron consumption (pregnancy, lactation, growth and maturation period).
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 dysbiosis or irritable bowel syndrome occurring against the background of frequent stress).
3. Post-resection IDA (with removed part of the stomach or small intestine).
Diseases associated with a disorder 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 folk 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 broad tapeworm absorbing a large amount of vitamin B12 from the body.
Blastomatous (malignant) blood diseases.
Malignant neoplasms, especially of the gastrointestinal tract, with them, a decrease in hemoglobin occurs due to impaired absorption of iron, as well as due to latent blood loss. At all other localizations of the tumor, the decrease in hemoglobin occurs to a lesser extent, apparently due to changes in metabolic processes in the body that occur during 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 carried out in order to eliminate the source of bleeding. Patients are prescribed food rich in animal proteins (meat, fish, eggs, fish caviar) and complex carbohydrates (vegetables), which are 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, medications containing iron are prescribed either in the form of tablets taken by mouth, or in the form of solutions that are injected 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: black currants 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 fruits, 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 (preferably dark colored varieties) is a good remedy against varying 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 increased, which is also not a good symptom.

High hemoglobin occurs in people who live high in the mountains or in professional climbers. Increased hemoglobin is considered normal for them, because it is the body's compensation reaction - this is how it adapts to the lack of oxygen 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).

Reasons for the appearance of pernicious anemia:

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

Vitamin B12 should be used to treat pernicious anemia. If treatment is started in a timely and correct manner, then 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, blood thinners are prescribed.

Erythrocytosis

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

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

An increase in hemoglobin is often a good sign, especially after a vacation in the mountains. But if the hemoglobin level, for no particular reason, is much higher than 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

But what this means, few know. Why does hemoglobin decrease, iron deficiency appears, and what treatment do doctors recommend in this case?

Our expert answers these questions - hematologist Lyudmila Papusha.

Below the bar

What is anemia? Nine out of ten people will answer: anemia. This concept has so stuck in everyday life that no one thinks about decoding it. But "not enough" does not mean that there is not enough blood in your body. With its quantity, just everything is in order. Problems with "quality": with anemia, the blood lacks full-fledged erythrocytes - red blood cells. And they contain hemoglobin, which is responsible for the "delivery" of oxygen to every cell of the body's tissues. And if its level is lowered, very unpleasant things happen: organs and tissues experience oxygen starvation, which means they are unable to work at full strength.

Anemia can be a hereditary blood disorder or a temporary "abnormal" condition. For example, when the body is deficient in vitamin B12, folic acid, after an injury with large blood loss, etc. But 90% of anemias are so-called iron deficiency: the name itself suggests that the body lacks iron. Why? Let's try to figure it out.

Both adults and children

With iron deficiency anemia, the balance is disturbed: the loss of iron in the body exceeds its absorption. This happens in children during periods of rapid growth (in the second year of life and adolescence) or due to infection with worms. Anemia is a frequent companion of pregnant and lactating women, whose needs for iron increase dramatically - after all, you have to "share" it with your child.

But the most common cause of iron deficiency in adults is frequent minor bleeding (5–10 ml per day). They can be caused by a variety of diseases, from bleeding ulcers and hemorrhoids to stomach cancer. In women, the main cause of iron deficiency is uterine bleeding (caused by endometriosis or other gynecological diseases) and heavy menstruation; in men, bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.

Often we ourselves rob ourselves: fasting days, independent diets are a very short path to iron deficiency.

Explicit or Hidden?

Anemia is not the flu: it got infected and got sick. It develops slowly, and for a long time a person does not even suspect that "the process has begun." And it is important to catch anemia at the start, then it will be incomparably easier to cope with it. There are many alarming symptoms of this disease, but it is important to know about the main ones - these are the light color of the tongue and gums, brittle nails, and general weakness. In older people, anemia can cause shortness of breath, heart palpitations, cerebrovascular accidents - darkening of the eyes, tinnitus, dizziness.

Anemia is suspected by a doctor when a patient's general blood test shows a reduced level of hemoglobin in the blood and a decrease in the number of red blood cells. But the details are always important, you need to get to the bottom of the reasons causing this condition. Especially in the elderly - they often "combine" different types of anemias.

Diagnosis begins with blood tests. For example, to establish iron deficiency anemia, you need to check the level of serum iron in the blood. If you suspect a vitamin B12 deficiency, determine its level in the blood, and if there is a lack of folic acid, its level in blood serum and erythrocytes. But be prepared for the fact that much more tests will be required and you will have to undergo examinations, for example, the stomach and intestines, and the woman will have to be checked by a gynecologist.

Anemia in adults is always a signal for a doctor to start looking for an underlying disease, because, as a rule, anemia is only his fellow traveler.

Iron strife

It is believed that the best way to raise hemoglobin levels is to eat more foods that contain iron. Old folk recipes advise: cook liver dishes, eat carrots, beets, walnuts, apples, drink pomegranate juice, and you will quickly raise hemoglobin.

In fact, this is not the case. Because iron is different. Indeed, in many fruits and vegetables, there is a lot of iron in legumes, but it is poorly absorbed. As well as from the liver, where iron compounds are presented in the form of complex proteins, which are not easy for the body to “pick up”. The best absorbed is the so-called heme iron, which is found only in meat and poultry.

But for it to be assimilated, it is also important what the meat is eaten with. For example, if for a side dish pasta or porridge, iron is absorbed much less: cereals contain phytates that bind it. An excellent partner of meat dishes is vegetable side dishes from zucchini, broccoli, onions, herbs (they contain substances that stimulate blood formation). Hinders the absorption of iron and calcium, so dairy and meat products are poorly compatible.

Fats inhibit hematopoiesis, so fatty meats and fish, and even more lard, are excluded. But butter and any vegetable oil - sunflower, olive, corn, pumpkin, etc. - must be on your table. Do not drink tea immediately after meals - tannin binds iron, preventing it from being absorbed. And do not get too carried away with coffee - this drink "flushes" iron from the body.

Vitamins, especially C, help the absorption of iron. It is useful to drink orange and tomato juices every day. And Eat More Fruits and Vegetables: The best suppliers of ascorbic acid are black currants, citrus fruits, kiwi, bell peppers. In winter, when the content of vitamin C in fresh fruits and vegetables drops sharply, sauerkraut and rosehip infusion perfectly replenish it.

In letter and in spirit

If, with repeated blood tests, hemoglobin remains at the same level or continues to decrease, it is necessary to switch to iron supplements. For children, they are available in the form of pills, capsules, syrups (there are also injection solutions). For adults - tablets and injections. There are monocomponent preparations - that is, those that contain only iron (they are usually prescribed to those who suffer from allergies) and combined, where iron is combined with various vitamins that contribute to its better absorption.

The doctor may prescribe injections in cases where the absorption of iron in the intestine is sharply impaired (with inflammatory bowel diseases, severe diarrhea).

But in our country, as a rule, preference is given to pills. Because, on the one hand, iron "in the injection" is absorbed worse, on the other (paradox!) - you can go too far with its dosage. Which is also not good. Because iron, once it enters the body, itself is not excreted from it, but lies in the so-called "depot". Excess iron storage can trigger the development of diabetes mellitus, severe liver disease, heart disease, and even breast cancer.

Make no mistakes!

For pills to work well, it is important to take them correctly. Best of all - in the second half of the day, it is at this time that iron is absorbed more actively. And no later than an hour before a meal - once in the intestine, it should be absorbed without contact with food.

The duration of treatment depends on the severity of the anemia. During the period of taking iron-containing drugs, the stool may be dark in color - this is normal. But sometimes constipation or liquefied stools occur, and nausea appears. If these symptoms persist for a long time, it is necessary to replace the drug or reduce the dose. If you have contracted acute respiratory viral infections or influenza with anemia, then you should not take iron supplements during an illness.

After a month of treatment, a control blood test is done. If during this time the hemoglobin level has not increased or continues to decrease, the doctor suspends treatment and sends the patient for a new examination, since the diagnosis needs to be clarified - perhaps the anemia is caused not by iron deficiency, but by other reasons.

If you smoke a lot, you may be anemic, despite the fact that the blood test shows that the hemoglobin level is normal. And this happens because carbon monoxide contained in cigarettes combines with hemoglobin and its special form is formed. Such hemoglobin is unable to carry oxygen. And in order to make up for its lack, the body increases the production of hemoglobin, its level is high, but there is little sense from this. Therefore, abroad, for example, the hemoglobin level in smokers is calculated depending on the number of cigarettes smoked per day.

If a person has low hemoglobin, the causes and consequences, how to increase, become the main questions for him. After 40 years, the level drops, but the situation can be corrected if you understand the details.

What is Hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin- a substance contained in human blood. The analysis is carried out not only for it, but also for the iron compounds that are its carriers. This allows you to quickly determine accurate data in adults in order to find the best way to restore the normal indicator.

Checking the level of hemoglobin is carried out even with a general blood test.

With diabetes mellitus and a number of other diseases, a low rate is always observed. This forces you to "drink" iron or take other medications. It is better to understand how to deal with the problem, and even better to foresee it so as not to face a visit to the clinic.

Causes of low hemoglobin

If hemoglobin is lowered, what does this mean, you can find out from a doctor, but the reasons for this situation are more difficult to study. Every substance can be isolated in the blood of women, men and children, but it is difficult to understand the true problems. What causes the data to change after analysis?

blood loss;
lack of vitamins and amino acids;
indigestion;
serious infectious diseases;
hypothyroidism;
autoimmune diseases;
blood diseases;
stress;
poor physical activity.

The rate must be maintained for perfect well-being. It is not always possible to do this with medicines, but it is not always possible to cope with the problem with folk remedies. It is much more practical to find the true cause and get rid of it before donating blood.

The reasons are identified without fail, since in the presence of a disease, only its elimination restores the normal level.

Blood loss

Blood loss can be overt or not. In any case, the concentration of iron in the body decreases, and at the same time, lifting drugs are required. In practice, the process proceeds quickly enough, so you cannot linger. It is no coincidence that blood is immediately taken from pregnant women for tests. After giving birth, the body is going through a real test, so doctors need to make sure that it is in good health.

Lack of vitamins and amino acids

Lack of vitamins and amino acids is usually associated with the diet. If hemoglobin is low, the therapist will first clarify the adherence to the diet. Such an option would prove to be a serious mistake that poses a threat to health. Similar cases are also detected in certain metabolic disorders, which are corrected by drugs. Having learned about such a problem, a person should seriously think about nutrition and give up potentially dangerous foods.

Indigestion

Digestive disorders can also be related to diet, but gastrointestinal disorders remain the more common cause. Faced with them, you need to urgently go to the hospital.

The disease usually develops rapidly, so treatment will be necessary. Refusing a timely examination, the patient runs the risk of experiencing discomfort that can lead to hospitalization.

In case of indigestion, various diseases arise, which at the same time can lead to latent blood loss.

Serious infectious diseases

Serious infectious diseases affect the concentration of red blood cells. So, tuberculosis leads to their rapid destruction, so the ESR falls. In this case, drugs cannot be dispensed with, because the true cause is much more dangerous than some patients believe. Usually, blood test data are the first sign for a therapist who immediately prescribes an additional examination.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism is a disease that occurs due to the malfunctioning of the thyroid gland. It produces substances that are responsible for the absorption of iron in the intestine. If the process is disrupted, the consequences are immediate. In a normal state, the exchange occurs quickly, so even minor delays immediately affect the human condition.

Autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by damage and progressive tissue destruction. The result is internal inflammation, so platelets fall at the same time. The cells are trying to cope with the disturbance that has arisen, but the body lacks its own strength. In such situations, therapists usually prescribe long-term inpatient treatment to identify the affected area.

Diseases of the blood

Diseases of the blood lead to the formation of glycosylated iron. It is not suitable for carrying oxygen, so the first symptoms appear earlier than usual. In some cases, the only way to restore the body is a transfusion, but even that cannot be considered a 100% solution. A complete examination indicates possible reasons for establishing an accurate diagnosis.

Tests often reveal serious blood diseases such as anemia and cancer.

Stress

Stressful situations also negatively affect blood composition. Food can slowly raise hemoglobin levels, but anxiety immediately brings a person out of the norm. You should not allow nervous conditions, coping with them is much more difficult than it seems.

Poor physical activity

Poor physical activity is considered a minor cause of a decrease in hemoglobin, but it should also not be allowed. You can cope with the problem on your own, so you will not need an extra call to specialists. The cause of the violation is the slow renewal of blood, which entails a reduction in red blood cells.

Folk remedies often help to quickly increase hemoglobin. Only people find it difficult to figure out what symptoms a child should be forced to use them:

general weakness;
constant sleepiness;
heavy lifting in the morning;
fatigue;
noise in ears;
incessant headaches;
dizziness and fainting;
violation of the menstrual cycle;
a noticeable decrease in potency;
loss of appetite.

A large list of symptoms indicates that glycated hemoglobin is dangerous. High levels are less dangerous than low levels, since red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen. This reason makes you regularly donate blood for analysis in order to be sure of your own normal condition.

The appearance of any symptom indicates a potential hazard. With poor performance, the body begins to suffer, and the immune system is weakened. As a result, side diseases begin to develop, which can turn into a dangerous chronic form.

Normal hemoglobin counts

The table will tell you how much hemoglobin should be in the blood. Based on these data, therapists make a comparison, which allows them to identify even minor violations in infants. What information will become important to patients?

Average indicators vary greatly depending on age. The reason is hormonal levels, which must be taken into account due to the immune system. This factor remains fundamental, so it cannot be ignored. Practice shows how difficult moments come across therapists, in dynamics observing the state of people.

Normal indicators are a convention, therefore, they cannot be 100% accepted as a prerequisite.

The rates in the newborn remain high. This shows how fast his blood is moving and how all the organs are working. After that, the data begins to constantly change, which often affects the condition of the child and adolescent. Only in adulthood does the level become constant, so it can be used to quickly determine the appearance of certain diseases.

Methods for restoring hemoglobin

A constant level of hemoglobin is a prerequisite for the normal state of a person. For this reason, the change in indicators is carried out in various ways. A variety of methods allows you to freely select the best option so as not to waste time and quickly cope with the problem that has arisen. Which ways should I note?

drug treatment;
folk remedies.

It is impossible to dwell on this or that technique unequivocally. Therapists prefer to address both options at once, so they need to be considered in detail to rule out errors.

Drug treatment

Iron preparations with low hemoglobin in adults are constantly replenished. Clinical trials are ongoing, so patients receive a good list, allowing them to choose the best option both in terms of cost and effectiveness.

Nowadays, medicines remain the most effective. They are characterized by the absence of side effects and are most often sold in pharmacies without a prescription. For this reason, each person can even engage in prevention, although an overestimated level in some cases also becomes dangerous.

The use of drug treatment is carried out only after the examination. Some drugs remain strong enough to make it difficult to maintain a constant level. Constant monitoring is required, which can only be maintained in a hospital setting. So people are better off not self-medicating.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies are also popular. Usually, experts advise you to take your diet seriously and supplement it with several special foods. This is enough to restore the normal level, if it did not fall to the critical level. What is worth thinking about?

red meat;
liver;
buckwheat;
dried apricots;
rose hip;
black currant;
peaches;
apples;
plum;
prunes;
grenades.

With the help of common foods, you can maintain high hemoglobin. This solution is especially useful for children who find it difficult to get them to drink medicine. It is usually easier for them to give an apple or plum than to try to persuade them to drink this or that mixture, no matter how sweet it is.

In Soviet times, hematogen was developed, which became an ideal replacement for drugs.

Folk recipes will also be useful for pregnant women. They have to breastfeed their babies, so a high enough hemoglobin level remains important. Having abandoned it, you will have to face additional troubles, as well as the danger of developing chronic diseases in babies.

During this period of life, drugs are contraindicated, since they can adversely affect the baby. Although, when referring to the list, it becomes clear that certain species are allergens. Their introduction into their own diet becomes a problem for a lactating woman, so she must be careful even in the smallest details.

Low hemoglobin levels are potentially dangerous for everyone. It is an excellent marker for certain diseases. Having passed the tests, the patient can check himself, as well as provide useful information for the therapist. Based on the data obtained, it will be possible to draw preliminary conclusions, and then continue the survey in a certain direction.