What is the nutritional significance of low MCH and low mchc?

Advertisements

Average hemoglobin (MCH) and mean hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are two closely related blood test results, indicating how much hemoglobin you have.

Sponsored Links

span= "article-image_ inner-caption"> You need to draw blood to test the level of hemoglobin. (Image: Adobe stock/yakobchukolena)

Hemoglobin is the oxygen-binding molecule in red blood cells. It is responsible for the main function of red blood cells, which transport oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body. < p > < p > low MCH or MCHC means that the hemoglobin content in red blood cells is lower than normal. Low hemoglobin may be due to insufficient iron in the diet.

h3>mch and MCHC results p>mch and MCHC are two parts of total blood count (cbc). As the name implies, CBC contains many results about all cells in the blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. CBC is a very common test. If your doctor recommends a routine blood test, CBC may be one of them.

mch represents the average content of hemoglobin in each erythrocyte. MCHC represents the average content of hemoglobin in a specific volume of red blood cells. It takes into account the size of these cells. Although they are slightly different, low MCH and low MCHC mean that your red blood cell hemoglobin content is below normal. < p > < H3 > iron deficiency < / H3 > < p > your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. When your iron content is low, the production of hemoglobin decreases, leading to low MCH and MCHC. The total number of red blood cells in the blood (another part of the CBC) also decreases, leading to anemia. Hemorrhage is the most common cause of iron deficiency, because the body needs extra iron to increase red blood cell production to compensate for the loss of blood. Iron deficiency in diet is another reason for iron deficiency. Less common is that the body contains enough iron, but the production of hemoglobin is still impaired. This may be related to iron granulocytic anemia, thalassemia or lead poisoning.

Sponsored Links

h3>Iron intake can be increased by eating iron-rich foods. High-iron foods include eggs, red meat, seafood and green leafy vegetables. Other good sources of iron are dried fruits, nuts, beans, peas and iron fortified foods such as bread, cereals and pasta.

Vitamin C increases the absorption of iron in the digestive tract, so food or beverage rich in vitamin C can increase the absorption of iron if consumed with iron-containing food. High vitamin C foods include citrus fruits, broccoli, kiwifruit, mango, melon, pepper, strawberries and tomatoes. Oral iron supplementation is an option when only increasing dietary iron is insufficient to improve iron deficiency. When iron deficiency is serious, iron injection can be considered. Injection can also be used when iron absorption is impaired. Iron in the < p > < p > diet is absorbed in the first part of the small intestine, so absorption can be reduced by intestinal diseases (such as abdominal diseases) or by surgical removal or bypass of this part of the intestine. When gastric acid converts iron into a more easily absorbed form, iron absorption may also be reduced by disorders or by drugs that reduce gastric acid, such as antacids.

Next step

If your MCH or MCHC is low, your doctor may want to determine the cause. This may require additional blood tests, such as iron levels or blood smears - Tests for microscopic observation of blood cells.

Even if insufficient iron intake in your diet seems to be the cause, your doctor will advise you to investigate to ensure that you do not have sources of blood loss, such as ulcers or tumors in the digestive tract.

was reviewed and revised by Mary D. Daley, M.D.

Advertisements