Worried about constant weakness, fatigue, dizziness? There is a reason to take an analysis to determine the level of hemoglobin in the blood. What kind of substance is this, what functions does it perform in the body, what are the dangerous indicators below the norm, and what to do if hemoglobin is low, how to increase its level with drugs and folk methods, we will tell in this article.
What is hemoglobin?
In translation from the ancient Greek language, the word "hemoglobin" is translated as "blood" and "ball". This is a protein in the human (and animal) body that contains iron and has the ability to bind to oxygen. Hemoglobin is located in red blood cells - erythrocytes.
What is needed so that the blood test does not show low hemoglobin, how to increase the performance? For the normal functioning of this protein, the body needs to be saturated with iron from food, namely from animal proteins.
The role of hemoglobin in the human body
The main function of hemoglobin is to bind its molecules to oxygen, transferring the latter alongall tissues and organs. The normal operation of many systems depends on this function. In addition, hemoglobin binds to carbon dioxide, transporting it to the lungs. In the body, this function is no less important than the delivery of oxygen to the tissues. But at the same time, it is precisely because of this property of hemoglobin that carbon monoxide is extremely dangerous for humans, which quickly enters the bloodstream, poisoning a person.
At the slightest violation of hemoglobin functions, oxygen deficiency develops, metabolic and regenerative processes are disturbed. Low hemoglobin diagnosed? How to increase its level in the blood, we will describe in detail below.
A blood test to determine the level of hemoglobin
The most reliable and indicative method for determining the indicators of hemoglobin content in the blood is a standard complete blood count. Following a few simple recommendations, during the day you can find out in this way the indicators of this protein in the patient's blood. How to prepare for the test:
- It is required to exclude the use of alcoholic beverages and fatty foods 3 days before the planned study.
- An analysis for hemoglobin is taken on an empty stomach, since food, especially liquid, significantly reduces real indicators.
- Physical activity should also be temporarily limited before testing.
- If the patient is a pregnant woman, it is important to report this condition to the doctor who gives the referral for blood donation, as the hemoglobin rate for expectant mothers is much lower.
Lab assistantwill carry out a series of chemical reactions, compare the results with samples and indicate the result obtained in a quantitative measurement. Diagnosed with low hemoglobin? How to increase its performance, the attending physician will tell you.
Hemoglobin measurement at home
Thanks to technological progress in medicine, portable compact devices have appeared for reliable, fast and affordable hemoglobin measurements at home. Such devices are called blood meters. Most often, they are able to determine the level of not only hemoglobin in the blood, but also glucose, as well as cholesterol. Such devices are easy to use - just put a little blood on the sensor, and within a few seconds you can find out that hemoglobin is low. How to increase it, what are the possible causes of this condition, you can first find out with the help of special programs installed on portable devices. But regardless of the information received, if abnormalities are found, you should consult a doctor.
There are also non-invasive (which do not require biological material) devices for measuring hemoglobin. Often such devices are used by athletes to track the effectiveness of training. Such devices are equipped with a touch sensor that is attached to the finger of the hand. The principle of operation of such devices is similar to the spectroscopy procedure. Many of these devices contain Bluetooth or USB functions, thanks to which you can easily transfer the results to a smartphone, tablet or laptop. Then, by setting specialprograms or applications, find out the results that the electronic storage medium will provide in an expanded form, with recommendations and a preliminary diagnosis.
The disadvantage of such innovative medical devices is their rather high cost. And the more functions the device is equipped with, the more expensive it will be to pay for it.
Indicator norms
How to understand that hemoglobin is low, how to increase it and eliminate minor deviations? To do this, it is necessary to evaluate various factors and compare the indicators obtained after the analysis with established standards. So, for a man, the normal indicator of hemoglobin content in the blood is 130-170 g / l, while for a woman it is 120-150 g / l. This is due to hormonal differences between the sexes. In addition, the weak half loses a significant amount of iron every month during menstruation, which directly affects the results of hemoglobin levels in the blood.
For pregnant women, the hemoglobin rate is even lower. This fact is explained by the fact that iron consumption increases for the growth and development of the unborn baby.
Children have no gender differences in the norms of hemoglobin. But the results vary considerably depending on the age of the child. So, in the first few weeks of a baby's life, hemoglobin has high rates - from 130 g / l to 190 g / l. Gradually decreasing, normally in a one-year-old baby, it should be at the level of 110-130 g / l. Then, annually increasing by 3 g / l, by the age of 14–15, the indicators reach the level of an adult.
What to do if a baby is diagnosed with low hemoglobin, how to increase this indicator for a child? Since most medical drugs are contraindicated in pediatric practice, a special diet or traditional medicine methods are most often prescribed.
Low hemoglobin: causes and consequences. How to upgrade it?
Having received the result of the analysis, which indicates that the level of hemoglobin in the blood is lowered, it is necessary to assess the likelihood of the influence of external factors and, on the recommendation of a doctor, retake the analysis. If the result is confirmed, then the attending physician can detect the following pathological conditions in the human body:
- The first thing a specialist will suspect with low hemoglobin levels is iron deficiency anemia. It develops with a patient's diet, which contains an insufficient amount of iron. This pathological condition is often observed in people who follow unbalanced diets or are fond of starvation. Sometimes iron deficiency anemia develops after a surgical operation, with significant blood loss of the body. Laboratory detected low hemoglobin - how to increase? Iron preparations in case of iron deficiency anemia are prescribed if following a special diet has not given the desired results.
- In addition to lack of iron, hemoglobin levels may decrease due to lack of vitamin B12 and folic acid. These substances must also be supplied to the human body in the required amount from food or by taking vitamin preparations.
- Ka decrease in hemoglobin in the blood can lead to chronic gastritis.
- Various autoimmune disorders. For example, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
- Infectious diseases that are long lasting: pneumonia, tuberculosis, hepatitis.
- Oncopathology of the blood or other malignant formations, including the gastrointestinal tract.
Why is low hemoglobin dangerous?
The main danger of a lack of hemoglobin in the blood is a violation of the process of oxygen exchange in the tissues of internal organs. Depending on the severity of the condition, characteristic symptoms develop, disturbances in the functioning of systems and organs, and the standard of living deteriorates significantly. In severe cases, severe anemia is formed, which is difficult to correct and leads to a limited lifestyle for the patient.
An even greater danger is the lack of hemoglobin in children and pregnant women. What to do if low hemoglobin is diagnosed during pregnancy, how to increase it? The reviews say that the diet does not always cope with the task, so doctors can make decisions about prescribing iron supplements, since this condition is very dangerous for the expectant mother - the risk of various pathologies and fetal developmental disorders develops. The risk of preterm birth increases. In the early stages, low hemoglobin in a woman's blood often leads to a miscarriage or a missed pregnancy, the formation of physiological pathologies in a child. There have been cases of stillbirth or serious,incompatible with life, pathologies in a newborn.
Low hemoglobin in children contributes to the lag in physical and intellectual development, the inability of the child to concentrate. At the same time, memory, processes of the central nervous system are disturbed, concomitant diseases of internal organs develop. If a child's hemoglobin is low, how to increase it? Folk remedies are often used to treat children, since most recipes are based on the use of iron-containing products, infusions and herbs that do not pose a danger to the he alth of the baby.
Symptoms of low hemoglobin
If hemoglobin is low slightly and this condition is temporary, a person may not feel any symptoms. Otherwise, the patient may be accompanied by the following conditions:
- general weakness;
- muscle pain;
- change in skin color: yellowness and pallor appears;
- shortness of breath;
- drowsy;
- fatigue;
- low blood pressure;
- brittle hair and nails;
- dry skin, cracked corners of the mouth;
- stomach pain;
- violation of taste and olfactory sensations;
- arrhythmia.
In severe cases, fainting, pain in the heart area may be present.
Products to increase hemoglobin levels
If hemoglobin is low, how to increase it? Folk recipes and methods of official medicine are unanimous in the opinion that, first of all, the patient's diet should be adjusted. Regular consumption of the following foods can improveblood hemoglobin:
- red meat;
- liver;
- offal;
- nuts (walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, cashews, pine nuts);
- dried mushrooms;
- cereals and bran;
- garnet;
- banana;
- raspberries;
- red grapes;
- beets;
- apples;
- rosehip (decoction);
- rowanberry;
- carrot.
Regular rational use of the above products will help increase low hemoglobin and further maintain indicators within normal limits without resorting to more radical methods of treatment.
Medications to increase hemoglobin
Unfortunately, often iron-enriched diets cannot quickly eliminate low hemoglobin. How to raise? Medications containing iron, folic acid and vitamin B12 will help to effectively cope with the problem in a short time.
If hemoglobin levels are below 60 g/l, then they resort to an emergency measure - blood transfusion. This procedure has a number of contraindications and side effects, so it is used only in extreme cases.
If your hemoglobin is below 90 g/l, your doctor may recommend an intravenous or intramuscular iron supplement. This method will have a quick effect, but it is also often not recommended to use it due to the possible development of adverse reactions. Usually, injections are prescribed to increase the rates to 90 g / l, after which tablets are prescribed orsyrup.
Iron preparations are not always well tolerated by patients: they often complain of abdominal pain, constipation, nausea, and sometimes vomiting may bother them. In addition, the course of treatment with such drugs is often quite long - until the hemoglobin levels rise, corresponding to the norm.
Today, pharmacological products offer a wide range of drugs that fight low hemoglobin, for example:
- Venofer injection solution;
- ferrous gluconate tablets;
- Sideral capsules;
- oral solution "Totem";
- syrup, tablets and drops "Felnius";
- Ferroplex dragees and others.
It is worth clarifying that the body absorbs ferrous iron much better, so it is important to take this point into account when choosing a medication to increase hemoglobin. In addition, doctors often prescribe supplemental folic acid and vitamin B12 supplements.
Folk ways
How to increase low hemoglobin in the blood if it is slightly lowered or there are contraindications for taking medications? Traditional medicine recipes will help to cope with the problem. Most of them are based on the use of iron-containing foods and medicinal herbs. We offer several effective and affordable recipes:
- You can quickly increase hemoglobin with vegetable juice. It is necessary to mix in equal proportions pomegranate, carrot, beet andApple juice. It is recommended to use such a tasty medicine 2 tablespoons 20 minutes before meals three times a day. The minimum course is 10 days.
- A mixture of grated carrots, dried apricots and raisins will increase hemoglobin levels in a short time.
- Currant and chokeberry grated with sugar will improve blood composition.
- Infusion of linden with honey is not only a tasty and easy-to-make remedy for increasing hemoglobin, but also very effective.
- Dandelion jam with lemon will cope with low hemoglobin and saturate the body with vitamins.
It is important to note that any medications to increase hemoglobin in the blood should not be consumed simultaneously with dairy products, as the latter interfere with the absorption of iron.
Low hemoglobin in expectant mothers
During pregnancy, iron consumption by the body increases significantly. If the body's reserves are not sufficiently replenished with this element from food, then the hemoglobin indicators are rapidly falling. This condition accompanies every third pregnant woman in the first two trimesters and is almost inevitable at the end of the third. What to do if low hemoglobin is found in pregnant women, how to increase the rates? Here you can not do without consulting a doctor - only he can prescribe the necessary methods and medicines.
The treatment of the expectant mother is complicated by the fact that many medications and even prescriptions for traditional medicine are contraindicated for women in this position,as they can have a negative impact on the intrauterine development of the baby. In addition, they often lead to constipation, which women in this position are already prone to.
But at the same time, neglecting and appropriate treatment of low hemoglobin in a pregnant woman is an extremely dangerous and unjustified action, since such a condition entails fetal hypoxia with possible various complications.
What can a doctor recommend if hemoglobin is low during pregnancy, how to increase its level? Most often, experts offer the expectant mother a diet enriched with iron-containing foods. But unfortunately, such therapy does not always bring results, since a significant increase in the level of indicators requires the use of a large number of recommended products, which is also undesirable for a pregnant woman and her baby. For example, an excess of certain substances can cause digestive disorders, allergic reactions, and more.
Therefore, doctors, weighing all the risks, prescribe iron supplements. You should strictly adhere to the recommendations of a specialist in order to exclude the development of adverse reactions.
Hemoglobin plays an important role in the body. A decrease in its level is reflected in the work of many internal organs and the general condition of the patient. Therefore, it is important not only to take preventive tests in a timely manner in order to detect deviations, but also to ensure that you regularly replenish iron stores in the body with the help of a full-fledgedproper nutrition.
