Low hemoglobin – how to determine?

Low hemoglobin – how to determine?

Anemia is a clinical and hematological complex that is characterized by pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, general weakness and increased fatigue, changes in the clinical blood test, namely, a decrease in the level of hemoglobin and red blood cells of red blood cells. It is the concentration of this iron-containing blood protein that determines the severity of the pathology.

What is hemoglobin?

Hemoglobin is a complex hemoprotein consisting of two structural elements: heme containing iron and four protein subunits. It is ferrum that is the carrier of oxygen, which is necessary for the normal operation of all systems of the human body.

Meat products are considered the main source of dietary iron for humans, since this trace element is absorbed much more intensively and efficiently from animal food than from vegetable dishes.

The role of hemoglobin in the human body

Normal activity is the result of consistent and well-coordinated reactions in the body at different levels of organization: molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, systemic and organizational. Consider what role is played by the oxygen and hemoglobin in our bodies.

When inhaled, air enters the lungs containing more oxygen than there is in the blood. Diffusion occurs on the principle of "from more to less" and "from less to more": carbon dioxide from the blood is transferred to the alveolus, and oxygen from the alveolus enters the blood. In the future, oxygenated red blood cells begin their "journey" through the body, delivering the substance to all tissues and carrying out gas exchange.

As a result of chemical transformations, iron-containing protein forms several variants of compounds with various substances:

  • oxyhemoglobin with oxygen;
  • kabeloglu with carbon dioxide;
  • carboxyhemoglobin with carbon monoxide;
  • methemoglobin is formed under the influence of certain toxic compounds, in particular aniline, naphthalene, nitrates and certain drugs;
  • glycosylated hemoglobin-a compound with glucose.

The first two variants of the compound are considered physiological and are carriers of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Carboxyhemoglobin is a pathological form of iron-containing protein that cannot interact with oxygen and take part in the exchange of gases. Normally, the body contains no more than 1% of this variant of hemoglobin.

Methemoglobin is formed by chemicals that convert the divalent iron in the hemoglobin gem to trivalent iron. Because of this, the protein is not able to interact with gases and transport it to tissues.

Glycosylated hemoglobin is considered one of the markers of diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance, because it is formed by prolonged exposure to a compound with a high concentration of blood glucose.

The rate of hemoglobin

Normal hemoglobin levels depend on age and gender.

  1. Children under 5 years – 110-140 g / l
  2. Children from 5 to 18 years – 120-140 g/l
  3. Women – 120-140 g / l
  4. Men-130-160 g/l

The level of hemoglobin is a variable indicator, which depends on the age and condition of the body. For example, the hemoglobin index in newborns is very high in the first days due to the circulation in their blood of the so-called fetal hemoglobin, which is characteristic only for babies. By the first year of life, the concentration is normalized. In the elderly, you can often see a decrease in hemoglobin levels, which is also the norm.

The concentration of this iron-containing protein is slightly higher in men than in women. This is due to different levels of the hormone testosterone, which stimulates hematopoiesis, and monthly menstrual bleeding in the fair sex.

What signs can determine the level of hemoglobin?

A decrease in hemoglobin levels is manifested by a variety of non-specific symptoms that can also occur in other diseases, and include:

  • pallor of the skin and mucous membranes;
  • dizziness, "flies" in front of the eyes, tinnitus;
  • shortness of breath, tachycardia, sometimes there may be pain in the heart area;
  • distortion of smell and taste;
  • dry skin, brittle nails and hair loss;
  • redness of the tongue, the appearance of cracks in the corners of the lips (angular stomatitis);
  • discoloration of the sclera – the so-called "blue sclera" symptom, which appears due to the translucency of the vascular membrane;
  • frequent infectious diseases.

You can also suspect a low level of hemoglobin when using special medical equipment: when auscultating the cardiovascular system with a stethoscope, the doctor can determine specific noises, and when using a pulse oximeter, you can detect reduced blood oxygen saturation and compensatory tachycardia.

You can diagnose the pathology using a general blood test. In addition, it is necessary to determine the level of serum iron to make a differential diagnosis between iron deficiency anemia and iron-refractory anemia, in which the level of ferrum in the blood serum is normal or even elevated. It is also important to know the concentration of ferritin to assess the state of the microelement depot.

What can cause a decrease in hemoglobin levels?

There are four groups of causes that can cause a decrease in hemoglobin levels:

  1. Alimentary, associated with a decrease in the intake of iron and vitamins from food-vegetarianism and anorexia nervosa.
  2. Malabsorption of trace elements and biologically active substances in the stomach and intestines – gastritis, enteritis, condition after gastric resection.
  3. Increased need for ferrum – pregnancy, puberty, intensive sports.
  4. Acute and chronic blood loss.

A decrease in hemoglobin can also cause cancer, liver diseases, some autoimmune and infectious diseases. To determine the cause, you need to consult an experienced doctor and pass all the necessary examinations.