Low hemoglobin? Feeling weak? Let's learn about the causes, symptoms, and remedies in a simple way!

Do you also feel tired and lifeless all the time? Do you feel weak even after doing a little work? Maybe you feel dizzy or your skin looks pale? One reason for these symptoms could be a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in your body. So, what is this hemoglobin ? What happens when it decreases? Why does it decrease? What can be done about it? Let's talk about all this in a simple way today.

🤔 What is this hemoglobin? Why is it said to be decreasing?

Hemoglobin and Red Blood Cells

Think of the red blood cells in our blood as small trucks. The main job of these trucks is to pick up oxygen from the lungs and deliver it to all the other cells in the body. This oxygen is essential for our cells to work and produce energy.

So, the special protein that carries oxygen inside these red blood cells is called hemoglobin . Hemoglobin contains iron , and oxygen molecules attach to that iron. This hemoglobin is what gives red blood cells their red color.

What happens when hemoglobin decreases?

If for some reason the number of red blood cells produced in your body decreases, or if the amount of hemoglobin inside those red blood cells decreases, the amount of oxygen that can be carried throughout the body also decreases. Just like the number of oxygen trucks decreases, or the amount of oxygen that can be loaded into one truck decreases.

When our cells are deprived of oxygen, we begin to experience symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath , and dizziness. These symptoms can increase as our hemoglobin levels decrease.

What are normal and dangerous levels?

Hemoglobin levels are measured in grams per deciliter (gm/dL). The normal hemoglobin level for a healthy person varies slightly by gender:

• Men: Normally between 14.0 gm/dL and 17.5 gm/dL.
• Women: Normally between 12.3 gm/dL and 15.3 gm/dL.

(These values ​​may vary slightly from laboratory to laboratory).

“Low hemoglobin” is when hemoglobin levels fall below these normal values. A drop of less than 13 gm/dL in a man and a drop of less than 12 gm/dL in a woman is considered a significant drop. A drop much lower than this can be dangerous.

How do you check if your hemoglobin is low?

The main way to find out is to have a blood test. A sample of your blood is taken and the amount of hemoglobin in it is measured. This is called a hemoglobin test . Sometimes, special tests, such as hemoglobin electrophoresis, may be done to look at the different types of hemoglobin in your red blood cells.

📉 What are the possible causes of low hemoglobin?

The causes of low hemoglobin levels can be divided into several main categories:

General Categories

1. Not making enough red blood cells: The bone marrow inside our bones produces both red blood cells and white blood cells. If the function of this bone marrow is disrupted due to a disease or condition, the production of red blood cells may decrease.
2. Red blood cells are destroyed faster than they are produced: If the body produces red blood cells, but they break down too quickly, the loss cannot be replaced.
3. Blood Loss: Whether due to an injury, internal bleeding (e.g., from a stomach ulcer), or if women bleed heavily during their periods, hemoglobin and iron are also lost from the body along with the blood.
4. Inability to absorb iron properly: Iron is essential for making hemoglobin. If iron from food is not absorbed properly, hemoglobin production decreases.
5. Lack of essential nutrients: Along with iron, vitamins B12 and B9 (folate) are also essential for the proper formation of red blood cells. If you don't get enough of these in your diet, your hemoglobin levels may decrease.

Now let's look at the specific medical conditions and causes that relate to these key issues.

Things that affect red blood cell production

• Lymphoma: This is a cancer that develops in the lymphatic system. If these cancer cells spread to the bone marrow, they interfere with the production of red blood cells.
• Leukemia: This is a cancer that occurs in the blood and bone marrow. When cancer cells fill the bone marrow, the production of healthy red blood cells decreases.
• Anemia: Anemia is the common name for a decrease in hemoglobin. This can occur for a variety of reasons. Examples:
  • Aplastic Anemia: A condition in which the bone marrow does not produce enough blood cells from stem cells.
  • Pernicious Anemia: This is an autoimmune disorder that prevents the body from absorbing vitamin B12. Without B12, red blood cells cannot be produced properly.
  • Iron-deficiency anemia: This is a condition in which the body is unable to produce hemoglobin due to a lack of iron. This is very common.
• Multiple Myeloma: In this, abnormal plasma cells form in the bone marrow, which interfere with the production of red blood cells.
• Myelodysplastic Syndromes: This is a condition in which stem cells in the bone marrow fail to develop into healthy blood cells.
• Chronic Kidney Disease: The kidneys produce a hormone (erythropoietin) that signals the bone marrow to make red blood cells. When the kidneys are not working properly, this process is disrupted.
• Antiretroviral medications: Some medications used to treat viruses like HIV can damage the bone marrow and reduce red blood cell production.
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy drugs used to kill cancer cells can also damage healthy cells in the bone marrow, reducing the production of red blood cells.

Things that affect the lifespan of red blood cells

Normally, a red blood cell lives in our blood for about 120 days. New red blood cells are constantly being produced in the bone marrow. However, due to certain conditions, these red blood cells die prematurely (hemolysis).

• Enlarged Spleen / Splenomegaly: The spleen is like a filter in our body. It traps and destroys old, damaged red blood cells. If the spleen becomes enlarged due to certain diseases (e.g. malaria, some blood diseases), it starts to trap and destroy more red blood cells than necessary, shortening the lifespan.
• Sickle Cell Anemia: This is an inherited blood disorder. In this, an abnormality in hemoglobin causes the red blood cells to change shape (become sickle-shaped), causing them to break easily and become blocked in the blood vessels.
• Thalassemias: This is also a group of inherited blood disorders. In this, the body is unable to properly produce hemoglobin and red blood cells.

✅ How to improve hemoglobin levels? (Care and Treatment)

Medical treatment: Let's treat the cause!

Low hemoglobin is treated by finding the underlying cause and treating that cause. It is not right to start taking iron tablets as soon as a blood test shows that your hemoglobin is low. You should first see a doctor and find out why your hemoglobin is low.

For example, if your doctor finds that your hemoglobin level is low due to iron-deficiency anemia, he or she will recommend iron supplements and an iron-rich diet. Once the iron deficiency is treated, your hemoglobin level will return to normal.

If the cause is vitamin B12 deficiency, it will be treated. If the cause is kidney disease, hormone injections can be given to help produce red blood cells while it is being treated. If the cause is cancer, the cancer will need to be treated. If the cause is a hereditary disease like thalassemia, treatment such as blood transfusion may be necessary.

So, the treatment method depends on the specific cause of the low hemoglobin.

What can we do at home?

Since low hemoglobin can often be caused by a serious condition, it cannot be controlled with home remedies alone. It is essential to see a doctor to find the cause and get treatment.

However, maintaining a balanced, nutritious diet (vitamin-rich diet) helps maintain healthy red blood cells and hemoglobin levels. In particular, you should pay attention to the nutrients iron, vitamin B12 and folate. Here are some common foods:

• Red meat (beef), and organs like liver.
• Types of fish.
• Dark green vegetables (like spinach, kale, collard greens, etc.).
• Legumes like lentils, beans, chickpeas, and green peas.
• Nuts and dried fruits like raisins and dates.

It's good to add these foods to your diet, but if you have severely low hemoglobin, it may be necessary to take iron pills or other treatments prescribed by your doctor .

🩺 When to Call the Doctor?

If symptoms worsen...

If you know you have a condition that affects your hemoglobin levels (e.g., kidney disease, blood disease), and your symptoms (such as fatigue, shortness of breath) get worse than usual, see your doctor .

✍️ Finally

Summary and things to remember

If your blood test shows that your hemoglobin level is lower than normal, it means that the efficiency of your red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body, has decreased. But this is not always a cause for concern. There are many factors that can affect your hemoglobin level. If your test results show a low value, your doctor will explain to you what the cause is, what it means, and how to treat it. The best way to stay healthy is to follow your doctor's advice rather than self-medicate.