A reduced level of hemoglobin in the blood can be both temporary and chronic. The person is not always uncomfortable because of this diagnosis, in some cases people can carry anemia for years without suspecting it. To understand how to properly get rid of it, you need to have an idea of the causes of low hemoglobin levels in the blood, and also about the consequences of the lack of timely treatment.
- Causes of
- Symptoms of
- Reasons
- Consequences of
- For men
- For women
- In pregnancy
- For children
- Treatment of
Causes of
The following values are considered normal blood hemoglobin levels:
Gender and age Normal hemoglobin level, grams / liter Newborns 125-200 in 6 months 90-140 from 1 to 5 years 100-140 from 5 to 12 years old 120-140 in girls 12-15 years old 110-150 in young people 12-15 years old 120-150 in girls 15-18 years old 115-150 in young men of 15-18 years 120-160 in women 18-65 years of age 120-155 in men 18-65 years of age 130-160 in pregnant women 110-140 in the elderly over the age of 65 120-160 There are many different causes of low hemoglobin levels in the blood. The most frequent are:
- eating disorder;
- lack of iron, folic acid, B vitamins and ascorbic acid;
- low absorption of iron with food( a common cause of low hemoglobin in the elderly);
- an unbalanced diet;
- abrupt transition to vegetarianism;
- puberty period( adolescence);
- severe body frostbite;
- frequent blood loss;
- hereditary diseases associated with the activity of red blood cells;
- disorders in the functioning of the liver;
- kidney disease;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- problems with digestion and gastrointestinal tract( duodenal ulcers and stomach, colitis, gastritis and the like);
- development of malignant and benign tumors in the body;
- disease of a viral nature( mononucleosis, hepatitis);
- tuberculosis;
- lactation;
- various infections;
- gestation period;
- hormonal imbalance;
- menopause( one of the frequent causes of low hemoglobin in women after 40);
- reception of antibiotics;
- use of drugs against epileptic seizures;
- the effect of radiation;
- low level of physical activity.
The cause of low hemoglobin in a newborn is most often anemia in the mother.Chronic anemia in an adult who can not be eliminated even with the help of special drugs is an individual feature. It is almost impossible to get rid of it, and there is still a risk of inheriting such predisposition.
to the table of contents ^Symptoms of
Most often, a lowered level of hemoglobin in the blood manifests itself by a combination of several symptoms at once, only one thing is much less common, very rarely the disease can not manifest itself at all. Signs to consult a doctor and donate blood may include:
- regular weakness, lethargy, loss of strength;
- increased fatigue even during simple sessions( working at a computer, cooking, going to the store);
- diffuse attention, inability to concentrate;
- dizziness;
- headache;
- tachycardia;
- lowering blood pressure;
- darkness in the eyes when a person rises sharply;
- a constant feeling of lack of sleep;
- tinnitus, a feeling of your own heartbeat;
- decreased potency;
- disorders of the menstrual cycle;
- shortness of breath in the absence of diseases of the respiratory tract and excess weight;
- change of taste habits, strange desires( you want to eat only certain foods, you have a desire to eat something that is not edible);
- olfactory receptors make you enjoy strange chemical smells( gasoline, laundry detergent, laundry soap);
- hair and nails lose beautiful appearance, they can break, hair fall out;
- the nail plate has white spots;
- in the corners of the mouth formed jam;
- pallor and dry skin;
- tingling and cramps in the legs.
Many symptoms may indicate other problems in the body, more serious than low hemoglobin levels. If a person has noticed at least 2-3 such factors, it is an occasion to consult a doctor.
to table of contents ^Consequences of
to table of contents ^For men
Low hemoglobin in men primarily affects their physical activity. It is believed that men are more active than women, especially in the workplace. Anemia can affect the performance of their work duties.
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In addition, low hemoglobin can cause sexual dysfunction, and also affect the performance of the cardiovascular system. It is believed that men are more prone to myocardial infarction, and the presence of anemia increases the risk of developing this disease.
to table of contents ^For women
Women are more likely to suffer from low hemoglobin than men. This is due to the fact that the female body is more susceptible to hormonal changes. Not the least role is played by regular critical days, during which the woman loses a small amount of blood. Reduced hemoglobin can affect:
- ability to endure a child;
- normal functioning of reproductive organs;
- beauty of hair, nails and skin.
Symptoms of brain concussion in children and adults http://woman-l.ru/sotryasenie-golovnogo-mozga/to table of contents ^When pregnant
Low hemoglobin in women during pregnancy in the first place may affect the development of the fetus. If the child lacks vitamins, macro- and microelements, he can develop with pathologies.
If the anemia is not treated during pregnancy, a child can be born with diseases of the internal organs and a malfunction of the nervous system. Low hemoglobin can cause fetal hypoxia, which is expressed in the fact that the future baby can not get oxygen in the womb. Also, a dangerous consequence of anemia is a decrease in the tone of the uterus and an incorrect location of the placenta.
During childbirth, this will also affect the mother herself, since with the loss of blood during labor, there may be negative consequences for herself. During pregnancy and during breastfeeding, the amount of iron used should normally be much higher than in normal times, as the child's hemoglobin levels depend on the hemoglobin level of the mother.
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For children
Low hemoglobin in children can have the most serious consequences. Most often anemia leads to disruption of the internal organs, slowing the growth and development of the child.
If the problem is caused by an unbalanced diet, which happens most often, then children will have a deficit of not only iron, but also other nutrients. With a meager diet, the consequences can be dangerous, especially in children under the age of 5 years.
to table of contents ^Treatment
Treatment is based on the elimination of the cause of low hemoglobin. Most often, it can be done with an iron preparation, which is sold in the form of tablets. If a person has a strong decrease in hemoglobin caused by an unbalanced diet, then a return to the right diet can not solve the problem. The most popular treatments are:
- Sorbifer Durules;
- Tardiferron;
- Fenules;
- Biofer and so on.
Tablets are taken 2-3 times a day for a month. Blood for analysis is dealt twice: before and at the end, to track progress. Taking iron for a longer time is not recommended, since an excess of this substance can also cause harm.
It is necessary to abandon bad habits, as well as drinks that contain caffeine. Regular use of coffee and tea can make it difficult to digest iron. This is also facilitated by smoking and regular consumption of alcoholic beverages.If a person has a predisposition to low hemoglobin at the genetic level, then something will be difficult to do. Doctors try to increase hemoglobin in such patients with the help of droppers and injections, since a conventional diet with foods rich in iron and tablets most often does not help. If these actions do not lead to a result, then a person is given a series of recommendations that may include a ban on exercise and any physical work, as well as regular visits to a doctor.
The cause of persistently low hemoglobin can be any disease that either interferes with the digestion of nutrients with food, or leads to various kinds of bleeding. Most often, these are problems with the gastrointestinal tract, which directly affects how much iron and vitamin B12 assimilates with food.
The gastroenterologist will prescribe a treatment to solve the problem with the gastrointestinal tract, and in parallel can be given a recommendation to undergo a course of injections of the iron preparation. Although most often doctors give the body itself to normalize the blood balance, when the cause of low hemoglobin is eliminated.
Many are wondering if low hemoglobin can be the cause of cancer. It has not been scientifically proven whether this indicator affects the likelihood of oncological process development, therefore, it is impossible to answer this question in the affirmative. But if the blood test showed anemia, and there are deviations in the value of erythrocyte sedimentation rate( ESR), then low hemoglobin can be one of the symptoms of cancer. In this case, you should consult a specialist and conduct a full examination of the body.
Since many low hemoglobin are associated with malnutrition, it is important to know about the products that should be included in your daily diet:
- forest mushrooms( white, boletus, mosses, etc.) in fresh and dried form;
- beef liver and other offal;
- chicken liver;
- green peas;Spinach and other greens;
- buckwheat;
- oat flakes;
- apples;
- beet and so on.
Iron is poorly digested by the body if it enters the gastrointestinal tract simultaneously with calcium, vitamin E and oxalic acid. This means that cottage cheese with an apple reduces the useful properties of fruit, the same threatens a salad of greens with vegetable oil. This dish does not harm the body, but with this combination of products, hemoglobin will be extremely difficult to raise.
At the same time, you need to know that an adult male needs 8 milligrams of iron, 18 for women, 25-30 for pregnant women, and about 7 milligrams for children. But if in 100 grams of dry buckwheat contains 7.8 milligrams of iron, an adult woman will have to eat more than 250 grams of cereals in dry equivalent per day.
Not all iron that comes with food is absorbed completely. It is best to make a menu so that this substance enters the body in equal portions in each meal.