Table of Contents
- 1 What are symptoms of low HCT?
- 2 What do HCT levels indicate?
- 3 How can I raise my hematocrit?
- 4 What hematocrit level is considered anemic?
- 5 How do you treat low hematocrit?
- 6 How do you keep your hematocrit normal?
- 7 Does anemia affect your heart rate?
- 8 What causes low HCT levels?
- 9 How to lower your hematocrit levels?
- 10 What does a low HCT, low HGB, and High RDW mean?
What are symptoms of low HCT?
When a person has low hematocrit levels they tend to present with the following symptoms:
- pale complexion.
- weakness.
- fatigue.
- low energy.
- trouble breathing.
- irregular heartbeat.
- cold hands or feet.
What do HCT levels indicate?
A hematocrit test measures how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Hematocrit levels that are too high or too low can indicate a blood disorder, dehydration, or other medical conditions.
Why would RBC and HCT be low?
Low RBC counts, hemoglobin and hematocrit levels can be caused by other things too, such as a lot of bleeding or malnutrition (not enough nutrients in the food eaten). Kidney disease, liver disease (cirrhosis), cancer, and medications used to treat cancer can also cause low levels.
How can I raise my hematocrit?
What can I do to increase my low hematocrit? Increasing the consumption of red meat (liver in particular), fish and shellfish (oysters, clams, shrimp, and scallops), dried fruit (apricots, prunes, and peaches), green leafy vegetables, beans, iron fortified breads and cereals, all rich in iron, may help.
What hematocrit level is considered anemic?
Normal hematocrit levels vary based on age and race.. In adults, normal levels for men range from 41\%-50\%. For women, the normal range is slightly lower: 36\%-44\%. A hematocrit level below the normal range, meaning the person has too few red blood cells, is called anemia.
How do you increase hemoglobin and hematocrit?
Foods that help increase hemoglobin levels:
- Increase folic acid intake.
- Drink nettle tea.
- Load up on vitamin C.
- Eat a lot of iron rich foods.
- Do not forget to include more apples.
- Avoid iron blockers.
How do you treat low hematocrit?
Most people are not treated with medications or procedures if the hematocrit is only slightly above or below the normal levels. Some patients with very low hematocrits may require intravenous iron, transfusions or medications to stimulate the production of red cells by the bone marrow.
How do you keep your hematocrit normal?
You can reduce your hematocrit through the following dietary modifications:
- Avoiding iron supplements [146]
- Eating more bran (it interferes with iron absorption) [147]
- Staying hydrated [148]
- Avoiding alcohol [109]
- Eating more grapefruit [149]
- Getting more antioxidants [150]
What will happen if anemia is not treated?
Anemia if not treated for a long period can lead to serious complications. These include heart failure, severe weakness and poor immunity. Anemia is a medical condition in which the person does not have enough red blood cells or RBCs.
Does anemia affect your heart rate?
When anemia becomes severe, the heart has to pump harder and faster to compensate for the decreased oxygen levels in the body.
What causes low HCT levels?
Low HCT and HGB may be caused by a reduced total number of RBCs or by excessive fluid within the blood, which dilutes the RBCs. The number of RBCs may be reduced by blood loss, impaired RBC production or excessive RBC destruction. Bleeding is one of the most common causes of low HCT and HGB.
What does it mean if you have a low hematocrit?
When a person has low hematocrit levels, it can be a sign of another medical problem. Low hematocrit levels can be caused by conditions like cancer, bone marrow disease, kidney problems, anemia or simply a nutritional deficiency of essential nutrients like iron, vitamin B-12 or folate.
How to lower your hematocrit levels?
If you are a smoker,the first step to lower your hematocrit levels is to stop smoking.
What does a low HCT, low HGB, and High RDW mean?
In brief: Anemia. A low hemoglobin (HGB) and hematocrit (hct) mean that one has anemia, or low numbers of red blood cells. A high RDW (or red cell distribution width) indicates that the red blood cells are all of very different sizes.