Low Hemoglobin Count Causes

A low hemoglobin count is a generally seen blood test outcome.Hemoglobin (Hb or Hgb) is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body.

Oftentimes, a very low hemoglobin count is just slightly lower than normal and also does not influence how you’re feeling. In case it gets more acute and triggers symptoms, your reduced hemoglobin count might indicate you’ve got anemia.

A low hemoglobin count is usually described as less than 13.5 g of hemoglobin per deciliter (135 g per liter) of blood for men and less than 12 g per deciliter (120 g per liter) for ladies. In kids, the definition changes with sex and age. The threshold differs marginally from one medical clinic to another.

Causes

Normally low hemoglobin counts

A marginally low hemoglobin count is not always a indication of illness — it might be normal for many people. Women that are pregnant generally have low hemoglobin counts.

Low hemoglobin counts associated with diseases and conditions

A low hemoglobin count can be associated with a disease or condition that causes your body to have too few red blood cells. This can occur if:

1. Your body produces fewer red blood cells than usual
2. Your body destroys red blood cells faster than they can be produced
3. You experience blood loss

Diseases and conditions that cause your body to produce fewer red blood cells than normal include:

1. Aplastic anemia
2. Certain medications, such as anti-retroviral drugs for HIV infection and chemotherapy drugs for cancer and other conditions
3. Cirrhosis
4. Hodgkin’s lymphoma (Hodgkin’s disease) (Hodgkin’s disease)
5. Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)
6. Iron deficiency anemia
7. Chronic kidney disease
8. (bladder inflammation)
9. Multiple myeloma
10. Myelodysplastic Syndromes
11. Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining)
12. Vitamin deficiency anemia

Diseases and conditions that cause your body to destroy red blood cells faster than they can be made include:

1. Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) (splenomegaly)
2. Porphyria
3. Urinary tract infection (UTI)
4. Thalassemia
5. Vasculitis
6. Hemolysis

A low hemoglobin count can also be due to blood loss, which can occur because of:

1. Bleeding from a wound
2. Bleeding in your digestive tract, such as from ulcers, cancers or hemorrhoids
3. Bleeding in your urinary tract
4. Frequent blood donation
5. Heavy menstrual bleeding