Low RBC Count: A Comprehensive Guide to Causes and Remedies
By Dr. Shubham Pandey +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Click to rate this article!
[Total: 2 Avg: 4]
Get more insightful and
helpful tips to
treat Diabetes for FREE
Register to Avail the Offer
Send OTPBy continuing, you agree with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions
By Dr. Shubham Pandey +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Table of Contents
Every part of our body needs red blood cells (RBCs). As they bring oxygen from the lungs to all cells, they make sure we work well and feel good. Anaemia or low RBC count occurs when our body doesn’t make enough RBCs, or it gets rid of them too quickly.
In this article, we will discuss red blood cells, what makes RBC count to decrease, and explore dangers linked with this issue. We will tell you in detail how low RBC count is detected and how it may be managed.
Red blood cells (RBCs) have an important job: to carry oxygen all through our body. The main part of RBCs is a protein called haemoglobin. It grabs oxygen in our lungs and delivers it to the various tissues in our body.
Their main functions are as follows.
The RBC count changes based on age and if you’re male or female. The normal values are as follows.
Did you know?
Anaemia means that you have few RBCs or haemoglobin. This reduces how much oxygen moves through your body. This can lead to several symptoms and damage your health.
Anaemia is when the number of RBCs, the amount of haemoglobin, or the amount of hematocrit falls below normal.
Some common symptoms are as follows.
Researchers have found that a low RBC count might indicate malnutrition (when a person’s diet is deficient in nutrients to meet their body’s demands), or internal bleeding.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D
The RBC count may be low because your body doesn’t make enough RBCs, it gets rid of them too quickly, or you lost a lot of blood. Many illnesses and conditions can lead to these issues and result in anaemia. These are as follows.
If you don’t get enough of key nutrients, your body might not produce enough RBCs. This can cause anaemia.
Iron is key for making haemoglobin. If your body is short on iron, it can lead to iron deficiency anaemia, the most common type of anaemia.
Vitamin B12 is key for making RBCs and DNA. Not getting enough of it can cause megaloblastic anaemia or pernicious anaemia.
Folic acid, which is vitamin B9, is needed to make RBCs. A shortage of it can lead to megaloblastic anaemia.
Copper helps our bodies use the iron needed to create RBCs. If we don’t have enough copper, it can stop this process and cause anaemia.
Vitamin A helps our body get to the iron it needs to make RBCs. A shortage of vitamin A can slow down the production of RBCs.
This is when your RBCs break down too fast, which can cause anaemia. Some things that can cause hemolysis include a large spleen or blood conditions that you were born with, like sickle cell anaemia.
Bone marrow failure, including diseases like aplastic anaemia or leukaemia, gets in the way of the body making RBCs.
Long-term health problems, such as kidney disease or cancer, can cause problems for RBC production which can lead to anaemia.
Certain drugs can slow down how the body produces RBCs or they can speed up how fast the body destroys them. Examples include chemotherapy, and some drugs used to manage HIV.
Older adults run a higher risk of getting anaemia. This is due to long-term health conditions and being short on certain nutrients.
Women might run a higher risk of getting anaemia because they lose blood every month through their period or during delivery. Men can get anaemia because of some long-term health conditions.
If your diet doesn’t have enough important nutrients and if you don’t live a healthy life, you run a higher risk of getting anaemia.
Some diseases that attack your body’s immune system, problems with your gut, and long-term kidney disease can cause anaemia.
Severe anaemia can make you extremely tired. This can make it hard to do daily tasks.
Anaemia can result in not enough oxygen going to your organs. This can result in organ damage.
Anaemia during pregnancy, especially due to a shortage of folate, can increase the chance of early birth and other problems.
In children, anaemia can slow down growth and how they develop.
If your doctor thinks you might have anaemia, they will run some tests to check if your RBC count is low.
In a full blood count (CBC), your doctor checks for your RBC count, for how much haemoglobin is in your blood, and for your hematocrit. This helps to find out if you have anaemia and how serious it is.
In some cases, your doctor might need to look at a small piece of your bone marrow. This helps to figure out what caused your anaemia. This is usually done when your doctor thinks that there might be a blood disorder.
Your doctor might also do other tests, such as an image scan and laboratory tests. This helps them find out what caused your anaemia.
Taking care of diseases that cause anaemia improves the count. For example, managing autoimmune diseases or kidney disease can make the anaemia improve.
If you have anaemia from iron shortage, doctors might prescribe iron pills. If the case is severe, they could give you parenteral iron.
If your body can’t take in vitamin B12 through food, you might have to get IM injection of vitamin B12 .
If anaemia is extreme due to lost blood or another reason, you might need to get a blood transfusion.
Your healthcare provider might prescribe a medicine called erythropoietin-stimulating agent. This would be for anaemia that results from long-term kidney disease.
A balanced diet that has enough key nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid also helps improve RBC count.
Regular physical activity could help make more RBCs. Limiting how much alcohol you drink may help avoid anaemia from alcohol use.
A good diet with key nutrients like iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid may help make RBCs.
Getting enough of the required nutrients can be hard. Taking supplements can make it easier, especially if your body has trouble absorbing nutrients or if you can’t eat some foods. Always start any supplement only after running it by your doctor.
Doing more physical activities may help make more RBCs. This is because it pushes the body’s need for oxygen.
Taking care of and managing diseases that could cause anaemia, such as kidney disease, reduces rick of low RBC counts.
If you notice signs or symptoms of low RBC count like tiredness, feeling dizzy, pale skin, and being short of breath, please consult your healthcare provider.
Early detection and management of anaemia will help reduce the progression.
If you want to feel good, maintaining a healthy RBC count is critical. To manage RBC count, managing the root cause, eating a good diet, getting exercise, and getting medical help when needed are paramount. Remember, managing early can keep you from long-term health problems and improve your life.
The most common cause of low RBC count is anaemia due to iron shortage. This could be from not eating enough iron, not absorbing it well, or losing blood.
If your RBC count is low, please consult your healthcare provider. They might tell you to eat better, to take supplements, or to get other medical therapies.
The three main causes of anaemia are not making enough RBCs, RBCs breaking apart too quickly, or losing blood.
If your RBC count is a lot less than it should be, you have anaemia. This needs medical help. Even if anaemia is mild, it should be looked into. If not, it could get worse.
You should call a healthcare provider if you see symptoms linked to a low RBC count, such as feeling tired all the time, being short of breath, feeling dizzy, or skin looking pale. You can avoid health problems and improve your health if you are checked quickly.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational/awareness purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional and should not be relied upon to diagnose or treat any medical condition. The reader should consult a registered medical practitioner to determine the appropriateness of the information and before consuming any medication. PharmEasy does not provide any guarantee or warranty (express or implied) regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of the information; and disclaims any liability arising thereof.
Links and product recommendations in the information provided here are advertisements of third-party products available on the website. PharmEasy does not make any representation on the accuracy or suitability of such products/services. Advertisements do not influence the editorial decisions or content. The information in this blog is subject to change without notice. The authors and administrators reserve the right to modify, add, or remove content without notification. It is your responsibility to review this disclaimer regularly for any changes.
Comments