Low MCH: Understanding Its Causes and Research-Based Insights
By PharmEasy Medical Board +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Click to rate this article!
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By PharmEasy Medical Board +2 more
Medically reviewed by Dr. Shubham Pandey
Last updated: Apr 17, 2024Table of Contents
The health of your blood can greatly impact your overall health. One of the critical factors that doctors look out for in your blood report is the Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH) level. MCH is a measure of the average amount of haemoglobin present in your red blood cells. Haemoglobin is the protein responsible for transporting oxygen to tissues all around your body.
This article, is designed to be your guide to understanding the causes of low MCH levels, their implications on your health, and the research-based insights available to address them.
For people with good health, MCH values fall between 27-31 picograms (pg) per cell.
If MCH drops below 27 pg/cell, it’s seen as too low. This is usually a sign of anaemia or other health problems.
On the flip side, MCH over 31 pg/cell is too high. Certain health issues could cause this.
A CBC (complete blood count) test is a routine test that checks MCH levels, among other things. It aids your healthcare provider in diagnosing anaemia or other blood disorders.
The reasons could be many. Monitoring general health, screening for anaemia, and detecting infections are some. This test looks at red and white blood cells and platelets.
During the CBC, blood is drawn, often from the arm, and sent to a laboratory. The MCH value is calculated by dividing the haemoglobin amount by the number of red blood cells.
The symptoms related to low MCH levels are as follows.
Changing your diet may improve your MCH levels. The following foods are to be incorporated in one’s diet.
By adding more iron-rich foods like red meat, poultry, spinach, and beans to your diet, MCH levels may increase.
Increasing the intake of B12 and folic acid from foods may help raise MCH levels. Fish, eggs, and fortified cereals are great choices.
Supplements might improve your MCH levels. Always incorporate them in your daily routine following your doctor’s advice.
To boost your blood’s iron content, your healthcare provider may suggest iron supplements.
Vitamin B12, folic acid, or vitamin C supplements may also help improve MCH levels.
At times, handling low MCH levels calls for medical therapy which may include the following.
Handling the root cause such as anaemia or other health issues is key to normalizing MCH levels.
In dangerous cases, a person may need blood transfusions if their MCH levels are critically low.
In my experience, a low haemoglobin concentration, low hematocrit, or low MCH are all considered forms of anaemia. Anaemia during pregnancy is defined as having a haemoglobin concentration of less than 11.0 g/dL during the first trimester and, depending on the guideline used, less than 10.5 or 11.0 g/dL during the second or third trimester.
Dr. Siddharth Gupta, B.A.M.S, M.D
High MCH levels, too, have different causes which are as follows.
Symptoms linked with high MCH levels are as follows.
Your doctor is best suited to explain your MCH results and outline the next steps, taking into account your overall health state.
Both low and high MCH levels can lead to problems. For one, your energy and strength can suffer. In severe cases, low MCH may even result in anaemic hypoxia. This risky condition hampers oxygen delivery to the body tissues.
When you experience constant fatigue, weakness, or breathlessness it’s time to speak to your doctor. They can detect the cause and map out a sound management plan.
In my experience, the levels of red blood cells and MCH are notably reduced in malaria patients. This could be because the parasite’s main target is red blood cells (RBCs), which causes the breakdown of RBCs and malfunctioning bone marrow to remove parasitized and non-parasited RBCs more quickly.
Dr. Rajeev Singh, BAMS
MCH levels are a crucial aspect of understanding your overall health and evaluating the risk of anaemia. Whether you have low or high MCH levels, it’s essential to work closely with your healthcare provider to determine the root cause and develop an appropriate management plan. Remember, addressing nutritional deficiencies and making positive lifestyle changes which may significantly impact both your MCH levels and overall well-being.
Low MCH could be due to anaemia from iron deficiency, lack of vitamins, or blood loss. It’s vital to speak with your healthcare provider to figure out the reason and the right management.
High MCH might be because of vitamin deficiencies, liver diseases, or other factors like kidney disease or certain drugs. Discussing your test results with your doctor and forming a proper management plan is key.
Diet changes, iron, and vitamin supplements, or medical therapy may help fix low haemoglobin levels. It depends on what’s causing the low levels. Your healthcare provider can craft a suitable management plan.
If you are worried about your low MCH, talk to your doctor. They can identify the cause and decide the best course of action.
Yes, low MCH can lead to fatigue. This is because less haemoglobin in red blood cells reduces the oxygen supply to body tissues, leading to tiredness.
Low MCHC usually points to anaemia, but not always. Some people might show low MCHC without meeting the criteria for anaemia. It’s crucial to speak to your healthcare provider to understand your health status and discuss concerns.
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