Hemoglobin is a protein found in red blood cells used to carry oxygen around the body. Many people who have low hemoglobin values do not experience any symptoms. If your values are below normal (less than 13.8g per deciliter if you are a man or 12.1g per deciliter if you are a woman), you will likely suffer from symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue and a rapid heart rate. The potential causes of low hemoglobin values are many, from iron deficiency due to an unbalanced diet to more serious and difficult to eliminate disorders. For this reason, it is essential to visit your doctor if your hemoglobin values are irregular. This way, once you understand the cause of the problem, you can take action to improve your health.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Modifying Your Diet to Increase Your Hemoglobin Values
Step 1. Eat more foods that contain heme iron (the kind found in foods)
Generally sources of heme iron (also called organic iron) are the ones that the human body absorbs most easily. About 20% is assimilated during digestion and this percentage is not affected by any other element contained in food. In addition, sources of heme iron help the body absorb more iron even when you eat foods that contain non-heme iron. Red meats tend to be those with the highest levels of iron that the body absorbs easily, but other types of meat and fish are also sources of easy-to-assimilate heme iron. Try eating the following foods to increase hemoglobin values in the blood:
- Beef;
- Chicken meat;
- Pork meat;
- Lamb meat;
- Tuna;
- Cod;
- Shrimp;
- Oysters.
Step 2. Include a greater variety of non-heme iron sources in your diet
Non-heme (also called inorganic) iron is usually found in plant foods. These sources of iron are absorbed more slowly than those of animal origin. Generally speaking, the human body absorbs only 2% or less of the iron contained in non-heme foods; however, with the right planning (combining non-heme iron sources with other iron sources), foods that contain inorganic iron can and should be part of a balanced diet. Common sources of non-heme iron include:
- Beans;
- Dried fruit;
- Potatoes;
- Avocado;
- Apricots;
- Raisins;
- Dates;
- Spinach;
- Asparagus;
- Green beans;
- Bread, pasta, rice and other whole grains;
- Any food that has been fortified with iron.
Step 3. Increase the amount of iron absorbed from non-heme-containing foods
Although the absorption rate is lower than those that contain heme iron, there are several ways to increase the amount of iron absorbed by the body. Foods that are a source of non-heme iron are still important in a well-balanced diet and with some minimal precautions it is possible to significantly increase the percentage of iron absorbed by eating them.
- Combine foods that are a source of non-heme iron with those that contain heme iron to increase the rate of iron absorption. By combining them with meals, the sources of heme iron will help the body extract and assimilate more iron.
- Cook foods that are a source of non-heme iron using an iron pot. The food will absorb some organic iron from the iron vessel it is cooked in, facilitating the body's assimilation of non-heme iron.
- Combine foods that are a source of non-heme iron with vitamin C. You can do this by eating oranges, grapefruits, strawberries, tomatoes and broccoli in conjunction with foods that contain non-heme iron.
- In addition to vitamin C, you can combine any acidic food with non-heme iron foods to help the body absorb more of it. Vinegar also increases the percentage of non-heme iron absorbed by eating vegetables.
Step 4. Avoid foods and drinks that reduce the body's ability to absorb non-heme iron
Just as certain foods can facilitate absorption, others and even some drinks cause exactly the opposite effect. If you are looking to increase hemoglobin values in your blood, try avoiding the following foods, supplements, and drinks to see if your health improves:
- Dairy product;
- You;
- Coffee;
- Leafy vegetables
- Bran and other foods rich in fiber;
- Beer;
- Wine;
- Cola-based beverages;
- Calcium food supplements.
Part 2 of 4: Take Vitamins or Supplements to Better Absorb Iron
Step 1. Take an iron supplement
This is an excellent and straightforward solution for increasing the amount of iron consumed each day; however, if your body has difficulty absorbing iron, you may need to take other precautions.
- On the market there is a wide range of iron supplements with different characteristics (such as heme iron polypeptide, iron carbonyl, iron citrate, iron ascorbate and iron succinate). Studies suggest that they are all effective, as long as they are taken regularly and appropriately.
- When taken between meals, the body is able to assimilate more of the iron contained in these supplements, but since they can cause stomach upset it is preferable to take them after having a light snack.
- Iron supplements should never be taken in combination with antacid drugs. These medicines, which serve to quickly neutralize stomach acid, compromise the body's ability to absorb iron.
- If you need to take an antacid medication, plan to take the iron supplement 2 hours early or 4 hours later.
Step 2. Increase your consumption of folic acid
The human body needs it to make new cells, including red blood cells. If your body is unable to produce enough of it, one of the consequences will be a shortage of hemoglobin. You can get folic acid through supplements, vitamins, or by making dietary changes.
- Most multivitamins you can buy at the pharmacy contain the dose of folic acid recommended by doctors to keep the body healthy.
- If on the packaging of the cereals you eat every day for breakfast it says that, in the right quantity, they can satisfy the daily folic acid requirement, eat them every morning to increase the hemoglobin values.
- Not all breakfast cereals can guarantee 100% of the recommended daily dose of folic acid. Read the labels carefully and consider switching brands or varieties to improve your health.
Step 3. Take a vitamin B6 supplement
It too helps the body to produce more hemoglobin. If the hemoglobin values in the blood are low, vitamin B6 can help bring them back to normal.
- Vitamin B6 is naturally contained in some foods, such as avocados, bananas, nuts, legumes, whole grains and some varieties of meat.
- You can also buy a vitamin B6 supplement at a pharmacy or food stores that specialize in organic and natural foods.
- Most adults under the age of 50 have a daily requirement of vitamin B6 between 1.2 and 1.3 milligrams.
- Those over the age of 50 should take about 1.5-1.7 milligrams per day.
Step 4. Take a vitamin B12 supplement
It is able to help the body make red blood cells. For this reason it can serve to reduce the problem of low hemoglobin or anemia.
- Vitamin B12 can only be obtained from animal proteins. It is not naturally contained in plant species, although some plants are fortified to include it.
- Taking 2 to 10 micrograms of vitamin B12 each day in combination with an iron and / or folic acid supplement can help reduce symptoms of the abnormality within 16 weeks.
- If you are on a vegetarian or vegan diet, find a way to get more vitamin B12. Many vegetarians and vegans do not get enough vitamin B12 and this often results in anemia.
- If you are over 50, discuss your daily vitamin B12 requirement with your doctor. Many of the people who are past this age have difficulty absorbing it through food.
- If you have digestive problems or have had gastrointestinal surgery, you should consider taking a vitamin B12 supplement.
Part 3 of 4: Eliminating the Common Causes of Iron Deficiency
Step 1. Try taking an oral contraceptive to reduce menstrual flow
Sometimes a very heavy menstrual flow can lead to anemia, causing a decrease in hemoglobin values. There is no guarantee that taking an oral contraceptive will solve the problem, but many women have found that it actually helps reduce menstrual flow.
Oral contraceptives do not cause an immediate increase in hemoglobin values, but they can help resolve iron deficiency anemia caused by heavy menstrual flow
Step 2. Use antibiotics to treat peptic ulcers
These are small lesions in the digestive system that are often associated with low hemoglobin values because they can cause slow bleeding. In most cases, recovery can be achieved by following a "triple therapy" which consists of taking two antibiotics and an acid suppressant or stomach lining protector. This triple therapy must be prescribed by a doctor.
- Peptic ulcers are almost always caused by the "Helicobacter pylori" bacterium.
- Treating the infection caused by this bacterium using antibiotics can help cure the anemia caused by this infection.
Step 3. Find out if you have celiac disease
Iron deficiency is one of the lesser known symptoms of celiac disease, an autoimmune disease triggered by gluten that causes damage to the inner lining of the small intestine. If you can't determine what the cause of your anemia may be, consider whether it is celiac disease, even if you don't have any other symptoms of celiac disease. Ask your doctor for the test to find out if you have celiac disease.
- When the inner lining of the small intestine is damaged, the body cannot absorb nutrients properly, including iron.
- If you discover that you have celiac disease, you will need to stop eating all foods that contain gluten. After some time, the walls of the small intestine will heal and you will be able to assimilate iron again.
Step 4. Review the medications you are taking
Some medications can cause iron deficiency, so discuss ongoing treatments with your doctor. If one of the medications you are taking is affecting your body's ability to absorb iron, ask your doctor if it is possible to replace it with one that does not cause the same problem.
Drugs that can impair the body's ability to absorb iron include antibiotics, antipileptics (phenytoin), immunosuppressants (methotrexate, azathioprine), antiarrhythmics (procainamide, quinidine), and anticoagulants (aspirin, warfarin, clopidogrel, heparin)
Step 5. Consider surgery for "occult blood"
Hemoglobin values are often low due to a reduced presence of red blood cells. This problem can result from constant bleeding within the digestive system that has not yet been diagnosed. The term "occult blood" refers to the presence of blood not visible to the naked eye in the stool. A shortage of red blood cells can also be caused by a disease that hinders their production or destroys them at a rapid rate.
- A bleeding tumor, fibroid or polyp reduces the body's ability to produce red blood cells or can cause the bone marrow to function abnormally, resulting in anemia resulting in lower hemoglobin values.
- Surgery to remove the tumor, fibroid or polyp can help reduce or eliminate blood loss and the consequent problem of red blood cell deficiency that causes anemia and irregular hemoglobin values.
Part 4 of 4: Asking the Doctor for Help
Step 1. Identify the symptoms caused by hemoglobin deficiency
Only the doctor can diagnose an irregularity in the hemoglobin levels in the blood. To make a correct diagnosis, you will need to have blood tests and sometimes other tests that will help identify the cause of the problem. If you are experiencing severe symptoms due to hemoglobin deficiency, see your doctor as soon as possible. Warning signs generally include:
- Tiredness, weakness;
- Shortness of breath even after making a modest effort
- Fast or irregular heartbeat (palpitations);
- Very pale skin or gums.
Step 2. Ask your doctor to test the hemoglobin values in your blood
The only way to confirm that they are low is to have a blood test. If you frequently experience some of the symptoms that can be traced back to a hemoglobin deficiency, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to determine the cause of these disorders and start treatment.
- Your doctor will most likely prescribe a comprehensive blood test to confirm that you have low hemoglobin;
- To test your blood, your doctor will need to take a sample. He will use a syringe with a very fine needle, so the pain will be mild and of very short duration;
- Normal hemoglobin values for an adult man are between 13.8 and 17.2 grams per deciliter (g / dl);
- Normal hemoglobin values for an adult woman are between 12, 1 and 15, 1 g / dl;
- If the results indicate that your hemoglobin values are regular, your doctor will order other tests to determine what other problem is causing your symptoms.
Step 3. Learn about other medical conditions that can reduce hemoglobin values
This deficiency can be caused by various ailments. In practice, any disorder or disease that causes a reduction in the number of red blood cells can lead to a lack of hemoglobin. The medical conditions in question include:
- Anemia (aplastic, iron deficiency, vitamin deficiency or sickle cell);
- Cancer and certain benign tumors;
- Chronic kidney disease;
- Cirrhosis of the liver;
- Enlarged spleen
- Lymphoma (Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's);
- Hypothyroidism;
- Internal bleeding;
- Lead poisoning;
- Leukemia;
- Multiple myeloma;
- Porphyria;
- Reactions to HIV treatment or chemotherapy drugs;
- Vasculitis.
Advice
- If you have the habit of accompanying your meals with large quantities of tea or coffee, the polyphenols contained in these drinks can bind to iron with the consequence that the body will have difficulty absorbing it. Try to reduce your caffeine intake and see if your hemoglobin values increase.
- Only the doctor can examine the blood values and assess if the hemoglobin is low. Describe the symptoms you are experiencing to allow him to formulate a comprehensive treatment plan to increase hemoglobin values effectively and safely for your health.
