What is a low hematocrit level?

A low hematocrit level means the are too few red blood cells in the body. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms that signal anemia. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and low energy. If a person has too many red blood cells, they have a high hematocrit level.

What is the normal hematocrit?

The definition of normal red-blood cell percentage also varies from one medical practice to another. Generally, a normal range is considered to be: For men, 38.3 to 48.6 percent. For women, 35.5 to 44.9 percent.

What does it mean if your Haematocrit is high?

If your hematocrit is high, it means that you have more red blood cells than is considered healthy. High hematocrit may be caused by [4:1]: Heart disease. Dehydration.

What causes low hematocrit?

Causes of low hematocrit, or anemia, include: Bleeding (ulcers, trauma, colon cancer, internal bleeding) Destruction of red blood cells (sickle cell anemia, enlarged spleen) Decreased production of red blood cells (bone marrow supression, cancer, drugs)

What does it mean if hemoglobin and hematocrit are low?

When Levels Are Low Usually, low hemoglobin or low hematocrit means that you are not producing enough red blood cells or that you are losing red blood cells due to acute bleeding, a bleeding disorder, or accelerated destruction of red blood cells.

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 is a normal hemoglobin?

Results. The normal range for hemoglobin is: For men, 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter. For women, 12.0 to 15.5 grams per deciliter.

How can I lower my hematocrit levels quickly?

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 are the symptoms of high hematocrit?

What does it mean if your hematocrit is high?

Tiredness.
Shortness of breath.
Flushed skin.
Sweating.
Dizziness.
Joint pain.
Itching.
Headaches.

What drugs cause low hematocrit?

Drugs that can cause this type of hemolytic anemia include:

Cephalosporins (a class of antibiotics), most common cause.
Dapsone.
Levodopa.
Levofloxacin.
Methyldopa.
Nitrofurantoin.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Penicillin and its derivatives.

Is 35 hematocrit normal?

The average healthy adult should have a normal hematocrit level that ranges between 35% to 50%. A normal hematocrit level for women is 36.1% to 44.3%. For men, a normal range is 40.7% to 50.3%.