Hemoglobin 175 in women. What to do if hemoglobin is elevated? Increased hemoglobin not associated with disease

Every person has to undergo various tests more than once throughout his life. Most often, doctors prescribe blood tests. Such diagnostics allows us to identify some abnormalities and pathological processes occurring in the patient’s body. This article will tell you about why increased hemoglobin occurs in women. You will learn the main reasons for this phenomenon. It is also worth talking about how elevated hemoglobin in women is diagnosed, what to do in this case and how to prevent this condition.

Complete blood count and hemoglobin

This study has become familiar and elementary for many patients. It is prescribed before surgery, during illness, during pregnancy, and also for routine diagnostics. It is this analysis that allows you to determine the level of hemoglobin in a person’s blood.

Hemoglobin is a kind of protein. It promotes the transfer of oxygen from the blood to human tissues. This substance is present in the body of every patient. However, its level may vary depending on certain conditions.

Increased hemoglobin in women

Surely everyone knows about such a condition as anemia. It is often encountered by expectant mothers and people leading a less than healthy lifestyle. This condition is characterized by a decrease in hemoglobin levels. Doctors try to immediately correct and replenish the lack of iron in the patient’s body.

Not everyone knows that a high concentration of this substance in the blood can also indicate certain disorders or be a sign of pathology. What does increased hemoglobin mean in women and how to deal with it? You will find out the answer to these questions below.

Causes of high hemoglobin in the fairer sex

Elevated hemoglobin in women can be normal or a sign of pathology. Possible reasons:

• Cardiac pathologies. Increased hemoglobin in women occurs when blood circulation is impaired. With some heart diseases, this becomes the first alarming symptom. When the oxygen level in red blood cells decreases due to slow movement, hemoglobin begins to increase. In this way the body compensates for its condition.
• Pulmonary diseases. If a representative of the fairer sex has problems with the functioning of this organ, then the red blood cells simply do not receive the amount of oxygen they need. In this case, the body increases the level of hemoglobin. It is worth saying that the same pattern occurs among smokers. Tobacco use often causes an increase in hemoglobin.
• Tumors of various origins. When malignant or benign formations appear in a woman’s body, the level of erythropoietin increases. As a result, increased production of hemoglobin is observed.
• Illness or damage. Dehydration often occurs with fever or burns. As a result, hemoglobin levels increase. However, the opposite picture can also be observed when the production of the substance decreases to a minimum level.
• Strong physical activity. Hemoglobin in the blood is often increased in women who play professional sports. The situation is aggravated by the use of anabolic steroids.
• Postpartum period. During pregnancy, the hemoglobin level in women decreases slightly. This is due to a strong increase in blood volume. Immediately after the birth of the baby, a reverse restructuring of the body occurs. That is why an increase in hemoglobin during this period becomes the norm.

Is treatment necessary?

If hemoglobin is elevated in a woman's blood, does she need medical attention? Before answering this question, it is necessary to understand the reasons for this condition. Additional diagnostics and tests will help to do this. Only a doctor can correctly guess the pathology and refer the woman for research.

If some deviations are detected, they are corrected. Most often, doctors prescribe sedatives to women and recommend leading a healthy lifestyle. Representatives of the fairer sex with elevated hemoglobin levels should give up bad habits and exclude from their diet foods that promote hematopoiesis. It is also necessary to periodically monitor the level of this substance in the blood.

Summarizing

You now know a lot about increased hemoglobin in the blood of women. Remember that this condition may affect your well-being. This is why you should be more careful about your health. You can suspect increased hemoglobin by excessive fatigue, poor sleep, and unhealthy complexion. Also, an increase in the level of this substance leads to the formation of blood clots and vascular diseases. Control your hemoglobin and be healthy!

Hemoglobin is a complex iron-containing protein found in red blood cells. Takes part in the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the cells of all organs and the removal of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction.

It can be immediately noted that a high level of hemoglobin indicates increased blood clotting, which is not a positive thing. As a result of increased blood viscosity, the likelihood of producing blood clots increases; in addition, the transport of oxygen is also difficult.

To understand whether you should worry and how drastic measures to take, you need to know what indicator is considered optimal for good health. What does increased hemoglobin mean, and what should be done in such a situation, we will consider in this material.

Norm

Normal levels of hemoglobin in the blood for women are 120-140 g/l and for men - 135-160 g/l.

The indicator may fluctuate depending on the physical and mental state. A prolonged decrease or increase compared to normal levels indicates trouble in the body.

Increased hemoglobin in men

It may be as a result of smoking, due to the condition of the body caused by a number of diseases. For diseases such as erythrocytosis, pernicious anemia and hemolytic anemia, when the composition of the blood changes.

With erythrocytosis, the number of red blood cells increases, which can be caused by disease of the kidneys, lungs, or heart. The reasons that increase hemoglobin can be artificial valves installed in the heart, cholelithiasis. Lack of folic acid and vitamin B12 due to diseases of the gastric mucosa, which is unable to absorb these essential elements, can also contribute to an increase in hemoglobin in men.

Increased hemoglobin in women

What does this mean, and what should be done? In women, elevated hemoglobin is observed quite rarely. As mentioned above, the norm in healthy women varies between 120 and 140 g/l.

It is allowed for hemoglobin to be elevated within 10-20 units; if the readings are above 20, you should be examined. Causes may include blood disorders, congenital heart defects, cancer, and cardiopulmonary failure.

What does a high hemoglobin level mean?

The blood component in question is contained in red blood cells produced by the bone marrow. These red blood cells have the function of carrying oxygen to various organs.

Therefore, if hemoglobin increases, most likely, hypoxia (oxygen starvation) occurs in some area of ​​the body. Because of it, the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells, and the viscosity of the blood increases.

Causes of high hemoglobin

Why is hemoglobin elevated, and what does it mean? Changes in such an important indicator as hemoglobin level indicate that dysfunction of certain organs and systems has occurred. Although in some cases high hemoglobin is the norm - for example, in people living in mountainous areas. This is a compensatory reaction of the body to the lack of oxygen high in the mountains.

The main reasons for increased hemoglobin in the blood of an adult, including women, are:

1. Not too alarming, although a negative sign, is increase in hemoglobin in smokers(as well as people who have recently been in a fire). The fact is that hemoglobin can only carry oxygen or carbon dioxide, easily replacing them with each other.
2. Severe dehydration increases plasma levels, and as a result, the volume of circulating blood increases. The process of dehydration itself does not increase the level of red blood cells, however, the consequences expressed in the increase in blood volume increase their concentration in general, which is also reflected in an increased level of hemoglobin.
3. Acquired heart defects, characterized by high pressure in the pulmonary circulation. This is most characteristic of mitral stenosis of rheumatic etiology.
4. Congenital heart diseases, especially defects that are accompanied by enrichment of pulmonary blood flow. In this case, the color of the skin changes from early childhood and has a bluish tint. The child often experiences shortness of breath and may develop a cough. An ultrasound of the heart allows you to make the correct diagnosis. Treatment of such diseases with severe symptoms is only surgical.
5. An increase in the number of red blood cells in the blood (erythrocytosis).
6. Increased amount of hemoglobin in the blood plasma (hemoglobinemia).
7. Impaired intestinal patency.
8. Lung diseases and pulmonary failure.
9. Excess of vitamins B6 and B12 in the human body.
10. Oncological diseases.

However, an increased level of hemoglobin in the blood can be associated not only with various types of diseases, but also with the living environment and lifestyle.

Physiological reasons

Let's consider the main reasons for increased hemoglobin, which are of external origin:

1. Living at high altitudes. The higher the altitude, the lower the oxygen level in the air. Because of this, the body produces as much hemoglobin as possible in order to bind the maximum amount of oxygen.
2. Regular being outdoors and playing sports increase hemoglobin levels.
3. In women, pregnancy can be considered an external factor that affects the increase in hemoglobin.
4. Features of the profession. The point is that sometimes work takes place in conditions of low oxygen content, and the body reacts to this condition by raising the level of hemoglobin in the blood
5. Use of anabolic steroids.

High hemoglobin is a less dangerous phenomenon than if the level is low, since low levels of this substance are diagnosed as anemia. However, it is worth noting that increased hemoglobin is still a reason to seek medical help, as it may indicate the presence of a serious pathology in the body.

It was noted that hemoglobin above normal increases the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, and also often leads to the development of strokes and heart attacks.

Symptoms and consequences of high hemoglobin

With high hemoglobin, a person may not experience any symptoms, but with a long-term and significant change in this indicator with a complex of concomitant diseases, the patient may have various vague symptoms that are general in nature and do not indicate a specific disease:

• increased fatigue, lethargy;
• weak appetite;
• drowsiness or, conversely, problems falling asleep;
• pain in the joints, bones - in the ribs, hips;
• blood pressure increases;
• headaches, dizziness;
• itching of the skin, especially after a shower or bath;
• stomach ache.
• rapid formation of bruises and easy bleeding.

These signs appear on the external level. But the most dangerous processes occur inside the body. There is a thickening of the blood medium, an increase in its viscosity and a decrease in the rate of circulation in the body. Because of this, internal organs do not receive nutrition. The most serious consequence is the formation of blood clots and plaques, causing heart attacks and strokes.

How to lower hemoglobin in the blood

If what causes hemoglobin to increase is not associated with serious pathologies, then high hemoglobin can be affected by certain foods or medications. Among the pharmaceutical drugs that are relatively freely available, one can distinguish those aimed at thinning the blood: Curantil, Cardiomagnyl, Trental or the ordinary Aspirin. They are prescribed only by a specialist.

To reduce your hemoglobin level at home, you need to take a stricter approach to your diet and review your diet:

1. Increased fluid levels in the body. To do this, just drink more warm liquid. If this is not possible (for example, with severe extensive burns), then use droppers with saline solution.
2. It is recommended to reduce in the diet fats, pastries with cream and eggs, as they increase cholesterol and so in thick blood. You should not take multivitamins or medications containing copper and iron. Give preference to seafood, white meat, legumes, nuts and vegetables.
3. Should limit consumption of foods that increase hemoglobin. These are foods rich in protein and iron - red meat, red fruits, vegetables and berries, meat by-products, fish caviar, butter, buckwheat porridge, sweet and smoked.

It is useful to eat the following foods:

1. Fish of any kind and seafood (except mussels).
2. Chicken meat.
3. Some legumes.
4. Fresh raw salads from vegetables and fruits.
5. Boiled and baked vegetables.

We have already said that increased hemoglobin is only a symptom of some disease. Therefore, simultaneously with its normalization, it is necessary to find and eliminate the primary cause.

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Depending on whether women have low or high hemoglobin, we can guess where the disease is hidden in the body.

Every woman should know why hemoglobin can increase and be able to recognize the symptoms of this phenomenon in herself.

Hemoglobin (Hb) is an iron-containing protein locked in red blood cells. The function of hemoglobin is to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide between the lungs and the rest of the body's cells.

Elevated Hb indicates an excess of red blood cells in the blood. In medicine, this condition is called erythrocytosis.

To determine your Hb level, you need to take a blood prick for a general analysis. A referral for this test is issued by any doctor: therapist, gynecologist, endocrinologist, etc.

Blood protein levels in women can vary depending on age and chronic diseases. In addition, hereditary factors influence the number of red blood cells in the blood.

Table 1. Normal hemoglobin levels in women

What to do if the amount of iron-containing protein differs from the above standards? An increase to 10 g/l is not considered an anomaly.

A slight deviation from normal values ​​is explained by individual characteristics and is not dangerous to health.

Sometimes slightly increased hemoglobin just indicates the body’s good adaptability to extreme conditions.

So, for example, if a pregnant woman’s blood test before giving birth shows not 110, but 120 or even 130 g/l, this means that the body is preparing for childbirth.

Exceeding the average in this case will benefit the expectant mother. The more red blood cells a woman has in her blood, the thicker, more viscous and less prone her blood is to bleeding. This means that childbirth will take place without excessive blood loss.

We can talk about an increase in hemoglobin that is dangerous to health when the numbers rise 30 - 40 g/l above normal. The most dangerous concentration is 180 and above.

The number 180 indicates a very high percentage of iron-containing protein. This condition cannot be explained by individual variability.

Among the reasons for such a high level of hemoglobin are life-threatening pathologies of the cardiovascular system and hematopoietic organs.

Fortunately, erythrocytosis in women is quite rare. Much more often women suffer from anemia, that is, from low levels of iron, and therefore hemoglobin, and there are good reasons for this.

Because of monthly bleeding, women of reproductive age require additional (0.5 - 1 mg/day) iron.

The need for iron increases greatly during pregnancy - expectant mothers additionally require 4 - 6 mg/day of iron, which will be used to build hemoglobin in the mother and fetus, plus a certain amount of iron-containing protein to compensate for blood loss during childbirth.

Causes of high hemoglobin levels

The reasons why hemoglobin increases in women can be divided into two groups: general and exclusively “female”.

The first group includes circumstances leading to an increase in Hb, regardless of gender. For example, this could be a long stay at an altitude of over 2 km above sea level.

The higher a person lives, the higher his hemoglobin. In this case, the factor that increases the level of hemoglobin is rarefied air.

For the same reason, hemoglobin is increased in professional divers and divers, in people involved in deep-sea sports, and swimmers. The body compensates for the lack of oxygen by increasing the number of red blood cells.

An increased percentage of iron-containing protein can be observed in people who are seriously involved in strenuous sports that require great endurance.

The muscles of athletes need more oxygen than the muscles of ordinary women, so Hb in athletes is always slightly elevated.

Elevated Hb can be a symptom of diseases:

• diabetes mellitus;
• intestinal infections;
• dysbacteriosis, which interferes with the absorption of vitamin B 12 in the intestine;
• taking diuretics for hypertension and renal pathologies;
• malignant blood diseases.

In addition to general problems, there are specific female reasons for increased hemoglobin associated with the monthly cycle or pregnancy.

During pregnancy, Hb more often decreases than increases. Increased hemoglobin in pregnant women is usually associated with dehydration, caused by toxicosis, accompanied by uncontrollable vomiting.

In addition, the amount of Hb in the blood of a pregnant woman may increase due to the abuse of vitamins for expectant mothers. Most of these drugs contain increased amounts of iron.

A pregnant woman can take no more vitamins than indicated in the instructions, but due to individual enzymatic changes in the body, iron will be absorbed excessively, which will lead to an increase in hemoglobin.

Hemoglobin may increase before menstruation - in this way the body prepares to make up for future losses.

Due to the increase in the number of red blood cells at the end of the cycle, the blood becomes more viscous, which minimizes blood loss.

Consequences of deviations from the norm

Hb deficiency almost never occurs suddenly, so in many patients anemia is asymptomatic in the initial stages. The first signs of the disease are weakness, lethargy, pale mucous membranes and skin, shortness of breath and rapid heartbeat.

Lack of hemoglobin affects tissues - this is the so-called sideropenic syndrome, the consequences of which are:

• changes in the shape of nails, their fragility, delamination;
• painful swallowing;
• taste and olfactory perversions;
• flattened papillae on the tongue;
• the appearance of “jams” in the corners of the mouth.

Sideropenic syndrome is especially pronounced in women with abnormally low Hb levels. In addition, with a lack of hemoglobin, the skin becomes dry, hair and nails become brittle, and teeth are destroyed from caries.

Surprisingly, with an excess of iron-containing protein, the symptoms are almost the same as with its deficiency.

A woman with elevated hemoglobin becomes weaker, has shortness of breath, sleeps a lot and stops coping with current affairs.

Feeling worse, sleep is disturbed, periods become painful and prolonged. The skin in the corners of the lips cracks, the dermis becomes dry, hair and nails become brittle.

Elevated Hb also carries a specific danger - it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, blockage of the deep veins of the legs and pulmonary vessels.

The blood of a woman with high hemoglobin thickens. This is clearly visible when taking the test - it is difficult for the laboratory assistant to squeeze even one drop out of his finger.

The blood does not spread over the finger and onto the glass slide, but remains in the form of a well-formed drop of dark ruby ​​color.

Thick blood moves through the vessels and capillaries with difficulty. Because of this, the work of the heart becomes difficult and the supply of tissues with oxygen and nutrients is disrupted.

Chronically elevated hemoglobin increases blood pressure and gradually leads to the development of hypertension.

Due to thickened blood, organs and tissues do not receive enough oxygen. Toxins and carbon dioxide are not eliminated quickly enough, so a variety of pathologies can develop in the body, including tumors.

High hemoglobin in women requires mandatory correction. To begin with, you should establish a drinking regime, increase physical activity as much as possible and go on a diet that helps reduce hemoglobin.

Drug treatment

Your doctor may prescribe blood thinners to lower your iron protein levels. Such drugs prevent red blood cells, which “float” in excess in the blood plasma, from sticking to each other and forming blood clots.

A simple and cheap way to protect your blood vessels from blockage is to take Aspirin. Cardiomagnyl, Curantil, Trental and other drugs are used for the same purpose.

It is strictly prohibited to prescribe the drug yourself and select the dosage. It is the responsibility of the doctor to prescribe medications and select the course and daily dose.

In parallel, and sometimes instead of taking medications, you can resort to hirudotherapy - treatment with leeches.

Leeches release saliva into the blood, which contains the enzyme hirudin, which thins the blood. Hirudin slows down blood clotting and prevents the formation of blood clots.

Important: not all leeches are suitable for treatment, but only medical ones, which can be purchased at a pharmacy.

Medical leeches (there are three subspecies) are not caught in nature, but are bred in laboratories. The worm bites through the skin and sucks out 5–15 ml of blood. For one session, 5 – 7 leeches are enough.

Menu for women with high Hb

Women with high hemoglobin should not abuse red meat and offal. The liver, kidneys, tongue, and brain are excluded from the diet.

Limit the consumption of foods that increase blood viscosity - butter, pork, fish roe, sweet confectionery.

The diet is enriched with white meat and fish. Legumes contain a lot of iron, but it is poorly absorbed, so if you have high hemoglobin, eating peas, beans and lentils is not prohibited.

If a woman has been taking folic acid or mineral complexes with vitamin B12, then these medications should be stopped.

An increased level of hemoglobin in the blood of women is quite rare, but it still happens. Perhaps everyone has ever heard that low hemoglobin is a bad thing. But the fact is that our body is so balanced that a lack or excess of one or another indicator can lead to disruptions in its full functioning and deterioration of health. What does increased hemoglobin mean in women, what are the dangers and how to deal with this condition?

Indicator norm

So, high hemoglobin in women is considered to be from 150 g/l; in a pregnant woman, the mark of 120 g/l no longer fits into the norm.

Causes of elevated hemoglobin in women

The reasons for high hemoglobin in women can be varied, from problems in the functioning of any organ to living conditions. Conventionally, all causes can be divided into physiological and pathological.

The first includes:

• intense, frequent physical activity, so hemoglobin 160 can be achieved in women who are athletes or whose occupation involves active physical labor;
• smoking (hemoglobin 150 in a woman with an addiction is considered normal);
• hypoxia of the body, for example, living in a mountainous area, due to the fact that the concentration of oxygen in the air there is lower, the body additionally produces red blood cells for the purpose of self-defense;
• in case of dehydration, the indicator based on the results of blood donation may increase, but this is a false reason, since immediately when the water balance is normalized, it returns to normal.

Pathological causes include all kinds of diseases and disorders in the body, these include:

• heart and pulmonary failure;
• congenital heart disease (defect);
• increased number of red blood cells in the blood (erythrocytosis);
• poisoning, toxicosis;
• intestinal obstruction;
• diabetes mellitus or increased blood glucose;
• oncological diseases;
• excess of vitamins B in the body, in particular B9 and B

In order to identify the true reason why a woman has high hemoglobin, she needs to undergo a comprehensive examination.

Symptoms

Symptoms of high hemoglobin levels are very similar to those of anemia. This is due to the fact that when hemoglobin in the blood of women is increased, blood viscosity increases, which means the circulation of oxygen through organs and tissues is disrupted. The main signs of increased hemoglobin levels in the blood include:

• Fatigue, lethargy and weakness;
• Headache;
• Drowsiness or, on the contrary, insomnia and anxiety;
• Shortness of breath;
• Cardiopalmus;
• Deterioration of vision;
• Increased blood pressure;
• Loss of appetite;
• Dry skin;
• Hair loss, brittle nails;
• Formation of hematomas with even a slight bruise;
• Due to the increased thickness of the blood, the presence of clots and plaques, there is a risk of a heart attack or heart attacks.

How to lower high hemoglobin

First of all, when treating high hemoglobin, a diet is prescribed, adherence to which can give positive results within a short time. Typically, patients are advised to limit (not eliminate, but reduce) the consumption of foods high in iron (red meats, liver, kidneys, etc.). It is not recommended to eat foods that additionally thicken the blood, such as foods with cholesterol, butter, fatty pork, and red caviar. It is better to build a menu from protein foods and legumes; alternatively, you can often eat white meat chicken or low-fat sea fish.

In addition, in order to reduce the thickness and density of the blood, you need to get into the habit of eating first courses and soups instead of dense and coarse foods. In the summer, you can prepare cold soups: okroshka, beetroot soup or other vegetable soups. Introduce the maximum amount of dairy dishes into your diet; the calcium they contain will prevent the absorption of “excess” iron. So, it is best to eat light soups, all kinds of salads, dairy dishes, but you also need to eat fish and meat, but not often, once a week will be enough. Replenish fluid in your body, drink more mineral water, compotes, green tea and herbal infusions.

If the increase in hemoglobin in the blood of women is associated with an identified disease, then normal levels will be restored after its successful treatment.

For critically high levels, the doctor prescribes antiplatelet drugs - drugs that thin the blood and reduce the risk of blood clots. These medications include: Cardiomagnyl, Curantil, Trental. But under no circumstances should you prescribe for yourself; you can cause irreparable harm to your health.

It is best to consult with a general practitioner, cardiologist or pulmonologist and receive a qualified treatment prescription.