A test that measures the amount of haemoglobin, the protein found in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body's tissues and returns carbon dioxide from the tissues back to the lungs. This test is used alongside other blood tests to evaluate the risk of anaemia. It is included in Nordic Wellth’s Complete Blood Count (CBC) test.
Why test haemoglobin?
Our packages that include haemoglobin:
- Complete blood count (CBC) test
Health check
Discover your risk factors for lifestyle diseases in time to do something about them.
Symptoms
Symptoms of anaemia include: weakness, fatigue, shortness of breath, pale skin.
Monitoring
Monitor changes to your blood values as you make lifestyle changes or undergo treatments.
What do the results mean?
What causes low hemoglobin levels?
The results of a hemoglobin test are considered alongside other test results. Low values are seen in different types of anemia, the most common of which is iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This can be due to a lack of dietary iron, iron loss, or malabsorption and is associated with certain health conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease. Low B12, folate, and long-term alcohol consumption can also increase the risk of anemia.
What causes high hemoglobin levels?
The results of a hemoglobin test are considered alongside other test results. High hemoglobin with a high RBC count and high hematocrit indicates polycythemia. Some causes include lung, heart, or kidney problems, smoking, dehydration, and living at high altitudes.
Other information
The body needs iron, and vitamins B12 (cobalamin) and B9 (folate) to make hemoglobin. The hemoglobin test is often used to check for anemia, usually along with hematocrit, or as included in a Complete Blood Count (CBC). The test may be used to screen for, diagnose, or monitor a number of conditions and diseases that affect red blood cells (RBCs) and/or the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
A recent blood transfusion can affect a person's hemoglobin level. Haemoglobin decreases slightly during normal pregnancy.
Some health conditions such as sleep apnoea, chronic obstructive lung disease, and long-term living at high altitudes can also increase hemoglobin. Anabolic steroid use and other use of other medications can increase the number of red blood cells and affect your hemoglobin levels.
Instructions
No advance preparation is needed for this test.
On the day of the test
Always take your ID with you when going for a test.
Arrive in good time and sit down quietly for 15 minutes before the test is taken.