The function of hemoglobin is to carry oxygen to each cell of the body, and MCHC indicates the average amount (concentration) of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
High or low MCHC values indicate anemia in most of the cases.
What Does MCHC Mean in a Blood Test
M – Mean
C – Corpuscular
H – Hemoglobin
C – Concentration
MCHC Normal Range
The normal value of MCHC in our blood is 33.4 g/dL to 35.5 g/dL. Being less or more than this is a symptom of the disease.
MCHC Low Symptoms
Low MCHC has many symptoms, most of which are symptoms of anemia.
1) Feeling very tired
2) Shortness of breath
3) Skin turning yellow
4) Dizziness
5) Increased heart rate
6) Fast breathing
7) Cough
8) Weakness
Cause of Low MCHC
Microcytic anemia is the main cause of low MCHC and its reason is
1) Iron deficiency
2) Inability to absorb iron in the body
3) Menorrhagia
4) Celiac Disease
5) Crohn’s Disease
6) Peptic Ulcer
7) Hemolysis
8) Worms/Parasites in the stomach
9) Lead Poisoning
10) Cancer
11) Piles
12) Kidney disease
How to Cure Low MCHC
Iron deficiency is the main cause of low MCHC, so iron-rich diet is given for its treatment.
1) Iron-rich food
2) Iron supplement
3) Vitamin-B6
4) Fiber-rich food
5) Vitamin-C
Symptoms of High MCHC
The main reason for MCHC being high is Hemolytic Anemia and its symptoms are
1) Fatigue
2) Pale skin
3) Jaundice
4) Chest pain
5) Fever
6) Dizziness
7) Abdominal pain
8) Shortness of breath
9) Enlarged Spleen
10) Pinching like sensation in hands and feet
Causes of High MCHC
A high MCHC means that the red blood cells have a higher average concentration of hemoglobin.
The main cause of high MCHC is anemia due to a deficiency of vitamin-B12 and folic acid.
Another reason for MCHC being high is that your red blood cells are rapidly being destroyed due to which hemoglobin comes out of the red blood cells.
Apart from this, there are two other major reasons for MCHC being high.
First, you have autoimmune hemolytic anemia in which our body’s immune system starts attacking our red blood cells and destroying them.
Another reason is Hereditary Spherocytosis in which the outer membrane of our red blood cells becomes weak and red blood cells start getting destroyed quickly.
People who smoke cigarettes also have high MCHC levels.
Apart from this, MCHC also increases liver disease, infection, gall bladder stones, sickle cell anemia, and hyperthyroidism.
How to Treat High MCHC Levels
When MCHC is high, the doctor first identify the reason for it and treats its main cause. Methods of treatment include
1) Giving a diet rich in Vitamin-B12 and folic acid
2) Steroids
3) Transfusing blood
4) Removal of the spleen
👇👇👇
