IS A HIGHER HAEMOGLOBIN COUNT SIGN OF GOOD HEALTH?
A day or two ago we
underwent a thorough health check-up as a family. This was part of the annual
health check-up. Among other usual checklists, was a complete blood count
including haemoglobin count. I have always heard doctors speak about the
dangers of low haemoglobin levels among women for reasons well known. For men,
the general idea is that their haemoglobin count will always be okay and there
is nothing to worry about. Honestly, never even bothered about it.
We met the doctor with
the reports a few days later. Going through them, the doctor circled my
husband’s haemoglobin count, which indicated a higher side. It triggered
several queries in my head. What could go wrong when haemoglobin is on the
upper side? On average, men generally have a count on the higher side as
compared to women, so what’s wrong with it? As per the medical angle, many
things could get triggered by this condition.
The higher count of
haemoglobin has several causes.
·
When the body requires an increased level of oxygen-
the red blood cells are produced more as a result. This is to compensate for
the reduced oxygen supply in the body.
·
Smoking can be a sure cause of this medical condition.
This indicates the poor functioning of the lungs.
·
Low oxygen levels can occur among people living in
high-altitude regions where the oxygen levels are low in the atmosphere.
·
Poor functioning of the heart.
·
The bone marrow produces too many red blood cells.
·
On
consuming a drug or hormone called erythropoietin (EPO) to increase the
performance among athletes.
The Mayo clinic
portal, states very clearly, that in case you have a high haemoglobin count
without experiencing any other abnormalities, it may not indicate any serious
medical condition.
Further, the other
causes of a higher count of haemoglobin may be due to medical conditions such
as :
·
Congenital heart disease
·
COPD- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
·
Heart Failure
·
Liver cancer
·
Kidney cancer
·
Dehydration
The other factors were
quite understood in layman’s terminology. However, as I came upon the term
dehydration, it struck me. How come water intake can lead to less oxygen
supply? This as per the doctors may cause low fluid blood volume as compared to
the number of red blood cells. It does not mean that the red blood cells have
increased.
So going back to the basic science we have all studied, the main function of blood, the fluid substance in our body is to transport oxygen to the cells. It is a vehicle of sorts. Thus, high haemoglobin may indicate the lack of fluidity in the body for the oxygen to be carried to every cell. Doctors usually say that during the morning hours, our bodies are not hydrated enough, breakfast is not taken, and naturally, if a blood test is taken at that point, there is a likelihood of a high haemoglobin count. As the day progresses, with food and water intake the count may come down. Thus, keeping ourselves hydrated at all times can be a good way to ward off health scares.
Nevertheless, a higher haemoglobin count may be an indicator of an underlying serious condition. If it stays persistently high, is surely important to get a thorough check-up of your medical condition at the earliest. It is not correct to treat a high haemoglobin count by just gulping down some water. It is best to consult a medical practitioner for treatment for such a condition. For instance, my husband has been advised to intake more water for now as all other indicators seem okay.
But each case is unique and individual. It is best treated on a case-to-case basis.
To sum up, water
intake is very important for healthy living. The wonder liquid is an essential
component of life. Do not supplement or compromise over its magic.
