“There are many causes of low HB, one of which is suffering from certain disease conditions such as anemia, cancer and cirrhosis. Experiencing bleeding in one of the body's organs can also trigger a decrease in HB."
Blood in our body consists of various components, one of which is hemoglobin (Hb). Are you familiar with hemoglobin? Hb has an important role in the body. This blood component is responsible for binding oxygen in the blood and carrying it throughout the body. Very important is not the task?
So, what happens if the body lacks hemoglobin? Certainly the body will experience anemia which can cause a series of other disorders. In short, for the body to function properly, Hb levels in the blood must be within the normal range.
For adult males, normal Hb levels range from 14–18 g/dL (grams per deciliter). Whereas for adult women it ranges from 12–16 g/dL. Well, a person can be said to be deficient in hemoglobin if the level is lower than normal.
The question is, what conditions or diseases can cause a decrease in hemoglobin levels in the body? Check out the full review below.
From Anemia to Thalassemia
The amount of hemoglobin or red blood cell levels that are too low, is often related to certain conditions or diseases. Well, the cause of low hemoglobin can be caused by the diseases below:
- Aplastic anemia.
- Cancer.
- Taking certain medications, such as antiretroviral drugs for HIV infection and chemotherapy drugs for cancer and other conditions.
- Cirrhosis (scar tissue of the liver).
- Multiple myeloma.
- Hodgkin's lymphoma (Hodgkin's disease).
- Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid).
- Iron deficiency anemia.
- Myelodysplastic Syndrome.
- Vitamin deficiency anemia.
- Chronic kidney disease.
- Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
- Lead poisoning.
- Leukemia.
In addition, there are also several diseases that can make the body destroy red blood cells faster than usual. This is what ultimately can make low hemoglobin. The following are the diseases:
- Spleen enlargement (splenomegaly).
- Hemolysis.
- Porphyria.
- Sickle cell anemia.
- Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels).
- Thalassemia
- Bleeding due to injury or surgery.
- Bleeding in the digestive tract due to hemorrhoids or cancer.
- Bleeding in the urinary tract.
- Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding)
- Too frequent blood donors.
- Then, is there a way to deal with low hemoglobin?
- Overcome According to the Cause
Basically the treatment of low hemoglobin is adjusted to the cause. One of them is by changing food intake. Someone who has low hemoglobin needs to eat foods rich in iron, vitamin B12, and folate. These nutrients play an important role in the production of hemoglobin-rich red blood cells.
Examples of iron-rich foods include beef, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, and nuts. These foods can prevent anemia caused by iron or vitamin deficiencies.