Last updated on 16th Oct 2021 - By Dwayne Michaels

How Abnormal MCH affects heart?

Fast or abnormal heartbeat may be a symptom of abnormal MCH.

But let us first know what basically MCH is. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is a measure of the average amount of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. Hemoglobin is the protein that stores (binds) oxygen, which is what allows your blood to transport oxygen throughout your body.

Before getting into the specifics of MCH levels in blood test results, it's important to understand that it is measuring the average amount of hemoglobin in a person's red blood cells, which are also known as erythrocytes.

Human blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Of those, red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen and carbon dioxide throughout the body.

Regular health screenings will often include a CBC test. If the results come back normal, the person may not need another test until their next health screening. Doctors may order CBC tests if a person shows signs of any disorder that can affect the blood.

Doctors will often order a CBC test to find out a person’s MCH levels. Normal MCH levels are around 27 to 33 picograms per cell in adults. These numbers may vary based on the machine used to carry out the test.

Your doctor can help you monitor or treat whatever is causing your high or low MCH levels. Dietary or lifestyle changes might help. Or you could need a more serious treatment to get well. Your health care team can help find the right way to help you stay healthy.

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MCH values usually parallel those of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is a measure of the size of your red blood cells. This means that when your red blood cells increase, MCH usually follows. This makes sense because bigger red blood cells can fit in more hemoglobin.

If a doctor is using MCH levels to assist with making a diagnosis or simply learning more about a patient's health, they first look to see if it is in the normal range of 27 to 31 picograms/cell. There are specific symptoms and conditions associated with MCH levels that are both lower and higher than normal.

Here is a general overview of what these levels can say about a person's health. The amount of hemoglobin per RBC depends on hemoglobin synthesis and the size of the RBC. The weight of the red cell is determined by the iron (as part of the hemoglobin molecule), thus MCH in picogram is the weight of one red cell.

In iron deficiency anemia the cell weight becomes lighter, thus a MCH lesser than 27pg is an indication of iron deficiency. The MCH decreases when Hb synthesis is reduced, or when RBCs are smaller than normal, such as in cases of iron-deficiency anemia.

High MCH values caused by a deficiency of the vitamins B-12 can also often be treated with changes to your lifestyle that include modifications in diet and supplements, or injectable B-12.

Low MCH values are often caused by iron deficiency anemia.

Typically, this condition can be treated with changes in lifestyle including consuming foods rich in iron as well as taking iron supplements. In some cases low MCH value is caused by thalassemia, you may require blood transfusions if your symptoms are severe.