Table of Contents
What does a hematocrit tell you?
A hematocrit (he-MAT-uh-krit) test measures the proportion of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. Having too few or too many red blood cells can be a sign of certain diseases. The hematocrit test, also known as a packed-cell volume (PCV) test, is a simple blood test.
What does a high hematocrit level mean?
What does it mean if your hematocrit is high? If your hematocrit is high, it means that you have more red blood cells than is considered healthy. High hematocrit may be caused by [4:1]: Heart disease. Dehydration.
What is a low hematocrit?
A low hematocrit level means the are too few red blood cells in the body. In these cases, a person may experience symptoms that signal anemia. Common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, and low energy. If a person has too many red blood cells, they have a high hematocrit level.
Can high hematocrit cause fatigue?
An elevated hematocrit is a risk marker for some very serious illnesses: heart disease, kidney disease and stroke. And less threatening but really unpleasant symptoms include pain, weakness, fatigue, headache, blurred vision and mental fuzziness.
How can I lower my hematocrit naturally?
You can reduce your hematocrit through the following dietary modifications:
- Avoiding iron supplements [146]
- Eating more bran (it interferes with iron absorption) [147]
- Staying hydrated [148]
- Avoiding alcohol [109]
- Eating more grapefruit [149]
- Getting more antioxidants [150]
What is the formula for calculating hematocrit?
With modern lab equipment, the hematocrit is calculated by an automated analyzer and is not directly measured. It is determined by multiplying the red cell count by the mean cell volume.
What is the hematocrit and what does it measure?
A hematocrit (he-MAT-uh-krit) test measures the proportion of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body. Having too few or too many red blood cells can be a sign of certain diseases. The hematocrit test, also known as a packed-cell volume (PCV) test, is a simple blood test.
What is the main function of hematocrit?
An instrument called a hematocrit (because it “judges” the blood) is used to separate a sample of blood into its components. The normal hematocrit for men is about 48\%, for women about 38\%. An abnormal proportion of red blood cells, either too many or too few, is a good early indicator of many diseases.
What does it mean if you have high hematocrit?
Higher than normal hematocrit levels represent abnormally elevated red blood cell counts. High hematocrits can be seen in people living at high altitudes and in chronic smokers. Dehydration produces a falsely high hematocrit that disappears when proper fluid balance is restored.