Channel
Channel
Channel
We have all heard of hemoglobin, and how we must make sure that the levels don’t drop too much. This is what MCH means essentially. MCH stands for Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin, which also means the weight of the red blood cells of our body. The MCH refers to the amount of hemoglobin in a single red blood cell. And what is hemoglobin? It is the protein that is present in the red blood cells, and responsible for transporting oxygen in the body.
Besides MCH levels, blood tests also indicate MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume) that checks the size of the red blood cells. There is also something called MCHC (mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) that assesses hemoglobin concentration in cells. All these three levels are called RBC indices.
MCH or mean corpuscular hemoglobin (Hb) is the Hb content or weight of the red blood cells (RBC). “The value is expressed in picograms (pg). The normal reference ranges of this parameter are based on the demographics of the population. It is normally 27 to 33pg,” explains Hematopathologist Dr Vidisha Mahajan.
Usually, all doctors order a Complete Blood Count (CBC) panel, which will screen you for various diseases such as anemia and other infections. MCH levels are a calculated parameter and are not directly detected by the machine. “It depends on the Hb concentration and the RBC count. MCH is calculated by dividing the amount of Hb in a given blood volume by the number of RBCs present,” says Dr Mahajan.
Anemia or iron deficiency is the biggest cause of low MCH levels. Deviation from the normal reference range of MCH is seen in different types of anemia as iron is very important for hemoglobin. “It has to be correlated with other complete blood count parameters for defining the anemia subtype. When the Hb is reduced, the RBCs are examined under a microscope to look for the type of anemia. They become smaller with a pronounce central pallour in iron deficiency anemia. This is called hypochromia. The RBCs are larger and paler in B12 and folic acid deficiency type of anemia and are called macrocytic RBCs. Both these constitute nutritional anemias,” explains Dr Mahajan. The common causes of reduced MCH include:
• Iron deficiency anemia
• Anemia due to blood loss
• Anemia of chronic disease associated with infections, cancer and autoimmune diseases.
• Hemoglobinopathies like beta thalassemia
The symptoms of low MCH include:
High MCH is seen in people with macrocytic anemia or large red blood cells. These are associated with deficiency of vitamin B 12 and folic acid.
The symptoms of high MCH (>33pg) include:
In vitamin B12 deficiency, there is numbness and tingling sensation in the feet and hands along with signs of mental confusion in the later stages. “There may be a red beefy appearance of the tongue. Folic acid deficiency may be associated with diarrhea and stomatitis,” says Dr Mahajan.
In cases of low or high MCH, the first step is to improve the diet to include foods rich in iron, vitamin B12 or folic acid. “Supplements in the form of oral or injectable drugs are available to treat if the symptoms are severe and require immediate correction,” explains Dr Mahajan.
Select Topics of your interest and let us customize your feed.
PERSONALISE NOWGet Latest Updates on Preventive Care, Family Care, Reproductive Care, Self Care
Anjuri Nayar Singh has over 12 years of experience in writing for various topics including lifestyle, films, television and OTT. She also writes on art and culture, education and human interest stories. ...Read More
