Table of Contents
What happens if HCT is high?
A higher than normal hematocrit can indicate: Dehydration. A disorder, such as polycythemia vera, that causes your body to produce too many red blood cells. Lung or heart disease.
What is considered a high HCT level?
What Is a Normal Hematocrit Ranges and Chart?
| Ages and Conditions | Normal Hematocrit Ranges |
|---|---|
| Adult males | 42%-54% |
| Adult women | 38%-46% |
| Adult pregnant women | about 30% – 34% lower limits and 46% upper limits |
| Males high altitude residents | 45% – 61%* |
What do HCT levels indicate?
A hematocrit test measures how much of your blood is made up of red blood cells. Red blood cells contain a protein called hemoglobin that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Hematocrit levels that are too high or too low can indicate a blood disorder, dehydration, or other medical conditions.
What level of hemoglobin is dangerously high?
Hemoglobin levels greater than 16.5 g/dL (grams per deciliter) in women and greater than 18.5 g/dL in men suggest polycythemia. In terms of hematocrit, a value greater than 48 in women and 52 in men is indicative of polycythemia.
What is the normal range for HCT?
Hematocrit is the percentage of red cells in your blood. Normal levels of hematocrit for men range from 41% to 50%. Normal level for women is 36% to 48%.
Why would hemoglobin and hematocrit be high?
A high hemoglobin count occurs most commonly when your body requires an increased oxygen-carrying capacity, usually because: You smoke. You live at a high altitude and your red blood cell production naturally increases to compensate for the lower oxygen supply there.
How can I lower my hematocrit levels quickly?
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]
Why would hematocrit be high?
If you’ve taken a hematocrit test and hematocrit is high, this means that you have more red blood cells than what’s considered to be healthy. High hematocrit levels could indicate underlying medical conditions like: Dehydration. Carbon monoxide poisoning.
What diseases cause low hematocrit?
Low hematocrit results can indicate:
- Blood loss.
- Leukemia or other bone marrow problems.
- Iron and vitamin deficiency, including folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6.
- Too much water in the body.
- Kidney disease.
- Thyroid abnormality.
- Immune destruction of red blood cells.
What is normal HCT?
Normal hematocrit levels vary based on age and race.. In adults, normal levels for men range from 41%-50%. For women, the normal range is slightly lower: 36%-44%. A hematocrit level below the normal range, meaning the person has too few red blood cells, is called anemia.
How quickly can hematocrit change?
Hematocrit can vary from day to day or on a more long-term basis depending on altitude, season, athletic training, diet, and pregnancy, among other factors [20, 21, 22, 23, 24]. Hematocrit is a useful diagnostic tool because it can change in generally predictable ways with a health problem [25].
Should I worry if my hemoglobin is high?
High hemoglobin levels could be indicative of the rare blood disease, polycythemia. It causes the body to make too many red blood cells, causing the blood to be thicker than usual. This can lead to clots, heart attacks, and strokes. It is a serious lifelong condition that can be fatal if it is not treated.