What does it mean when your MCV and MCH are high?
What Do High MCH Levels Mean? Your MCH will reflect your MCV. That means you’ll have more hemoglobin if your red blood cells are larger than normal. Red blood cells can grow too large when you have fewer of them than normal — a condition called macrocytic anemia.
What cancers cause high MCH levels?
High MCH Levels
Having an MCH level above 31 picograms/cell is most commonly associated with the following conditions: Certain types of kidney diseases, including kidney cancer. Congenital heart defect. Lung disease, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis4.
What does it mean if your MCV is too high?
High MCV means that red blood cells are too large and indicates macrocytic anemia. This condition can be caused by several factors including low folate or vitamin B12 levels or chemotherapy.
Should I be worried about high MCH?
MCH levels over 34 pg are generally considered abnormally high. The most common reason for high MCH is macrocytic anemia, which is a blood disorder in which the body fails to produce enough red blood cells.
Should I worry about high MCV?
An MCV test measures the size and volume of red blood cells. A normal MCV range is roughly 80–100 fl . If someone’s MCV level is below 80 fl, they will likely develop or have microcytic anemia. Alternatively, if their MCV levels are greater than 100 fl, they could experience macrocytic anemia.
Is high MCV serious?
Researchers have found that patients with kidney disease and high MCV levels were at greater risk of death. They are over 3.5 times more likely to suffer from heart disease than those who had a normal MCV.
What are symptoms of high MCH?
Symptoms of high MCH levels
- tiredness.
- very pale skin.
- fast heartbeat.
- nails that are brittle and easily broken.
- brain fog or poor concentration.
- confusion and memory loss.
How do you treat high MCH?
High MCH values caused by a deficiency of the vitamins B-12 or folate can also often be treated with changes to your lifestyle that include dietary modifications and supplements, or injectable B-12. If you’re concerned about your MCH results, be sure to talk to your doctor about them.
How do you fix high MCH?
Adding more vitamin B12 and folic acid to the diet can be a good way to address high MCH levels. It is best to get these from a varied and balanced diet, but supplements may also help keep these levels where they need to be. Low MCH levels usually occur as a result of iron deficiency that has led to anemia.
Why would my MCH be high?
An anemia with a high MCH level could also be a sign that you don’t have enough vitamin B12 or other nutrients. Your body needs vitamin B12 to make healthy blood cells, nerves, and DNA. Signs of low vitamin B12 include: Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet.
How do you treat high MCV?
Add more red meat and chicken to your diet to increase your vitamin B-12 intake. If you’re a vegetarian or vegan, you can add beans and dark, leafy greens for folate. Try fortified breakfast cereals for vitamin B-12. Reduce the amount of alcohol you drink.
What medications cause high MCV?
Common drugs that cause macrocytosis are hydroxyurea, methotrexate, zidovudine, azathioprine, antiretroviral agents, valproic acid, and phenytoin (Table 1).
How do you fix high MCV?
Vitamin B12 or B9 Deficiency
After all, both vitamins are involved in the production of red blood cells in the bone marrow. In that sense, if you have high MCV levels, it may be time to increase your uptake of foods rich in vitamins B12 and B9 or include supplementation as advised by your healthcare provider.
Can macrocytic anemia be cured?
Most cases of macrocytic anemia that are caused by vitamin B-12 and folate deficiencies can be treated and cured with diet and supplements. However, macrocytic anemias can cause long-term complications if left untreated. These complications can include permanent damage to your nervous system.
How do you treat high MCH levels?
What is the treatment for high MCV?
The first line of treatment for many people is correcting nutrient deficiencies. This can be done with supplements or foods like spinach and red meat. You may be able to take supplements that include folate and other B vitamins. You may also need vitamin B-12 injections if you don’t absorb oral vitamin B-12 properly.