{"id":140,"date":"2018-08-20T04:25:17","date_gmt":"2018-08-20T04:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/knowyourblood.com\/?p=140"},"modified":"2018-08-20T04:25:17","modified_gmt":"2018-08-20T04:25:17","slug":"mchc-in-blood-tests-what-does-it-mean-how-to-test-for-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/knowyourblood.com\/mchc-in-blood-tests-what-does-it-mean-how-to-test-for-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What Does MCHC Mean in a Blood Test? High, Low, Normal Results Range"},"content":{"rendered":"

MCHC In Blood Test, What is it?<\/h1>\n

MCHC stands for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. This is a measurable factor in your blood.<\/p>\n

Put simply the test measures your?hemoglobin<\/a> levels in your red blood cells and looks at the average amount of hemoglobin per red cell.<\/p>\n

So MCHC = the amount of hemoglobin present in each red blood cell.<\/p>\n

And what do your MCHC levels mean?<\/p>\n

An MCHC blood test could be ordered for someone who has signs of fatigue or weakness, when there is an infection, is bleeding or bruising easily or when there is noticeable inflammation.<\/p>\n

The MCHC test is most commonly used to evaluate for anemia. It is often accompanied by an?MCV<\/a>?(Mean Corpuscular Volume) test as well since both of these tests can provide?indications of potential blood issues.<\/p>\n

If you are concerned about anemia you can get these tests done individually or together. A thorough and effective?way to test for anemia is to get a complete anemia panel, which includes both of these tests.<\/p>\n

We’ve?made a post about testing for anemia, which you can find here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What do High MCHC Test Results Mean in a Blood Test?<\/h1>\n

If your levels are high (above 34 pg) then your results could be considered unusually high.<\/p>\n

With such results, there’s a likelihood that you could have macrocytic anemia. It’s the most frequent reason for MCH results?that are this high. It’s a blood disorder that happens when your body isn’t producing enough red blood cells. Another facet of the condition is that red blood cells that are made are often too large.<\/p>\n

A deficiency in folic acid could also lead to high results. Additionally, liver disease, hereditary spherocytes, and vitamin B12 deficiency can sometimes be responsible, too.<\/p>\n

Burn victims also show elevated mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, which is a temporary situation and will self-regulate as healing continues.<\/p>\n

What do Low MCHC Test Results Mean in a Blood Test?<\/h1>\n

If your MCHC levels are below 28% (average level is around 33%), then your doctor may consider them?too low.<\/p>\n

Levels this low can be due to blood loss over time, too little iron in the body or hypochromic anemia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Hypochromic anemia often means the red blood cells do not have enough hemoglobin to function correctly.<\/p>\n

Further investigation should be carried out if this is the case.<\/p>\n

You may have a problem absorbing iron, a case of internal bleeding or gastrointestinal tract tumors or a specific condition.<\/p>\n

How to improve your MCHC levels<\/h1>\n

Before trying to fix your?hemoglobin levels you should get?testing to find out what reason(s) is causing your?condition.<\/p>\n