Mean erythrocyte hemoglobin (MCH) and mean erythrocyte hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) are two closely related blood tests that show how much hemoglobin you have.
You need to draw blood to test hemoglobin levels. (Source: Adobe Stock / YakobchukOlena) Hemoglobin is a molecule that binds to oxygen in red blood cells. It is responsible for the main function of red blood cells - transporting oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body.
Low MCH or MCHC means that the amount of hemoglobin in red blood cells is below normal. Low hemoglobin may be caused by insufficient iron in the diet.
MCH and MCHC results
MCH and MCHC are two parts of blood tests called full blood count (CBC). As the name suggests, CBC contains many results about all cells in the blood, including red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. CBC is a very common test. If your doctor recommends a series of routine blood tests, CBC may be one of them.
MCH represents the average amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell. MCHC represents the average amount of hemoglobin in a particular volume of red blood cells. It takes into account the size of these cells. Although they are slightly different, low MCH and low MCHC mean that your red blood cells contain less than the normal amount of hemoglobin.
Iron deficiency
Your body needs iron to make hemoglobin. When your body's iron content is low, hemoglobin manipulation occurs, resulting in low MCH and MCHC. The total number of red blood cells in the blood - also another part of the CBC - will also decrease, leading to anemia.
Bleeding is the most common cause of iron deficiency because the body needs extra iron when it increases red blood cell production to compensate for blood loss. Insufficient iron in the diet is another cause of iron deficiency.
Less common is that the body contains a sufficient amount of iron, but hemoglobin production is still impaired. This can occur in iron cell anemia, thalassemia or lead poisoning.
Meal iron
by eatingIron-rich foods can improve dietary iron intake. Foods high in iron include eggs, red meat, seafood and green leafy vegetables. Other good sources of iron are dried fruits, nuts, beans, peas and iron fortified foods such as bread, cereals and pasta.
Vitamin C can increase the absorption of iron in the digestive tract, so foods or beverages rich in vitamin C can improve iron absorption if you consume them with iron-containing foods. High vitamin C foods include citrus fruits, broccoli, kiwi, mango, melon, pepper, strawberry and tomato.
Non-dietary iron
Oral iron supplements are not sufficient to increase dietary iron alone to improve iron deficiency. When the deficiency is severe, iron injection may be considered. Injectables can also be used when iron absorption is impaired.
Dietary iron is absorbed in the first part of the small intestine, so intestinal diseases can reduce absorption such as celiac disease or surgically remove or bypass this part of the intestine. Since gastric acid converts iron into a form that is more easily absorbed, iron absorption can also be reduced by diseases or drugs that reduce gastric acidity (such as antacids).
Next steps
If you have a low MCH or MCHC, your doctor may want to determine the cause. This may require additional blood tests, such as iron levels or blood smears - a test to observe blood cells with a microscope.
Even if the intake of poor iron intake seems to be the cause, doctors may also recommend an investigation to ensure that you have no source of blood loss, such as a peptic ulcer or tumor.
Reviewed and revised by MD D. Daley, MD
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