what does low hemoglobin mean

Low hemoglobin means you do not have enough of the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body. Hemoglobin transports oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and removes carbon dioxide from your lungs. When hemoglobin levels are low, your blood cannot deliver enough oxygen to your body's cells and tissues, which can make you feel weak, tired, and short of breath. Low hemoglobin is commonly linked to anemia, a condition where there are fewer healthy red blood cells than normal. Causes of low hemoglobin include iron deficiency (often from poor diet or blood loss such as heavy menstrual bleeding or gastrointestinal bleeding), diseases that affect red blood cell production (like cancer, chronic kidney disease, or vitamin deficiencies), or conditions that lead to faster destruction of red blood cells (like hemolytic anemia or sickle cell disease). Symptoms of low hemoglobin can include body aches, brittle nails, dizziness, paleness, chest pain, a fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, headache, irritability, and trouble concentrating. Normal hemoglobin levels generally range between 13.5 to 17.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL) for adult males and 12.0 to 15.5 g/dL for adult females. Levels below these thresholds indicate low hemoglobin, with more severe cases being potentially life-threatening if they fall very low (e.g., less than 6.5 g/dL). In summary, low hemoglobin means your blood is less efficient at transporting oxygen, often due to anemia or other underlying health conditions, and it can cause symptoms related to oxygen deficiency in your body's tissues. It is important to determine and treat the underlying cause of low hemoglobin levels.