Typical hemoglobin levels vary depending on several factors. Having high or low levels can indicate certain medical conditions, such as diseases affecting the heart and kidneys.
Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries iron. It’s responsible for holding oxygen and moving it to the rest of your body.
When your blood doesn’t contain enough hemoglobin, your cells don’t receive enough oxygen. This is known as anemia, which affects up to
Doctors determine your hemoglobin level by analyzing a blood sample.
Keep reading to learn more about what’s considered a normal, high, and low hemoglobin level.
Hemoglobin levels are measured in grams per deciliter (g/dL) of blood.
Several factors may affect your hemoglobin levels, such as age, sex assigned at birth, and medical history.
It’s also important to note that healthy ranges may vary slightly from one laboratory to another.
Adults
In adults, the average hemoglobin level is
| Sex | Normal hemoglobin level (g/dL) |
|---|---|
| Female | 12 to 15 |
| Male | 13.5 to 18 |
Older adults tend to have lower hemoglobin levels. This may be due to several factors,
- nutritional deficiencies, such as iron, folate, and vitamin B12
- underlying health conditions, such as chronic inflammation and kidney disease
- medication side effects
Children
Infants have higher hemoglobin levels than adults because they have higher oxygen levels in the womb and need more red blood cells to transport the oxygen. This level starts to go down after several weeks.
Below are the hemoglobin ranges from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service in North Bristol:
| Age | Hemoglobin levels (g/dL) |
|---|---|
| 0 to 14 days | 14 to 24 |
| 15 to 30 days | 13.4 to 19.8 |
| 31 to 60 days | 13.4 to 19.8 |
| 2 to 6 months | 9.4 to 13 |
| 6 to 12 months | 11.1 to 14.1 |
| 1 to 6 years | 11.5 to 14 |
| 6 to 12 years | 11.5 to 15.5 |
| 12 to 18 years | • Females: 12 to 16 • Males: 13 to 17 |
High hemoglobin levels generally accompany high red blood cell counts, known as
A high red blood cell count and hemoglobin level may indicate several things,
- severe dehydration
- being at high altitudes
- heart disease
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- Pickwickian syndrome
- uncontrolled asthma
- kidney disease and tumors
- polycythemia vera
Symptoms
Many people don’t experience symptoms of high hemoglobin levels. However, in some cases, you may experience:
Risk factors
You may be more likely to have high hemoglobin levels if you:
- have a family history of disorders that affect red blood cell counts, such as altered oxygen sensing
- live at a high altitude
- smoke
A low hemoglobin level is
The biggest risk factors for low hemoglobin levels are big amounts of blood loss. Common causes
- heavy menstruation
- pregnancy
- gastrointestinal bleeding
- surgery
Low hemoglobin may also be genetic or caused by some medical conditions,
- chronic conditions, such as liver disease, kidney disease, and hypothyroidism
- bone marrow disorders, such as leukemia, lymphoma, and aplastic anemia
- conditions that destroy red blood cells, such as sickle cell anemia, thalassemia, G6PD deficiency, and hereditary spherocytosis.
Symptoms
Like high hemoglobin, not everyone experiences symptoms of low hemoglobin. However, some possible symptoms include:
Risk factors
You may also be more likely to have low hemoglobin levels if you:
- have a condition that causes chronic bleeding, such as gastric ulcers, colon polyps, or heavy menstrual periods
- have a folate, iron, or vitamin B-12 deficiency
- were involved in a traumatic accident, such as a car accident
Learn more about how to raise your hemoglobin.
When having blood work done, you might also see results for hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), sometimes called glycated hemoglobin. An HbA1c test measures the amount of glycated hemoglobin, which is hemoglobin that has glucose attached to it.
Doctors often order this test for people with diabetes to get a better idea of their average glucose levels over the course of 2 to 3 months.
Glucose, or blood sugar, circulates throughout your blood and attaches to hemoglobin. The more glucose in your blood, the more likely you will have higher glycated hemoglobin levels.
Glucose stays attached to hemoglobin for about 120 days, so a high HbA1c level indicates your blood sugar has been high for several months.
If you have diabetes, it’s best to aim for an HbA1c level of less than 6.5%. Those without diabetes tend to have HbA1c levels below 5.7%.
If you have diabetes and a high HbA1c level, you may need to adjust your treatment plan.
It’s important to note that hemoglobin HbA1c is not used to measure total hemoglobin levels and doesn’t diagnose anemia or polycythemia.
Learn more about controlling HbA1c levels.
What is considered a bad hemoglobin level?
Low hemoglobin levels are below
What is a 7.0 hemoglobin level?
A hemoglobin test result of 7 g/dL will indicate low hemoglobin levels, which may be a sign of anemia. A doctor can help determine the underlying cause and develop a treatment plan.
What does it mean if your hemoglobin is low?
Low hemoglobin may indicate anemia, heavy bleeding, pregnancy, or chronic health conditions that affect your bones, kidneys, or red blood cells. A doctor could provide a proper diagnosis and treatment plan.
What is the normal hemoglobin level for a female?
A normal hemoglobin level for adult females is
Hemoglobin levels may vary by age, medical condition, and sex assigned at birth.
A high or low hemoglobin level may indicate various things, but some people naturally have higher or lower levels.
A doctor will look at your results in the context of your overall health to determine whether your levels indicate an underlying condition.
