7 Symptoms Of Low Hemoglobin You Should Know
Verified By
KIMS-SUNSHINE
Specialist,
09 March, 2025
Haemoglobin is a red pigment molecule that gives blood its well known crimson colour. But, it is not just that. It performs a major function – it helps red blood cells bind to precious oxygen molecules, which is how it then gets transported all over the body. It is essentially a protein that performs a crucial bodily function. For enough haemoglobin to be made, your body needs to have sufficient resources- like iron, folate and other vitamins and minerals. A deficiency can hence reduce haemoglobin (Hb) values and cause other medical issues for you- like anaemia. Many people assume that if you are anaemic, you need to have low Hb levels, but this is not always true.
Early Symptoms Of Low Haemoglobin Levels-
The 7 signs that you should know of, right when low Hb levels begin to reduce are as follows-
- You feel very tired and weak and may feel dizzy.
- You may not be able to breathe normally, especially when you exercise or climb stairs or do anything which is physically more demanding than normal.
- You may look pretty pale or even yellowish in colour
- Your heart may beat too fast or too slow.
- You could have chest pain
- Your hands and feet are almost always cold
- You have raging headaches
These are some of the signs of anaemia and low hemoglobin in adults. As mentioned before, low haemoglobin levels may be caused due to you not eating properly or if you have very heavy periods every month. You may not be anaemic, but still have low Hb levels. The inverse is also true- anaemia is caused when blood cells don’t form properly in the body and low Hb levels is just a side effect of that.
Does Low Haemoglobin Cause Dizziness And Shortness Of Breath?
Yes and this happens because your cells are not getting enough oxygen and nutrition. Cells cannot function normally if they don’t have the right resources to work with in the first place. This also means that you will not feel energetic and always need to rest often, even if you don’t work in any physically demanding job.
How To Boost Haemoglobin Levels Quickly?
You will need to first try to increase your consumption of iron rich foods, while simultaneously also help your body absorb it better, so that reserves of iron can be retained with ease. You can do this by eating red meat, fresh greens, plant seeds like sesame, pulses, pomegranates, beetroots, have protein rich foods and include some form of ascorbic acid or Vitamin E everyday- like lemon juice, so that your gut can absorb iron better. Dried fruits like dates, raisins or apricots are excellent sources of iron too. You should also eat Vitamin B12 or folate rich foods like dairy, tofu, paneer, meat everyday, as folate helps in proper red blood cell formation in the body.
Conclusion
The difference between low hemoglobin and iron deficiency anemia lies in the fact that low levels of iron may be due to poor diet, which leads to anaemia like issues and cell death or other causes. But, anaemia by itself is an inheritable disorder where blood cells are not formed properly in the bone marrow and hence your blood gets filled with unwanted cell types which then get destroyed by your body itself. Iron deficiency anaemia is a common issue in India, with over 50-60% of the population suffering from this issue. It especially affects women adversely, when they are pregnant and can even cause maternal or foetal deaths if not managed well. Low Hb levels is mostly a preventable condition while anaemia, which is mostly chronic needs to be managed as best as possible.
