Hemoglobin (Hb)

Overview:

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein inside red blood cells that binds oxygen in the lungs and releases it to the tissues. The concentration in blood is what defines anemia, and a low result is a common finding when investigating fatigue, breathlessness or pallor. Hemoglobin alone shows that there is a problem without indicating the cause, which can range from iron, B12 or folate deficiency to blood loss, chronic disease or inherited conditions. For that reason it is usually measured as part of a complete blood count, where red cell size and other indices help point toward an explanation.

Categories:

Blood, General Health & Wellness

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker