Red blood cells are nuclear-free blood cells that form in the bone marrow. They are designed to provide tissues, organs and all cells of the body with oxygen. They also perform a transport function, removing carbon dioxide from them.
Normal performance
To determine that you have low red blood cells, you need to know what their level is considered adequate. So, the content of these blood cells depends on the age of the patient and on his gender. In healthy women, the number of red blood cells should be at the level of 3.7-4.7 x 10
12 in each liter of blood. In men, there may be slightly more - from 4 to 5.5 x 10
12 / l.
For children, slightly different indicators will be considered normal. So, at the age of 1 to 12 years they should be from 3.5 to 5.2 x 10 12 / l. And in the first month of life, they can be from 3.8 to 5.6 x 10 12 / l.
At the same time, the increased content of red blood cells in the blood of newborn babies is understandable. When they are in the womb, they need more of them to provide all the cells with oxygen. They begin to decay only after birth.
Main functions
The main purpose of red blood cells is the delivery of oxygen and the return transport of carbon dioxide. It becomes clear how
dangerous the situation is, when the red blood cells in the blood are lowered.
But in addition to performing the transport function, they have another purpose. They nourish and protect all tissues of the human body, and also maintain acid-base blood levels. They are able to transfer amino acids from the digestive system directly to the tissue. The protective function is expressed in the ability to participate in immune responses and adsorb antigens and toxins on its surface.
Increase in the number of blood cells
Many mistakenly believe that only a low red blood cell count is dangerous. This is not entirely true. Serious problems are both a decrease and an increase in their concentration in the bloodstream.
An elevated level of these cells is called erythrocytosis. It is worth noting that this situation is extremely rare. It can indicate a pathology of the lungs, heart, if an increase in their number arose due to excessive synthesis of the hormone erythropoietin in the kidneys. Erythrocytosis can also occur due to blood diseases, for example, erythremia. It is characterized by excessive formation of red blood cells. But do not panic immediately, as soon as their increased content was discovered. This may simply indicate dehydration, excessive physical exertion, or frequent stress.
Reduced red cell concentration
More often, doctors diagnose a reduced number of red blood cells in the blood. In most cases, this indicates anemia. It can begin due to a violation of the formation of these cells in the
red bone marrow. Also, the reasons for its development may be the following:
- large blood loss;
- excessive destruction of red blood cells;
- lack of iron.
All reasons are quite serious and require nutritional correction and drug treatment. Indeed, regardless of why the red blood cells in the blood are lowered, this leads to a deterioration in the state of the body, since its tissues and cells are worse supplied with oxygen.
Iron-deficiency anemia
To understand how to treat diseases, you need to find out what caused the decrease in the number of red blood cells. Often, iron deficiency in the body leads to the fact that lowered red blood cells in the blood are diagnosed. The causes of this condition lie in the insufficient formation of red cells. This is due precisely to a lack of iron.
And this deficit can develop for two reasons:
- Violation of its absorption or insufficient intake.
- Increased body need for this element.
In the initial stages of the disease, there are no symptoms, and the diagnosis can only be established by laboratory tests. For this, a blood test is performed. Red blood cells are lower, however, not only due to a lack of iron in the body. But if this is the reason, then the hemoglobin level will also be low. In addition, changes will affect the appearance of red blood cells, they will be reduced, and the intensity of their color will be different.
Other causes of anemia
Despite the fact that most often problems are detected precisely due to a lack of iron, there are other factors that influence the lowering of red blood cells in the blood. The reasons also lie in the lack of vitamin B12, folic acid. In these situations, some violations are noted. So, in patients gait disturbances or a decrease in sensitivity may be noticed.
Also, a decrease in the concentration of red blood cells due to hemolysis is sometimes observed. This is a condition in which intense destruction of these red blood cells occurs. It can be either a hereditary pathology, or develop as a result of certain diseases. Among them are Markiafava-Mikeli disease or hemoglobinopathy.
It cannot be ruled out that the destruction of blood cells occurs due to toxic or mechanical destruction of their membranes. It is normal when the red blood cells are lowered after significant blood loss.
There is another situation in which the level of these red bodies can be low, but nothing threatens the body. This is possible with excessive fluid intake. But such a decrease in the number of red blood cells will be only temporary and their number will quickly recover.