MCHC checks the average amount of hemoglobin in a group of red blood cells.

MCH & MCHC

MCH is short for "mean corpuscular hemoglobin." It's the average amount in each of your red blood cells of a protein called hemoglobin, which carries oxygen around your body.

 A similar measure to MCH is "mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration" (MCHC). MCHC checks the average amount of hemoglobin in a group of red blood cells.

 These both parameters is being used in a diagnosis of anemia. It's a condition caused by not having enough healthy red blood cells, or the red blood cells

Symptoms and Causes of Anemia

Anemia can cause abnormal MCH readings on blood tests. Often a lack of iron causes anemia with a low MCH.

Pregnancy, blood loss, and weight loss surgery can all cause a drop in your iron levels and lead to iron-deficiency anemia or low hemoglobin and MCH levels.

Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia-

• Weakness
• Tiredness
• Pale or yellow skin
• Trouble catching your breath
• Dizziness
• Fast or abnormal heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Headache
• Cold hands or feet

An anemia with a high MCH level could lead deficiency of  vitamin B12 or other nutrients.

Signs of low vitamin B12 include-

• Numbness or tingling in your hands and feet
• Trouble walking or staying balanced
• Trouble thinking
• Tiredness
• Weakness
• Swollen tongue

An anemia with a high MCH is called macrocytic anemia. When have this condition, red blood cells are larger than normal.

Other causes of macrocytic anemia include:

• Lack of enough folic acid
• Liver disease
• Alcohol misuse
• Underactive thyroid gland
• Certain medicines that treat cancer, diabetes, seizures, and autoimmune diseases
• Myelodysplastic syndrome, a type of bone marrow cancer
• Macrocytic anemia often doesn't cause symptoms.
• Deficiency of vitamin B12 & Symptoms-
• Pale or yellow skin
• Mouth sores
• Numbness and tingling
• Trouble walking
• Weakness
• Depression
• Trouble thinking clearly

Some conditions, including high cholesterol and high triglycerides, can make MCH level seems high on a test.