What does it mean when RDW is high on blood test?
High results If your RDW is too high, it could be an indication of a nutrient deficiency, such as a deficiency of iron, folate, or vitamin B-12. These results could also indicate macrocytic anemia, when your body doesn’t produce enough normal red blood cells, and the cells it does produce are larger than normal.
What does a low RDW mean in a blood test?
A low RDW means your red blood cells are all about the same size. A high RDW means you have both very small and very large red blood cells. You may also have a “normal” RDW. A normal RDW range is 12.2%–16.1% for women and 11.8%–14.5% for men.
How can I raise my RDW levels?
Eating a balanced diet: A nutritious diet can help prevent deficiencies of iron, folate, and vitamin B12, which contribute to raised RDW levels. However, if an individual has digestive issues affecting how they absorb nutrients from food, they may need to get nutrients in another way, such as through B12 injections.
Is low RDW serious?
Low RDW. A low value indicates that your red blood cells are uniform in size. This is desirable and not a cause for concern [3]. However, it is still possible to have a blood-related disease and low RDW levels [3].
Does RDW 16.3 mean?
RDW level on admission was considered “high” if it were greater than the 95th percentile per the normal interval of the institution’s laboratory (16.3%), and “normal” if ≤16.3%.
What does elevated RDW mean in a blood test?
High results If your RDW is too high, it could be an indication of a nutrient deficiency, such as a deficiency of iron, folate, or vitamin B-12. These results could also indicate macrocytic anemia, when your body doesn’t produce enough normal red blood cells, and the cells it does produce are larger than normal.
What does a High RDW blood count mean?
a high RDW and high MCV indicates a lack of B12 or folate, macrocytic anemia, or chronic liver disease; Many conditions have links to a high RDW, including: alcohol use disorder
What does High RDW mean in blood work?
If the RDW is high, it means that the red blood cells vary in sizes. There are a lot of reasons for this and to come up with a clear answer, an MCV or mean corpuscular volume should be obtained. RDW and MCV are closely related, especially in diagnosing various blood disorders. (1, 2) What does it mean when your RDW is high?
What causes High RDW count?
High RDW levels can also be caused due to the use of performance enhancing drugs like anabolic steroids or protein injections. Dehydration can also be another factor that contributes to high RDW. In such a case, the plasma gets decreased and as a result the count of red blood cells increases.