# low hemoglobin



## swl (Dec 11, 2009)

Has any body ever experience this? I'm 43 and i had a blood test done and they say my hemoglobin is low and that I'm low border line anemic now my testosterone level was hi 1000 and my hemoglobin low 13 so my question is dose this hurt my performance on the bike it feels like a cant recover very fast and i am tired all the time i don't feel like riding much is there a way to bump up my hemoglobin the doctor said to eat a rich diet i was diagnosed with low testosterone i have been taking test for 2 years with a hi test and low hemo is not right with hi test should have hi hemo any ideas


----------



## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

swl said:


> Has any body ever experience this? I'm 43 and i had a blood test done and they say my hemoglobin is low and that I'm low border line anemic now my testosterone level was hi 1000 and my hemoglobin low 13 so my question is dose this hurt my performance on the bike it feels like a cant recover very fast and i am tired all the time i don't feel like riding much is there a way to bump up my hemoglobin the doctor said to eat a rich diet i was diagnosed with low testosterone i have been taking test for 2 years with a hi test and low hemo is not right with hi test should have hi hemo any ideas



First, it is very difficult to read your post due to lack of punctuation and run-on sentences. 

Second, it is near impossible (and not wise) to give medical advisement on the internet. We are not privy to complete medical histories, and have no idea what your doctor has or has not done and the conversations you have had with him or her.

I cannot tell from your post whether you used to have low testosterone, and now it is high, or whether it's always been high. And yes, 1000 is quite high, and worth following closely if this is a new symptom for you.

As far as the low hemoglobin, the causes can be many. Most common in otherwise healthy adults is poor iron stores. Is your diet adequate (red meat, dark greens such as spinach)? Without adequate iron, anemia is common.

However, a hemoglobin of 13 is not generally low enough to cause symptoms of fatigue and lethargy. Have you had a thyroid panel (blood test) done? Ask your doctor.

If it were me, and me only, I'd make sure all necessary tests were performed, and possibly ask for appropriate referrals to specialist(s) depending on what my labwork showed.

If you do not feel you are getting the answers you need from your current doctor, most definitely get a second opinion from another doctor. People do this all the time.

Best wishes with your issues. Again, seek further medical attention if you are unable to find the answers.


----------



## heathb (Nov 1, 2008)

Your HGB of 13 isn't low. 

Granted some of us on this forum are 15 or higher, but anything above 12 would be fine for a man. Anemia isn't really flagged until you start getting close to 10 gram hgb. 

If you're that worried about it I would get an Iron/Iron Binding Capicity, B12, Folate level and of course I would want to recheck your hgb every 6 weeks to see if you drop. 

Diets in lean meats and fresh/frozen dark green leafy veggies(kale, collard greens, spinach....ect), cooked beans/lentils, enriched cereals, pumpkins seeds, and foods with acid to enhance Iron uptake like citrus fruits and tomato juice. 

Honestly though your low energy is probably due to age and other factors. I'm 37 and I don't recover half as well as I used to 5 years ago. Even if you bumped up your hgb to 15 or 16 you probably wouldn't feel much different.


----------



## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

Who said your hemoglobin was low? 13 is not low, and like OEH said, it's kinda hard to tell WTF you're talking about anyway.


----------



## OldEndicottHiway (Jul 16, 2007)

Kram said:


> Who said your hemoglobin was low? 13 is not low, and like OEH said, it's kinda hard to tell WTF you're talking about anyway.



Weeellll, 13 _is_ getting a bit on the "low end of normal" for a healthy adult male.

But you know how varied H/H values can be...

P.S. if my renal patients are >9.5 or so I'm ecstatic: means I don't have to transfuse them!


----------



## Kram (Jan 28, 2004)

"Low normal" is hardley abby normal. But yea, it is a touch on the low side. maybe adding some good French wine to his diet would do the trick, no?


----------

