At what point are people considered anemic?
Anemia occurs when a patient has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells. Anemia is assessed by measuring the amount of hemoglobin, the substance in red blood cells that transports and delivers oxygen throughout your body. A doctor can determine if you are anemic by performing a routine blood test called a complete blood count (CBC) test, which provides levels for both hemoglobin and hematocrit (the percentage of red blood cells in a blood sample). The measurement of hemoglobin is the most common method for assessing anemia, although hematocrit values may also be used.4 The normal value or range for these indicators varies with both gender and age. Once a diagnosis of anemia is made by your doctor, more tests, such as iron status tests, are often required to determine the cause of the anemia and the best course of treatment. Anemia is further categorized as mild, moderate or severe depending how far a patient’s hemoglobin level resides below the normal range. As important, anemia