When blood is pumped to the lungs, carbon dioxide is exchanged for oxygen; the carbon dioxide is exhaled and oxygenated blood is returned to the heart. The amount of oxygen carried depends on the amount of haemoglobin in the red blood cells. Anaemia occurs when the amount of red blood cells or the amount of haemoglobin is reduced. In practical terms, being anaemic is like a car running on standard instead of super.
Haemoglobin is a substance made of an iron-containing, red pigment called haem, bound to four protein chains called globulins. A healthy male adult should have a haemoglobin level between 13.0 and 18.0 g/dl ( grams per 100 mls ). Because of normal menstrual loss, most women have a slightly lower haemoglobin level, usually between 11.5 and 16.5 g/dl. There is a growing trend to express haemoglobin levels in the International Unit, grams/litre or g/l. In these units the normal ranges are 130 to 180 g/l for men and 115 to 165 g/l for women.
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