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Hematology

MCHC: Completing the Red Cell Picture

MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. It varies least of the three red cell indices, which is precisely why an abnormal value is worth taking seriously. Learn what your value can mean.

Doctor's Assessment Included

Reference Ranges

Male
mmol/l
Low 19 Normal 22.5 High

Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. When you order a test, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your personal results in context. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.

Check your own value

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): what this test measures

MCHC stands for mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration: the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. It is not a separate measurement but a calculation from your haemoglobin and your haematocrit.

Where MCH shows how much haemoglobin a cell contains, MCHC shows how densely that haemoglobin is packed. A cell can be large and still hold a normal concentration.

The value is always assessed together with your MCV and MCH. Of the three red cell indices, MCHC varies least, which is exactly why a deviation stands out.

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): why this value matters

MCHC completes the picture your MCV and MCH give. A low MCHC means your red blood cells are paler than normal, which fits longer-standing iron deficiency or thalassaemia.

A high MCHC is unusual, because a red blood cell can only hold so much haemoglobin. When the value is raised anyway, it can point to hereditary spherocytosis, a condition in which red blood cells are sphere-shaped.

A raised MCHC can also have a technical cause, for instance when the blood sample is damaged or very high in fat. The laboratory and your doctor always weigh that possibility before drawing conclusions.

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): when is testing worthwhile?

MCHC is included automatically in a full blood count. That is done for complaints such as fatigue, pallor or breathlessness, during a general health check, and when monitoring anaemia.

The value is most useful alongside your MCV and MCH: together they point towards the cause of an abnormal haemoglobin.

You do not need to fast for it. The value comes from the same tube of blood as the rest of your blood count.

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): symptoms of a high or low value

Low Levels

A low MCHC causes no symptoms by itself. Noticeable complaints come from the anaemia underneath it: fatigue, pallor, breathlessness on exertion and sometimes headaches or dizziness. Because a low MCHC often fits longer-standing iron deficiency, your doctor will usually look at your ferritin as well.

High Levels

A high MCHC causes no symptoms by itself. Because a genuinely raised value is rare, the first step is to check whether the sample could have influenced the result. If the value stays raised on repeat testing, your doctor may investigate hereditary spherocytosis. Complaints that go with it are fatigue, jaundice or an enlarged spleen.

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): lifestyle and this value

For a low MCHC the gain lies in addressing the cause, usually iron deficiency. Iron-rich food such as meat, pulses, wholegrain products and green vegetables helps, and vitamin C with a meal improves absorption. Tea and coffee close to a meal reduce it.

A high MCHC can rarely be influenced by lifestyle, because there is usually a technical or inherited cause behind it. Repeating the test is then the logical first step.

Do not start iron supplements on your own initiative because of an abnormal value. Too much iron is harmful. Discuss the result with your doctor first, who will consider your whole blood count.

MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration): frequently asked questions

What does MCHC mean in a blood test?
MCHC stands for mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration: the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. It is calculated from your haemoglobin and your haematocrit, not measured separately.
What is a normal MCHC value?
In the Netherlands MCHC is reported in mmol/l, with a usual adult range of roughly 19.0 to 22.5 mmol/l. The range is the same for men and women. Always check the reference range printed on your own result.
What is the difference between MCH and MCHC?
MCH is how much haemoglobin an average red blood cell contains. MCHC is how concentrated that haemoglobin is within the cell. A large cell can carry plenty of haemoglobin and still have a normal concentration, which is why both are reported.
What does a low MCHC mean?
A low MCHC means your red blood cells are paler than normal. It fits longer-standing iron deficiency and inherited conditions such as thalassaemia. Your doctor will look at your MCV, MCH and ferritin alongside it.
What does a high MCHC mean?
A genuinely raised MCHC is uncommon, because a red blood cell can only hold so much haemoglobin. It can point to hereditary spherocytosis, but a damaged or very fatty sample can also raise it, so the test is usually repeated first.
How is MCHC calculated?
Your haemoglobin is divided by your haematocrit. When haematocrit was not measured separately, it can be derived from your red blood cell count and MCV, which give the same value.

Tests with related values

These panels measure values from the same category as this marker.

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