What the MCV Blood Test Can Tell You About Your Health

The Mean Corpuscular Volume blood test, also known as the MCV blood test, is an important blood test. It is used to measure the average size of red blood cells. As an important part of complete blood count tests, here are the various health insights it can provide doctors.

Anaemia Diagnosis:

Anaemia is a disease that leads to low blood count in the body. An MCV blood test is used by doctors to understand the type of anaemia that has affected the person. Low MCV levels can be indicative of microcytic anaemia or iron deficiency. The opposite generally relates to vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.

Dehydration:

The MCV blood test results can indicate dehydration as it makes the blood more concentrated.

Liver Disease:

Higher or lower than normal MCV blood test results can indicate a higher risk of liver disease. This is mainly because the liver produces proteins that impact red blood cell sizes.

Thyroid Problems:

Hypothyroidism, which means underactivity of the thyroid gland can often lead to larger red blood cells.

Alcohol Consumption:

Continued alcohol consumption can increase your risk of macrocytic anaemia, which means larger than normal red blood cells. It is reflected by elevated results in an MCV blood test.

Other Conditions:

MCV blood test results can be influenced by medications, underlying genetic disorders, or even bone marrow disorders.

MCV blood tests help doctors assess your blood test and prescribe additional diagnostic or imaging tests if required. So, make sure you discuss your MCV blood test results with your doctor to see if they are abnormal or if you have any concerns about your test reports.