Is it bad if your RDW is high?
A high RDW means you have both very small and very large red blood cells. You may also have a “normal” RDW. A normal RDW range is 12.2%–16.1% for women and 11.8%–14.5% for men. But that doesn’t always mean you’re in perfect health.
How do you treat high RDW?
Eat a healthy and nutritious diet in order to prevent nutrient deficiencies. It is important that your diet includes enough iron, folate, and vitamin B12 [8, 11, 12]. Correcting nutritional deficiencies can help improve red blood cell production and decrease RDW levels.
Why is high RDW bad?
Red cell distribution width (RDW) has recently been associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. The underlying mechanisms remain unresolved, but high levels of RDW may be caused by inflammation or poor nutritional status.
What does red blood cell distribution width indicate?
to help diagnose the causes of anemia (a wide variation in the size of cells or a high RDW may occur when more than one type of anemia is present) to screen people who have a history of a red blood cell condition such as thalassemia. with heart disease (an elevated RDW is a strong predictor for eventual heart failure)
What is red cell distribution width in blood test?
A red cell distribution width (RDW) test is a measurement of the range in the volume and size of your red blood cells (erythrocytes). Red blood cells move oxygen from your lungs to every cell in your body. Your cells need oxygen to grow, reproduce, and stay healthy.
What causes high red cell distribution width?
If your RDW is too high, it could be an indication of a nutrient deficiency, such as a deficiency of iron, folate, or vitamin B-12. These results could also indicate macrocytic anemia, when your body doesn’t produce enough normal red blood cells, and the cells it does produce are larger than normal.