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Hemoglobin test
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Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein carried inside red blood cells. Picture those cells as vehicles and hemoglobin as the system that loads oxygen in the lungs and carries it to body tissues. The test measures how much hemoglobin is present in the blood.
It is commonly included in a complete blood count and can help evaluate anemia. It should not be confused with hemoglobin A1C, which answers a different question about average blood glucose.
In brief
A hemoglobin test measures the concentration of hemoglobin, the iron-rich protein inside red blood cells. Hemoglobin carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body, so the test provides information about one of these cells’ central functions.
Hemoglobin carries oxygen inside red blood cells.
Hemoglobin is usually measured as part of a complete blood count and can help evaluate anemia. It is not the same as hemoglobin A1C: A1C estimates average blood glucose, while this test measures the concentration of the oxygen-carrying protein.
Sources (1)
- MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of MedicineHemoglobin Test
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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