You don’t have to faint to realise your haemoglobin is low. For most people, it starts subtly. You’re tired all the time, you feel out of breath after climbing stairs, or someone suddenly says, “You’re looking pale.”
Still, many of us ignore these signs, thinking it’s work stress or maybe it’s the weather. But if your haemoglobin levels are low, your body is literally getting less oxygen. And that affects everything… your energy, focus, skin, and even your mood.
Low haemoglobin is especially common in women, teens, and people recovering from illness. But the problem is that most people have no clue what to eat or do about it.
From iron-rich diets to Ayurvedic supplements like Krishna’s Hemoglobin Booster Juice, there are many ways to increase your haemoglobin. So, stay tuned to learn how to increase haemoglobin and why it matters.
The Importance of Hemoglobin
Most of us have heard the word, but don’t really know what haemoglobin actually does.
In simple words, haemoglobin is the protein in your red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to every part of your body.
If your hemoglobin level is low, it means oxygen is not reaching your cells properly, and this could be a sign of an underlying illness or condition like a deficiency of iron, vitamin B-12, or folate, anemia, kidney disease, liver disease, thalassemia, thyroid disease, such as hypothyroidism and genetics, such as sickle cell anemia.
When hemoglobin drops, you feel constantly tired, get short of breath, can’t focus well, and sometimes even feel dizzy. It also shows on your skin, it looks dull or paler than usual.
The normal hemoglobin range differs between males and females.
- For males, the range is 14.0 to 17.5 gm/dL.
- For females, the range is 12.3 to 15.3 gm/dL.
If a man’s hemoglobin level falls below 13 gm/dL or a woman’s below 12 gm/dL, it is regarded as very low. At this point, fatigue and weakness become more apparent.
Ways To Increase Your Hemoglobin Levels
You may improve your hemoglobin count by making dietary changes and using supplements, but you should see your doctor before you try these out.
1. Increase The Intake of Foods High in Iron
The most common reason for low hemoglobin is a lack of iron. Iron is the required mineral for red blood cells production. And these red blood cells are what carry oxygen all over the body. When your body lacks iron, your hemoglobin level automatically drops.
If your hemoglobin is low, the first thing you should do is add iron-rich foods to your diet. such as:
- Vegetables: Spinach, fenugreek (methi), kale, broccoli
- Pulses: Kidney beans (rajma), chickpeas (chana), red lentils (masoor dal)
- Dry fruits: Raisins (kishmish), figs (anjeer), dates (khajoor)
- Nuts & seeds: Pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, almonds
- Others: Soybean, tofu, peanut butter
How much iron do you need?
Adult men: About 8 mg per day
Women (18–50 yrs): About 18–19 mg per day, because they lose iron during periods.
2. Increase Vitamin C Intake
Just taking iron is not enough; your body also needs to properly absorb that iron for your hemoglobin levels to actually improve. Vitamin C aids in the absorption of iron much better.
Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that boosts iron absorption in your digestive system, especially when it comes to plant-based (non-heme) iron. For example, if you’re eating spinach or dal, squeeze some lemon juice in it, your body will absorb that iron much better.
To increase your vitamin C intake, eat more:
- Lemon
- Orange
- Amla
- Guava
- Bell peppers
- Tomatoes
3. Take Vitamin B12 and Folate
Your body is continually producing new red blood cells, which contain hemoglobin. If your body is not producing RBCs properly, your hemoglobin levels will naturally fall. Vitamin B12 and folate (Vitamin B9) are both required for proper RBC production.
A deficiency of Vitamin B12 can cause megaloblastic anemia, a disorder in which your RBCs become abnormally big and do not function properly.
Vitamin B12 is mostly present in animal foods such as milk, paneer, curd, eggs, meat, and fish. But if you are a vegetarian, we’ve got you sorted. Read this article — Natural Sources of Vitamin B12 for Vegetarians.
4. Krishna’s Hemoglobin Booster Juice
Diet alone may not always suffice in today’s fast-paced world. That is why a natural supplement, such as Krishna’s Hemoglobin Booster Juice, might be helpful for you.
This juice is specially made from 13+ herbs and natural ingredients that, according to traditional Ayurvedic knowledge, help in blood formation, improve oxygen supply, and reduce fatigue.
It has:
- Kutki: Helps boost the liver’s function, which supports healthy RBC production.
- Bahera and Harad: Both aid digestion and iron absorption.
- Giloy: Improves immune function and reduces tiredness.
- Amla: A natural source of Vitamin C that boosts iron absorption.
Lifestyle Changes and Other Nutrients That Support Healthy Hemoglobin Levels
You can’t increase your hemoglobin just by eating. The habits you follow in your daily life also play a very important role. Small lifestyle changes can improve your blood health, and you will feel more energetic.
First, let us talk about exercise. Regular modest workouts or walks are not only important for your fitness, but they also improve your blood circulation. When you exercise on a daily basis, your heart functions better, and oxygen-rich blood gets to all parts of your body faster. This provides the oxygen your cells require to perform correctly. At the same time, the bone marrow, which produces red blood cells, becomes more active, increasing hemoglobin levels.
The second key factor is hydration. Drinking water is vital for both your general health and hemoglobin. When you are dehydrated, your blood thickens, making it difficult for oxygen to circulate easily throughout your body. This is why you should drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day. If you exercise or go outside in the heat, drink more water. Staying hydrated also helps your body flush out toxins efficiently, which is important for making blood.
Avoiding smoking and alcohol consumption is also very important. Smoking damages your lungs and reduces the blood’s ability to carry oxygen. Because of this, even if you have hemoglobin in your blood, it cannot efficiently deliver oxygen to the cells. Alcohol damages the liver, and if the liver stops working well, blood production gets affected. The liver plays an indirect role in RBC production because it purifies your blood and helps absorb nutrients. So if you want to improve your hemoglobin, it’s important to avoid smoking and excessive alcohol consumption.
Besides these lifestyle changes, some nutrients like copper, zinc, and vitamin A are also important to increase your hemoglobin. If you depend on only one or two nutrients, that will never be enough. You need iron, vitamins, minerals, all together.
Takeaway
Increasing hemoglobin levels can take time, anywhere from a few weeks to sometimes even a year, depending on your condition and the changes you have made. But if you have tried all the above ways to increase your hemoglobin and you still notice pale skin and gums, fatigue and muscle weakness, and a fast or irregular heartbeat, contact your doctor immediately.