Normal range: 32 – 36 g/dL (higher is better)
MCHC measures how concentrated hemoglobin is within your red blood cells. Unlike MCH (total hemoglobin per cell), MCHC tells you how densely packed the hemoglobin is relative to cell size. Low MCHC means pale, hemoglobin-poor cells, which is characteristic of iron deficiency. High MCHC is rare and usually indicates a structural red cell problem.
MCHC isn't sold on its own. It comes in a complete blood count (CBC), about $35. A fuller workup adds Vitamin D ($75), hs-CRP ($69), ApoB ($50), and ApoA1 ($50). You can test MCHC and 100 other biomarkers for $190 as part of an Empirical membership.
Empirical is FSA/HSA eligible, so you can pay with pre-tax dollars. Fast for 8-12 hours beforehand for the most accurate lipid and metabolic results, and expect results in days rather than weeks.
MCHC measures the average concentration of hemoglobin in a given volume of red blood cells. Helps diagnose certain types of anemia.
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration stays relatively flat across adult ages (correlation with age, r = -0.01). Most of the spread in the chart below comes from differences between people rather than from age.
A normal MCHC is 32 – 36 g/dL. Higher is better.
Low MCHC is characteristic of iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia. The red cells appear pale under a microscope because they contain less hemoglobin. Treating the underlying iron deficiency normalizes MCHC.
High MCHC is uncommon and may indicate hereditary spherocytosis (a genetic condition where red cells are small and spherical, concentrating hemoglobin into a smaller volume), severe dehydration, or autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Cold agglutinin disease can also cause a falsely elevated MCHC.
The same dietary and supplementation strategies that address iron deficiency (iron-rich foods, iron supplements with vitamin C) apply to low MCHC. High MCHC typically requires medical evaluation rather than lifestyle changes.
MCHC is most highly correlated with Hemoglobin and Creatinine. Here are the top biomarkers correlated with MCHC, based on 500,000 tests done by Empirical Health.
The percentage shows how strongly two biomarkers move together. A higher number means the relationship is stronger. Green = rises and falls together. Orange = one rises as the other falls.
MCHC is drawn at 2,200+ Quest and BioReference patient service centers across the US, so there's usually one within a short drive. Browse the full directory to find the one closest to you.
Test your Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration and 100+ other biomarkers in a single blood draw.
