Hemoglobin normal range: levels for men, women and anemia

Quick answer: the hemoglobin normal range is 13.8 to 17.2 g/dL (138 to 172 g/L) for adult men and 12.1 to 15.1 g/dL (121 to 151 g/L) for adult women, according to MedlinePlus. The WHO's 2024 guideline keeps its anemia cutoffs at under 13.0 g/dL for men and under 12.0 g/dL for non-pregnant women. To convert g/dL to g/L, multiply by 10.

Check hemoglobin at homeHemoglobin is reported on SiPhox Longevity Essentials, Heart & Metabolic, GLP Optimization and Ultimate 360, and a full CBC is a +$45 add-on.

See SiPhox panels

Hemoglobin normal range

The MedlinePlus CBC article uses a slightly wider adult range (13 to 18 g/dL for men, 12 to 16 for women), a reminder that each lab sets its own. MedlinePlus also notes the range can vary with age, sex, altitude and smoking: people living at high altitude and smokers run higher.

What hemoglobin does

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein inside red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. It is the core number in a complete blood count, alongside hematocrit, red cell count and the red cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC). A hemoglobin result tells you how much oxygen-carrying capacity you have, but not why it is low or high; that takes other tests, such as ferritin and iron studies.

What low hemoglobin means

Low hemoglobin is anemia. MedlinePlus lists these causes:

• Iron deficiency, a common cause, and blood loss from injury or heavy periods
• Lack of vitamin B12 or folate
• Thalassemia and other inherited conditions
• Chronic kidney disease, liver disease, cancer and other long-term illness
• Bone marrow problems, including leukemia and drug or radiation toxicity

Symptoms such as tiredness, shortness of breath on exertion or pale skin with a low hemoglobin need a doctor. Our blood test for fatigue guide covers which markers to check first.

What high hemoglobin means

MedlinePlus lists lung disease, heart disease, sleep apnea and polycythemia vera (a bone marrow disease that makes too many red cells) as causes of a high hemoglobin. Dehydration, smoking and living at altitude raise it too. Testosterone therapy is another common reason: the Endocrine Society's guideline lists an elevated hematocrit as a reason not to start testosterone and tells doctors to monitor hematocrit during treatment. See our TRT blood test guide.

Worked example

A 34-year-old woman with heavy periods gets a hemoglobin of 11.4 g/dL (114 g/L). That is under both the MedlinePlus range (12.1 to 15.1) and the WHO anemia cutoff of 12.0. The next step is ferritin: if hers is 9 ng/mL, iron deficiency is the likely cause, and her doctor can look for the source and plan treatment. Rechecking hemoglobin 8 to 12 weeks after treatment starts shows whether it is working.

A 52-year-old man on testosterone therapy has a hemoglobin of 17.9 g/dL, above the MedlinePlus limit of 17.2, with a hematocrit of 53%. That pattern is what his prescriber monitors on therapy; the dose or plan may need to change.

Which test to use

Getting a reliable hemoglobin result

• Drink normally. Dehydration concentrates the blood and raises hemoglobin and hematocrit.
• Allow for altitude and smoking. Both raise hemoglobin (MedlinePlus), and MedlinePlus notes hematocrit rises for several weeks after moving to a higher altitude.
• Note where you are in your cycle. Heavy periods are a common cause of low hemoglobin; recording the timing helps explain a dip.
• Recheck on a schedule. After treatment for anemia starts, a repeat at 8 to 12 weeks shows whether it is working, and ferritin in the same draw shows whether stores are refilling.

At-home tests that include hemoglobin

Hemoglobin is on four SiPhox panels: Longevity Essentials, Heart & Metabolic, Ultimate 360 and GLP Optimization. SiPhox lists it as a capillary value measured by the HbA1c method, paired with a calculated hematocrit. It is not on Thyroid Focus or Hormone Focus. For a full count, SiPhox sells a CBC add-on at +$45 per test (EasyDraw only), which adds red cell count, white cell count, MCV, MCH, MCHC and RDW, or CBC and IGF-1 together for +$100.

SiPhox is a wellness service with no doctor review included. A hemoglobin under the WHO cutoff should be confirmed with a venous CBC through your doctor. See our SiPhox review.

A note on home samples: SiPhox's partner lab tests capillary blood collected from the upper arm. SiPhox says its results show a 95% to 99% correlation with venous draws in its own quarterly comparisons against Labcorp and Quest, but it has not published a study of the EasyDraw device. If a result would change a treatment decision, confirm it with a venous test through your doctor.

Most people start here

Longevity Essentials

$124 + $25 shipping per test

31 biomarkers per test

The default panel: heart, metabolic, hormone and inflammation markers in one draw.

Check price

Heart & Metabolic

$124 + $25 shipping per test

28 biomarkers per test

Lipids plus kidney and liver function: the panel for cardiovascular and metabolic risk.

Check price

Ultimate 360

$249 + $25 shipping per test

62 biomarkers per test

Everything on the four core panels plus iron studies, B12 and folate, GGT and PSA.

Check price

Add a full CBC to your home testHemoglobin comes with four panels; add a complete blood count for +$45 per test.

Check SiPhox price

Frequently asked questions