Why is rbc count different in men and women

This indicates that females have higher levels of tissue oxygenation for a given red cell mass. This, in turn, suggests that females must have more efficient tissue red cell delivery.

In addition, the curves for males and females were parallel: they did not overlap Figure 1 A. When analyzed by age cohort, the mean capillary-venous hemoglobin gap in females increased after the age range of 45 to 50 years. In males there was gradual decline with age Figure 1 B.

Differences between venous and capillary hemoglobin levels in men and women. That a gap exists between the capillary and venous hematocrit is well described. The total body hematocrit is approximately 0. The gap is higher on average in males and increases as capillary red cell content declines. Above the age range of 45 to 50 years in women, the gap increases toward the level found in men. Possible causative or contributory mechanisms include rheologic effects, including sex differences in blood flow speeds, and changes in blood viscosity with red cell concentration.

It may also contribute to lower rates of cardiovascular disease in premenopausal women, and may have important consequences for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases and anemias, and for blood transfusion. Conflict-of-interest disclosure: The authors declare no competing financial interests. Sign In or Create an Account. Sign In. Skip Nav Destination Content Menu. Close Authorship. Article Navigation. A red blood cell RBC count is a blood test that tells you how many red blood cells you have.

The amount of oxygen that's delivered to your body's tissues depends on the number of red blood cells you have and how well they work. Women usually have a lower RBC count than men, and the level of red blood cells tends to decrease with age. The results of an RBC count can be used to help diagnose blood-related conditions, such as iron deficiency anaemia where there are less red blood cells than normal. Arch Intern Med Chic. Coronavirus Resource Center.

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