There are many causes for anemia but they fall into 3 categoreis: increased destruction, decreased production and blood loss. They are different ways to measure the red blood cells in your bloodstream. Anemia: A low hemoglobin or hematocrit means you have anemia. Performance-enhancing drugs like protein injections and anabolic steroids can also increase RBCs. Hematology and Oncology 31 years experience. Lung or heart disease.Ī high RBC count may be a result of sleep apnea, pulmonary fibrosis, and other conditions that cause low oxygen levels in the blood. A disorder, such as polycythemia vera, that causes your body to produce too many red blood cells. You live at a high altitude and your red blood cell production naturally increases to compensate for the lower oxygen supply there.Īlso asked, what does it mean when your hematocrit is high?Ī higher than normal hematocrit can indicate: Dehydration. Secondly, what does it mean when your hemoglobin is high? A high hemoglobin count occurs most commonly when your body requires an increased oxygen-carrying capacity, usually because: You smoke. Lung disease, such as emphysema, COPD, pulmonary fibrosis (lung tissue becomes scarred) Polycythemia vera (a blood disorder in which the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells) Kidney tumors. Health or lifestyle factors can cause a high red blood cell count. As the volume of fluid in the blood drops, the RBCs per volume of fluid artificially rises with adequate fluid intake, the hematocrit returns to normal.Īlso asked, what can cause high red blood cell count? Dehydration-this is the most common cause of a high hematocrit. A high hematocrit with a high RBC count and high hemoglobin indicates polycythemia.