MCHC stands for mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, which is a measurement of the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. A low MCHC measurement is known as hypochromia, which indicates that you have a lower concentration of hemoglobin in your red blood cells. The most common cause of low MCHC is anemia, specifically hypochromic microcytic anemia. Symptoms of low MCHC levels often relate to iron deficiency anemia and include fatigue, chronic tiredness, and shortness of breath.

If your doctor suspects that you have a low MCHC, they will order a complete blood count (CBC) . This is a collection of tests that includes a blood test to examine your MCHC levels and a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) test, which measures the average volume of your red blood cells. They will also check for iron levels and iron-binding capacity, which measures whether your body absorbs iron the way it’s supposed to.

Low MCHC concentrations in the blood may point to iron-deficiency anemia. However, in some cases, it may be a sign of an underlying condition, such as celiac disease or cancer. To diagnose high or low MCHC values, a medical professional will take a sample of blood and send it to a lab to be analyzed.