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Pseudoanemia, Sports Medicine

Amity Tung, MD Reviewed 04/2019
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

  • Dilutional phenomenon in endurance athletes leading to hemoglobin and hematocrit values that are lower than normal limits

  • Technically, not a true “anemia” because athletes tend to hav...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

Check exercise schedule, type of training activity, and occurrence of any symptoms. 

PHYSICAL EXAM

  • Hemoglobin levels 13 to 14 g/100 mL in men and 11 to 12 g/100 mL in women; dose-respon...

TREATMENT

  • Rule out iron deficiency anemia.

  • Self-limited condition; indices return to pretraining levels after training is discontinued.

  • Normal physiologic response; no treatment required

REFERENCES

1
Mairbäurl H. Red blood cells in sports: effects of exercise and training on oxygen supply by red blood cells. Front Physiol.  2013;4:332.
2
Eichner ER. Sports medicine pearls and pitfal...

ADDITIONAL READING

  • Balaban EP. Sports anemia. Clin Sports Med.  1992;11(2):313–325.

  • Raunikar RA, Sabio H. Anemia in the adolescent athlete. Am J Dis Child.  1992;146(10):1201–1205.

  • Watts E. At...

CLINICAL PEARLS

With pseudoanemia, iron supplementation does not affect occurrence or improve lab values, nor is it necessary unless there is a coexisting iron deficiency anemia. 

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