<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
 
charles b white wrote:
 
>I just had a check up at the doctors and he said I may be
anemic or my
>B12 levels may be low. I have to go back for another blood
test. My
>hematacrit was 42%.  Is this common with celiacs?  Janet
 
Janet,
        A hematocrit of 42% is roughly equalivant to a hemoglobin of 14 gm,
which is not in the anemic range. I would suspect that your red blood
indices, particularly your mean corpuscular volume (the average sixe of
the red blood cells), were off. If the mean corpuscular volume was larger
than normal, that is an indication of a possible vitamin B12 deficiency.
And,yes, malabsorption due to celiac sprue could cause a deficiency.
There are other causes for a vitamin B12 deficiency, so be sure to have
it checked out and don't just assume that it is due to CD.
        Ellen Eagan
        Specialist in Blood Banking
>