What Raises Red Blood Cells and Hemoglobin?

December 23, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the National Institutes of Health, iron deficiency is the most common cause of low hemoglobin levels. Understanding what raises red blood cells and hemoglobin is crucial for maintaining overall health and preventing conditions like anemia. This article explores both natural strategies and underlying medical reasons for high levels.

Quick Summary

This article details dietary adjustments, key nutrients like iron and B vitamins, and lifestyle changes such as exercise that can increase red blood cells and hemoglobin. It also outlines medical conditions and environmental factors that can cause high levels, helping readers understand the different influences on blood health.

Key Points

Iron-Rich Diet: Consuming heme iron from meat and non-heme iron from plants is essential for hemoglobin production.
Key Vitamins and Minerals: Vitamin B12, folate, vitamin C, and copper are critical cofactors for red blood cell formation and iron absorption.
Endurance Exercise: Regular physical activity, especially endurance training, stimulates the body to produce more red blood cells to meet increased oxygen demands.
High Altitude Exposure: Living at high altitude causes the body to naturally increase erythropoietin (EPO) production, leading to a higher red blood cell count to compensate for lower oxygen levels.
Medical Conditions: Abnormally high red blood cell counts can be a sign of underlying issues like polycythemia vera, chronic lung disease, or kidney tumors.
Lifestyle Habits: Smoking and dehydration can also lead to higher red blood cell concentrations.
Absorption Inhibitors: Certain foods like coffee, tea, and high-calcium dairy can hinder iron absorption and should be spaced out from iron-rich meals.

Essential Nutrients for Healthy Blood Production

To effectively raise red blood cells (RBCs) and hemoglobin, the body requires a consistent supply of specific nutrients. A deficiency in any of these can impede the process of erythropoiesis, or red blood cell creation.

Iron-Rich Foods and Absorption

Iron is the most critical mineral for producing hemoglobin. The iron molecule within hemoglobin is what binds to oxygen, allowing it to be transported throughout the body. Iron from food comes in two forms: heme and non-heme. Heme iron, found in animal products, is more easily absorbed by the body. Non-heme iron, from plant-based sources, requires assistance from other vitamins, particularly vitamin C, for optimal absorption.

Foods high in heme iron include:

Red meat (beef, lamb)
Organ meats (liver)
Poultry (chicken, turkey)
Seafood (clams, oysters)

Foods high in non-heme iron include:

Leafy greens (spinach, kale)
Legumes (lentils, beans, peas)
Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds)
Tofu
Fortified cereals

The Importance of B Vitamins and Other Cofactors

Beyond iron, other vitamins and minerals are vital for proper RBC formation. Vitamin B12 and folate (Vitamin B9) are essential for healthy cell division and maturation in the bone marrow. Vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia, where red blood cells are abnormally large and immature. Copper and Vitamin A also play supportive roles by aiding in iron absorption and utilization.

Key B-vitamin sources:

Vitamin B12: Eggs, dairy, meat, and fortified cereals
Folate (B9): Leafy greens, avocados, citrus fruits, and legumes
Other Cofactors: Vitamin C (citrus fruits), Copper (nuts, shellfish), Vitamin A (carrots, sweet potatoes)

Lifestyle and Environmental Factors

Several factors outside of diet can significantly influence your body's RBC and hemoglobin production. Both controlled changes and environmental exposures can have a notable impact.

How Exercise Boosts Red Blood Cells

Regular physical activity, particularly endurance exercise, can stimulate the production of red blood cells. When you exercise, your muscles demand more oxygen, prompting your body to produce more RBCs to improve oxygen transport. This is an adaptive response to increased demand. It's why endurance athletes often have a higher total blood volume and RBC mass compared to sedentary individuals.

High Altitude Living and Red Blood Cells

Living at high altitudes, where the oxygen level is lower, also naturally raises RBC and hemoglobin levels. This is an adaptive physiological response to compensate for the lower oxygen availability in the air. The body releases more of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO), which signals the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells.

Medical Conditions That Cause Elevated Levels

While nutrient deficiencies and lifestyle changes typically address low levels, some medical conditions can cause an abnormal increase in red blood cells. A high red blood cell count, or erythrocytosis, requires medical evaluation.

Causes of High Red Blood Cell Count

Polycythemia Vera: A rare blood cancer where the bone marrow produces too many red blood cells.
Chronic Hypoxia: Long-term low blood oxygen levels due to conditions like lung disease (COPD, pulmonary fibrosis) or congenital heart disease.
Kidney Tumors: Certain tumors can produce excess erythropoietin (EPO), leading to overproduction of RBCs.
Dehydration: A relative increase in the concentration of red blood cells due to low plasma volume.
Lifestyle: Chronic smoking can lead to low blood oxygen, triggering increased RBC production.

Comparison of Causes for Altered Blood Levels

Understanding the contrast between causes for low and high blood cell levels is key to diagnosis and treatment.


Feature	Low RBC/Hemoglobin (Anemia)	High RBC/Hemoglobin (Erythrocytosis)
Common Cause	Nutrient deficiencies (iron, B12, folate)	Medical conditions (Polycythemia Vera, heart/lung disease)
Effect on Body	Fatigue, weakness, paleness, shortness of breath	Increased blood viscosity, potential for blood clots
Typical Treatment	Dietary changes, supplements, addressing underlying issue	Therapeutic phlebotomy, medication to suppress bone marrow
Role of Exercise	Moderate exercise can stimulate RBC production	Intense exercise can transiently increase levels due to fluid shifts
Environmental Factor	N/A	Living at high altitude

Conclusion

Maintaining healthy levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin is essential for delivering oxygen throughout the body. For individuals with low levels, dietary adjustments focusing on iron, B vitamins, and vitamin C are often the primary solution. Incorporating regular exercise can also provide a natural boost to blood production. Conversely, abnormally high levels of red blood cells can be caused by underlying medical conditions, such as polycythemia vera, or environmental factors like high altitude living. It is important to consult a healthcare professional for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan for any significant abnormalities in red blood cell or hemoglobin counts. While lifestyle changes can be beneficial, they should not replace medical advice when blood levels are a concern.

Frequently Asked Questions

The fastest way depends on the cause. For a nutritional deficiency, a doctor may prescribe iron or B12 supplements. In severe cases, a blood transfusion may be necessary. For milder cases, prioritizing iron-rich foods with vitamin C can boost levels over a few weeks or months.

To increase hemoglobin naturally, focus on a diet rich in iron, folate (Vitamin B9), and vitamin C. Incorporate foods like lean meats, spinach, lentils, and citrus fruits. Cooking with cast-iron cookware can also help boost iron intake.

Yes, regular exercise, especially endurance training, increases the body's red blood cell and total hemoglobin mass to improve oxygen transport efficiency. This is a normal physiological adaptation to physical stress.

If you have low iron, avoid consuming iron-blocking foods and beverages near mealtime. This includes coffee, tea, and high-calcium dairy products. High-phytate foods like nuts and seeds can also inhibit iron absorption, so space them out from iron-rich meals.

High red blood cell counts can be caused by conditions such as polycythemia vera (a blood cancer), chronic lung or heart disease (causing low oxygen), kidney tumors, and dehydration.

It can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months to see a significant rise in hemoglobin levels through dietary changes alone, depending on the severity of the deficiency and underlying causes. Supplements, if prescribed, can speed up the process.

Yes, living at high altitude is a significant environmental factor. The body adapts to the lower oxygen levels by producing more red blood cells, which increases hemoglobin to maximize oxygen delivery.

Yes, an abnormally high red blood cell count (erythrocytosis) can increase blood thickness, raising the risk of dangerous blood clots, heart attack, and stroke. Medical supervision is necessary to manage this condition.