u/Lalenyaa

28 F (non smoker). I just got my bloodwork back to check my iron levels. My ferritin used to be 17 and it’s now 43, which seems like an improvement. However, my RBC is marked slightly high at 5.24 (lab reference range: 3.90–5.20). It’s just barely above the upper limit, but I’m wondering if this is something to be concerned about. Everything else looks normal. My hemoglobin: 153 and hematocrit: 0.444

I’ve read that mild dehydration can sometimes cause slightly elevated RBC/hematocrit. I did not eat anything before my blood test in the morning and probably didn’t drink much water beforehand.

Could dehydration explain this kind of small increase?