- Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is an enzyme involved in energy production.
- G6PD is found in all cells, including red blood cells (RBCs) and helps protect them from certain toxic by-products of cellular metabolism.
- G6PD deficiency is the lack of the G6PD enzyme in the blood.
- G6PD deficiency is a genetic health problem that is most often inherited by men.
- G6PD can cause hemolytic anemia. This is when the red blood cells break down faster than the body can make them.
This condition mainly affects red blood cells, which carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues throughout the body. In affected individuals, a defect in an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase causes red blood cells to break down prematurely. This destruction of red blood cells is called hemolysis/hemolytic anemia.
This type of anemia leads to paleness, yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice), dark urine, fatigue, shortness of breath, and a rapid heart rate. In people with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, hemolytic anemia is most often triggered by bacterial or viral infections or by certain drugs (such as some antibiotics and medications used to treat malaria). Hemolytic anemia can also occur after eating fava beans or inhaling pollen from fava plants (a reaction called favism). Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency is also a significant cause of mild to severe jaundice in newborns. Many people with this disorder, however, never experience any signs or symptoms and are unaware that they have the condition.
Possible treatment:
Treatment includes staying away from certain medicines, foods, and environmental exposures.
Note: In patients with acute hemolysis (e.g., abnormally low RBC values), testing for G-6-PD may be falsely normal because older erythrocytes with a higher enzyme deficiency have been hemolyzed. Young erythrocytes and reticulocytes have normal or near-normal enzyme activity. Normal values of G-6-PD may be measured for several weeks following a hemolytic event.
References:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18177777/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16225031/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27040960/
- Levels of G6PD are higher in the newborn than they are in the adult.
- When high levels are seen in older patients, it invariably reflects the presence of a young red blood cell population with reticulocytosis.
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When decreased, G-6-PD, Quant. values are associated with acute hemolytic anemia when deficient individuals are exposed to oxidative stress, such as with certain medications (e.g., primaquine), infection, or ingestion of fava beans.
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G6PD deficiency is inherited, passed from parent to child, due to mutations or changes in the G6PD gene that cause decreased enzyme activity.
- A deficiency in G6PD causes RBCs to become more vulnerable to breaking apart (hemolysis) under certain conditions.
- G6PD deficiency is a genetic disorder.
- When individuals who have inherited this condition are exposed to a trigger such as stress, an infection, certain drugs or other substance(s), significant changes occur in the structure of the outer layer (cell membrane) of their red blood cells.
- Hemoglobin, the life-sustaining, oxygen-transporting protein within RBCs, forms deposits (precipitates) called Heinz bodies. Some individuals may experience these reactions when exposed to fava beans, a condition called “favism.”
- With these changes, RBCs can break apart more readily, causing a decrease in the number of RBCs.
- When the body cannot produce sufficient RBCs to replace those destroyed, hemolytic anemia results and the individual may develop jaundice, weakness, fatigue, and/or shortness of breath.
G6PD deficiency is a common cause of persistent jaundice in newborns. If left untreated, this can lead to significant brain damage and mental retardation.
Most people with G6PD deficiency can lead fairly normal lives, but there is no specific treatment apart from prevention. They must be cautious and avoid certain medications such as aspirin, phenazopyridine and rasburicase, antibiotics with “sulf” in the name and dapsone, anti-malarial drugs with “quine” in the name, foods such as fava beans, and chemical substances such as naphthalene (found in moth balls). Note that fava beans, often called broad beans, are commonly grown in the Mediterranean area. Acute viral and bacterial infections can also initiate episodes of hemolytic anemia as well as elevated levels of acid in the blood (i.e., acidosis). Individuals should consult with their healthcare practitioner to get a comprehensive list of these triggers. A good starting point is the list found on the G6PD Deficiency Favism Association website [L].
With hemolytic anemia, RBCs are destroyed at an accelerated rate and the person affected becomes pale and fatigued (anemic) as their capacity for providing oxygen to their body decreases. In severe cases of RBC destruction, jaundice can also be present. Most of these episodes are self-limiting, but if a large number of RBCs are destroyed and the body cannot replace them fast enough, then the affected person may require a blood transfusion. This condition can be fatal if not treated. A small percentage of those affected with G6PD deficiency may experience chronic anemia.
What are symptoms of G6PD deficiency?
G6PD can cause hemolytic anemia. This is when the red blood cells break down faster than they are made. Symptoms of hemolytic anemia include:
- Pale skin
- Yellowing of the skin, eyes, and mouth (jaundice)
- Dark-colored urine
- Fever
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Trouble with physical activity
- Enlarged spleen and liver
- Increased heart rate
- Heart murmur
Many of these symptoms can be caused by other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider for a diagnosis and a treatment plan.
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If you'd like to handle inputting your health data into your account, you can do so with our easy-to-use data entry forms. Our user-friendly form is designed to guide you through the quick and easy submission process, making it simple to keep track of your health metrics. This is available to both Complete plan and Unlimited plan members.
Our user-friendly form guides you through a quick, simple submission process, making it easy to enter your health metrics.
Add your results anytime with our easy entry form. It's quick, guided, and helps you stay organized — free for all members.
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View your lab data through easy-to-read graphs and tables. Quickly spot patterns, track changes, and compare results across different dates — all without digging through multiple reports. You can also select and compare graphs of specific biomarkers side-by-side to better understand how they relate and change over time.
See your lab reports in clear graphs and tables. Spot patterns, track changes, and compare results over time — all in one place.
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Export Your Complete Lab History
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file. Choose from PDF, Excel, or CSV formats to easily review, share, or get a second opinion—no more juggling multiple reports.
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file.
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Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest. Complete plan members receive one report entered for free, then $15 per report after that. Unlimited plan members receive ten report entries for free, then $15 per report after that.
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest.
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Whether you're working with a doctor, nutritionist, caregiver, or wellness coach, you can securely share your complete lab history by sending an invite link to anyone you trust. You have full control over who sees your information and for how long, ensuring your privacy and peace of mind at every step.
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Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
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If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you're on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
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There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
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For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
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All professional accounts allow you to import and onboard an unlimited number of clients and their lab results. The distinction between professional plans lies solely in the data entry service.
The Pro Monthly Plus plan is priced at $75 per month and includes a data entry service for five reports each month. Additional reports can be self-entered at no extra cost or, if preferred, you can use our data entry service for an additional fee of $15 per report.
The Pro Monthly plan is priced at $45 per month and does not include a data entry service. Self-entry is free for an unlimited number of reports, and you can opt for the data entry service at a fee of $15 per report.
You also have the option to upgrade to higher monthly or to annual plans, which come with substantial discounts. All upgrades can be done directly from your account.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We've crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
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Yes, you can download your information anytime. We offer two easy ways to export your lab data:
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Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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Optimal Result:
127 - 427 U/10E12 RBC.