Why are my hemoglobin levels too low to donate blood? i am a 23 year female. healthy diet. my hemoglobin level was at a 11.5. i have donated blood previously and been told my hemo levels were low. my last period was two weeks ago

The : The most common cause of anemia in women of child bearing age who are menstruating is iron deficiency due to blood loss during periods. A normal blood count for you would be something > 12. It is important to look at other blood parameters like mcv, MCH and RDW to determine the cause of your anemia.

Usually menstruation: In otherwise healthy females with good / "normal" diets, it is usually from excessive menstrual blood loss. This can often be improved upon by a multivitamin with iron (prenatal vitamin with iron works well), dark leafy greens, and occasional red meat. May want to discuss with your gyn to see if needs controlled.