Hemoglobin 14.6 g/dL in a 15-Year-Old Male: Normal Value
A hemoglobin level of 14.6 g/dL in a 15-year-old male is completely normal and requires no intervention or further investigation.
Normal Reference Range for This Age Group
- The mean hemoglobin for males aged 15-19 years is 14.5 g/dL (145.3 g/L), with a normal range spanning from approximately 13.8-15.2 g/dL (25th to 75th percentile) 1
- This patient's value of 14.6 g/dL falls precisely at the population mean and well within the normal distribution 1
- For context, the 5th percentile (below which only 5% of healthy males fall) is 13.2 g/dL, and the 95th percentile is 15.8 g/dL in this age group 1
Clinical Significance
- No anemia is present. Anemia in males over 15 years is defined as hemoglobin below 13.0 g/dL (130 g/L) according to KDIGO guidelines 1
- This value is 1.6 g/dL above the anemia threshold, placing it comfortably in the normal range 2
- The normal hemoglobin reference range for adult males is 13.0-17.0 g/dL, and this 15-year-old's value fits within this range 2
Important Clinical Context
Age-Specific Considerations
- At age 15, males are transitioning from pediatric to adult hemoglobin reference ranges 1
- The mean hemoglobin increases from 13.3 g/dL in 12-14 year olds to 14.5 g/dL in 15-19 year olds, reflecting pubertal increases in testosterone and muscle mass 1
- A case report of a healthy 15-year-old boy documented a hemoglobin of 15.6 g/dL as normal 3
What This Value Rules Out
- No evaluation for anemia is needed since the value exceeds 13.0 g/dL 1, 2
- No iron studies, vitamin B12, folate, or other anemia workup is indicated 1
- No dietary modifications or supplementation is required 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Do not apply adult male reference ranges rigidly to 15-year-olds. While this patient's value would be normal even by strict adult criteria (>13.0 g/dL), some 15-year-old males may still be completing puberty and have values closer to the pediatric range 1
- Do not confuse this with chronic kidney disease criteria. In CKD patients, anemia is diagnosed at <13.5 g/dL for males, but this only applies to patients with established kidney disease 2
- Altitude matters. If this patient lives at significant altitude (>1,000 meters), hemoglobin values naturally increase by 0.2-1.9 g/dL depending on elevation, but this value would still be normal even at sea level 4