A G6PD test measures the levels of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), an enzyme in your blood. An enzyme is a type of protein that’s important for cell function. G6PD helps red blood cells (RBCs) function normally.
The deficiency of G6PD can lead to a certain type of anemia known as hemolytic anemia. The G6PD test is often used to determine the causes of hemolytic anemia.
A normal test result tells your healthcare provider about G6PD activity in your blood cells. A normal—or no G6PDD—result for adults is 5.5 to 20.5 units/gram of hemoglobin. Less than 10% of normal means that you have severe deficiency and chronic hemolytic anemia.
