01Markers · Blood and iron
MCV
Mean corpuscular volume
The average size of red blood cells. Cells run smaller than usual in iron deficiency and larger than usual when vitamin B12 or folate is low.
- Measured in
- Blood (whole blood)
- Units
- fL
- Also called
- red cell indices
- Iron
- Zinc
- Ashwagandha
- Omega-3
- Berberine
- Collagen
- Creatine
- Finnish sauna
- HIIT
- L-carnitine
- L-theanine
- Lion's mane
- Magnesium
- Melatonin
- Milk thistle
- NAC
- NAD+
- PQQ
- Red yeast rice
- Resveratrol
- Taurine
- Ubiquinol (CoQ10)
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D3
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
- Zone 2 cardio
AWhat moves MCV
4 of 27 studied
Moves it1
Human studies found a change. The grade reflects the studies behind it, from A (strongest) to D.
IronRaisesGrade B
Iron raises MCV.
Meta-analysis or review · Moderate effect · 0 studies linked
This result is graded, but no study is linked to it yet. Treat it as unconfirmed.
MCV normalisation is a late marker; persistent microcytosis after Hb correction suggests ongoing iron deficiency or thalassaemia trait
Studied, no change3
Studies looked and found no meaningful change. That is a result, not missing data.
ZincNo changeGrade C
Studies of Zinc found no change in MCV.
Human trials · 1 study linked
MCV elevation (macrocytosis) is a recognized consequence of copper-deficiency myeloneuropathy secondary to high-dose zinc. osadchyi_2025 case report documents this. At standard doses, MCV neutral.
AshwagandhaNo changeGrade D
Studies of Ashwagandha found no change in MCV.
1 study linked
Omega-3No changeGrade D
Studies of Omega-3 found no change in MCV.
Small effect · 0 studies linked
This result is graded, but no study is linked to it yet. Treat it as unconfirmed.
Not studied23
No usable human study has measured MCV with these. A gap is not a negative result: nobody has looked.
BerberineCollagenCreatineFinnish saunaHIITL-carnitineL-theanineLion's maneMagnesiumMelatoninMilk thistleNACNAD+PQQRed yeast riceResveratrolTaurineUbiquinol (CoQ10)Vitamin CVitamin D3Vitamin EVitamin K2Zone 2 cardio