MCV is a measurement of red blood cells. Scientists have established the link between MCV and alcohol use, as large quantities of alcohol can enlarge the red blood cells.

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) is a measurement of the dimensions of the red blood cells (RBCs). RBCs are cells in the blood that carry oxygen from the lungs to every cell in the body.

Having atypically large or small RBCs may indicate a person has certain medical conditions. Healthcare professionals use MCV tests to help diagnose these.

Some levels of alcohol consumption may increase a person’s MCV. People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a reduced ability to manage or stop alcohol consumption despite the negative consequences. AUD may lead to larger RBCs.

MCV test is a component of complete blood count (CBC) with differential. A CBC is a blood test that measures many parts of a person’s blood, such as their RBCs.

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MCV measures the average size and volume of a person’s RBCs. Healthcare professionals use this measurement to help diagnose the cause of anemia or diagnose other conditions.

Anemia is a blood condition in which RBCs do not work as they typically should or there are not enough of them.

To measure a person’s MCV, healthcare professionals take a blood sample and send it to a laboratory for analysis.

In the lab, an automated machine helps calculate the MCV. However, technicians may instead use data from the sample to do so.

To calculate a person’s MCV, they:

  • measure the percentage of RBCs in the blood, called hematocrit
  • divide the hematocrit by how many RBCs a person has in a certain volume of blood, called erythrocyte count
  • multiply the result by 10

This gives an MCV result in femtoliters (fL). One femtoliter is equal to one quadrillionth of a liter.

Healthcare professionals then use an MCV result, other test results, and a person’s medical history to help diagnose a condition. They may perform an MCV blood test as part of a CBC.

A high MCV level may indicate several conditions, including AUD.

MCV levels over 100 fL may indicate a person has a form of macrocytic anemia, which refers to conditions involving unusually large RBCs and fewer healthy RBCs.

Macrocytic anemia

Having a type of macrocytic anemia may indicate high alcohol consumption. However, several other conditions or actions can also cause a person to have macrocytic anemia, such as:

Other factors

Other factors may also affect a person’s MCV results, including their:

  • age
  • sex
  • preexisting conditions

Healthcare professionals will consider these factors when interpreting MCV results. They will also use other tests to diagnose AUD.

It may take more than 4 months to lower a person’s MCV once they stop consuming alcohol completely.

Lowering MCV due to other conditions may take less time. For example, treating macrocytic anemia due to vitamin deficiencies may take 4 to 8 weeks.

To lower a person’s MCV and treat macrocytic anemia, healthcare professionals may recommend avoiding alcohol.

To treat macrocytic anemia due to vitamin deficiencies, doctors may recommend replacing the vitamins through dietary changes. Depending on which vitamin a person is deficient in, this may include:

  • following diets rich in folate, such as:
    • fortified cereals
    • leafy vegetables
  • replacing vitamin B12 levels with either oral supplements or injections
  • oral folic acid

Other causes of macrocytic anemia may include conditions such as:

Treating the underlying conditions may also help to lower a person’s MCV.

Can alcohol cause macrocytosis?

Macrocytosis is when a person has larger than expected RBCs — this may lead to several issues, including anemia. People who drink significant amounts of alcohol may develop macrocytosis, although an MCV test can detect it.

What level of MCV is concerning?

A typical MCV is 80 to 100 fL. If a person has a higher or lower MCV level, it may be a sign of underlying medical conditions or issues. However, several factors can affect a person’s MCV test results. Different people may also have varying MCV ranges within a typical range.

Can a doctor tell if you drink alcohol?

A doctor can use blood tests to tell if a person drinks alcohol. They can measure substances that stay in a person’s blood for weeks or months after they drink alcohol. One way of measurement can include MCV tests.

Healthcare professionals use mean corpuscular volume (MCV) as one measure of a person’s blood to help diagnose conditions such as anemia. MCV measures the size and volume of a person’s red blood cells (RBCs). Having a high MCV may indicate that someone is consuming high levels of alcohol or has alcohol use disorder (AUD).

However, other factors can also raise a person’s MCV. Healthcare professionals can use several methods to help treat high MCV. Depending on the cause, this may include not drinking alcohol.