Blood test results, explained

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration

MCHC measures how concentrated hemoglobin is inside your red blood cells. Normal range, what high and low MCHC mean, common causes and what to do next.

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin

MCH is the average amount of hemoglobin in each red blood cell. Learn the normal range, what high or low MCH means, the common causes and what to check next.

Mean corpuscular volume

MCV measures the average size of your red blood cells. Normal range (80–100 fL), what high and low MCV mean, common causes from iron to B12, and next steps.

Red cell distribution width

RDW measures how much your red blood cells vary in size. Normal range for RDW-CV and RDW-SD, what high or low RDW means, common causes and what to test next.

Hemoglobin

Hemoglobin (Hgb) carries oxygen in your red blood cells. Normal range by sex and age, what low hemoglobin (anemia) and high hemoglobin mean, and next steps.

Hematocrit

Hematocrit is the share of your blood made of red cells. Normal ranges by sex, what a low or high hematocrit means, common causes, and what happens next.

Platelet count

Platelets help blood clot. Normal platelet count (150,000–450,000), what low platelets (thrombocytopenia) and high platelets mean, causes, and next steps.

Mean platelet volume

MPV is the average size of your platelets. What high or low MPV means, the normal range, why it changes, and why it matters mainly beside the platelet count.

Monocytes

What monocytes are, the normal range (0.2–0.8 ×10³/µL, 2–8%), what high monocytes and low monocytes mean, the common causes, and what to do next.

Neutrophils (absolute neutrophil count)

What neutrophils are, the normal absolute neutrophil count (1.5–8.0 ×10³/µL), what high and low neutrophils (neutropenia) mean, common causes and next steps.

Lymphocytes (absolute lymphocyte count)

What lymphocytes are, the normal absolute lymphocyte count (1.0–4.8 ×10³/µL), what low and high lymphocytes mean, the common causes and what to do next.

Eosinophils (absolute eosinophil count)

What eosinophils are, the normal absolute eosinophil count (under 0.5 ×10³/µL), what high eosinophils and eosinophilia mean, the common causes and next steps.

Basophils (absolute basophil count)

What basophils are, the normal absolute basophil count (0–0.1 ×10³/µL, 0–1%), what high basophils and low basophils mean, the real causes and what to do next.

Alkaline phosphatase

What a high or low alkaline phosphatase (ALP) result means: normal ranges, bone vs liver sources, pregnancy, growing children and next steps.

Aspartate aminotransferase

What a high AST blood test means: normal range, the AST/ALT ratio, liver vs muscle vs heart causes, lab artefacts, and what usually happens next.

Alanine aminotransferase

What ALT on a blood test measures, the real normal range, the most common causes of high ALT (fatty liver, alcohol, medicines) and how to bring it down.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase

What a GGT blood test shows, the normal range, why alcohol and fatty liver raise GGT, how it separates liver from bone ALP, and how to lower it.

What bilirubin levels mean: total, direct and indirect ranges, Gilbert syndrome, jaundice thresholds, newborn levels and when a high result needs care.

BUN/creatinine ratio

What the BUN/creatinine ratio is, the normal 10:1 to 20:1 range, why dehydration, bleeding and protein raise it, why liver disease lowers it, and next steps.

Creatinine explained: the normal range, why muscle, creatine, dehydration and medicines raise it, why eGFR matters more, and how to lower it safely.

Estimated glomerular filtration rate

eGFR explained: the normal range, what an eGFR of 60 means, the CKD stages, why muscle and creatine skew it, and what actually protects kidney function.

Chloride

What chloride is on a blood test, the normal 96 to 106 range, why dehydration and diarrhea raise it, why vomiting and diuretics lower it, and next steps.

Carbon dioxide (bicarbonate)

What CO2 means on a blood test, the normal 22 to 29 bicarbonate range, what high and low levels mean, causes from diet to kidney disease, and next steps.

Hemoglobin A1C

A1C shows your average blood sugar over 2 to 3 months. Normal is under 5.7%, prediabetes 5.7–6.4%, diabetes 6.5% or higher. A1C chart and how to lower it.

Uric acid is the waste product behind gout and some kidney stones. Normal is about 3.5–7.2 mg/dL in men, 2.5–6.0 in women. Causes and how to lower it.

Thyroid-stimulating hormone

TSH is the hormone that controls your thyroid. Normal is about 0.4 to 4.0 mIU/L. High TSH usually means an underactive thyroid, low TSH an overactive one.

C-reactive protein

C-reactive protein (CRP) measures inflammation. Normal is under 10 mg/L; hs-CRP under 1 is low risk, over 3 high. What high CRP means and how to lower it.

Ferritin shows your iron stores. Normal ferritin range by sex, what low and high ferritin mean, when a level is dangerously high, and what to do next.

Vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D)

What the 25-hydroxy vitamin D test measures, normal vitamin D levels by age, what counts as deficiency, how much to take to fix it, and when it turns toxic.

Leukocyte esterase (urine)

Leukocyte esterase is a urine dipstick test for white blood cells. What positive, trace and large results mean, the common causes and what to do next.