Most people that I have worked with as their nutritionist don’t understand their lab results. They may understand some of the basics like LDL or HDL cholesterol but often times not the rest of the results.
I firmly believe that education is a big part of health. We need to understand how to obtain or maintain our health and lab results should be part of that knowledge.
This article was posted by the AARP, and it’s succinct, very easy to read and understand.
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Glucose
WHAT IT IS
Sugar in the blood
NORMAL RESULTS
70 – 99 mg/dl
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Hypoglycemia, liver disease, adrenal insufficiency, excess insulin
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Hyperglycemia, certain types of diabetes, prediabetes, pancreatitis, hyperthyroidism
Sodium
WHAT IT IS
An electrolyte, which keeps your body in balance
NORMAL RESULTS
136 – 144 mEq/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Use of diuretics, diarrhea, adrenal insufficiency
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Kidney dysfunction, dehydration, Cushing’s syndrome
Potassium
WHAT IT IS
An electrolyte and mineral
NORMAL RESULTS
3.7 – 5.2 mEq/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Use of diuretics or corticosteroids (such as prednisone or cortisone)
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Acute or chronic kidney failure, Addison’s disease, diabetes, dehydration
Chloride
WHAT IT IS
An electrolyte and mineral
NORMAL RESULTS
3.7 – 5.2 mEq/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Use of diuretics or corticosteroids (such as prednisone or cortisone)
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Acute or chronic kidney failure, Addison’s disease, diabetes, dehydration
Carbon Dioxide
WHAT IT IS
Gaseous waste product from metabolism
NORMAL RESULTS
20 – 29 mmol/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Kidney disease, certain toxic exposures, severe infection
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Lung diseases, including COPD
BUN: Blood Urea Nitrogen
WHAT IT IS
A waste product formed in liver and carried to kidneys, filtered out of blood, excreted through urine.
NORMAL RESULTS
7 – 29 mg/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Malnutrition
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Liver or kidney disease, heart failure
Creatinine
WHAT IT IS
A chemical waste produced by muscle metabolism
NORMAL RESULTS
0.8 – 1.4 mg/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Low muscle mass, malnutrition
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Chronic or temporary decrease in kidney function
BUN/Creatinine Ratio
NORMAL RESULTS
10:1 to 20:1
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Malnutrition
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Blood in bowels, kidney obstruction, dehydration
Calcium
WHAT IT IS
A mineral stored in the hard part of bones
NORMAL RESULTS
8.5 – 10.9 mg/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Calcium, magnesium, or Vitamin D deficiency; malnutrition; pancreatitis; neurological disorders
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Kidney disease, hyperparathyroidism, cancer, excess vitamin D intake
Protein
WHAT IT IS
Chains of amino acids essential for the growth and repair of cells
NORMAL RESULTS
6.3 – 7.9 g/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Malnutrition, liver or kidney disease
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Liver or kidney disease, dehydration, multiple myeloma
Albumin
WHAT IT IS
Protein that keeps fluid from leaking out of blood vessels and that nourishes tissues and transports nutrients through the body
NORMAL RESULTS
3.9 – 5.0 g/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Liver or kidney disease, malnutrition
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Dehydration
Bilirubin
WHAT IT IS
A pigment in the bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver
NORMAL RESULTS
0.2 – 1.9 mg/dL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Generally not a concern
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Liver disease, bile duct disorder or red cell destruction
Alkaline Phosphatase
WHAT IT IS
Enzyme found in the liver and bones
NORMAL RESULTS
44 – 147 IU/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Malnutrition
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Paget’s disease or certain cancers that spread to bone, bile duct obstruction, liver cancer
Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)
WHAT IT IS
Enzyme found mostly in the liver
NORMAL RESULTS
8 – 37 IU/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Generally not a concern
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Certain toxins such as excess acetaminophen or alcohol, hepatitis
Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)
WHAT IT IS
Enzyme found in liver, muscle, and other tissues
NORMAL RESULTS
10 – 34 IU/L
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Generally not a concern
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Excess acetaminophen, hepatitis, muscle injury
White Blood Cell Count (WBC)
WHAT IT IS
White blood cells defend the body against infection
NORMAL RESULTS
4,500 – 10,000 cells/mcL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Autoimmune illness, bone marrow failure, chemotherapy, viral infections
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Infection, inflammation, cancer, leukemia, intense exercise, stress, corticosteroids
Red Blood Cell Count (RBC)
WHAT IT IS
Red blood cells pick up oxygen from the blood and deliver it to tissues throughout the body
NORMAL RESULTS
Male: 4.7 – 6.1 Mill/mcL
Female: 4.2 – 5.4 Mill/mcL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency; bone marrow damage
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Dehydration, renal problems, pulmonary or congenital heart disease
Hemoglobin
WHAT IT IS
Red blood cells pick up oxygen from the blood and deliver it to tissues throughout the body
NORMAL RESULTS
Male: 4.7 – 6.1 Mill/mcL
Female: 4.2 – 5.4 Mill/mcL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency; bone marrow damage
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Dehydration, renal problems, pulmonary or congenital heart disease
Hematocrit
WHAT IT IS
The percentage of red blood cells in the blood
NORMAL RESULTS
Male: 40.7% – 50.3%
Female: 36.1% – 44.3%
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency; bone marrow damage
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Dehydration, renal problems, pulmonary or congenital heart disease
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
WHAT IT IS
The percentage of red blood cells in the blood
NORMAL RESULTS
Male: 40.7% – 50.3%
Female: 36.1% – 44.3%
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Iron, vitamin B12, or folate deficiency; bone marrow damage
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Dehydration, renal problems, pulmonary or congenital heart disease
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)
WHAT IT IS
The amount of hemoglobin in red blood cells
NORMAL RESULTS
27 – 31 pg
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Iron deficiency
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency
Platelet Count
WHAT IT IS
Measures number of platelets — colorless blood cells integral to clotting
NORMAL RESULTS
150 – 400 Thous/mcL
WHAT A LOW NUMBER MAY MEAN Viral infections, lupus, leukemia, chemotherapy, pernicious anemia (due to vitamin B12 deficiency)
WHAT A HIGH NUMBER MAY MEAN
Leukemia, myeloproliferative disorders (which cause blood cells to grow abnormally in bone marrow), inflammatory conditions