Normal Reference Range - Blood Test Results Decoded

Contains The Complete Blood Count (CBC) and
Differential

WBC Meaning & Ranges
White Blood Cell Count is the actual number
of white blood cells per volume of blood
White blood cells are cells that make up the
immune system in the blood
Normal Reference Range: 4.5 – 10 10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 5.5 – 10 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low WBC
The upper end of normal means your immune
system is definitely producing enough white
blood cells to prevent infections
High WBC levels means that there is an
infection or leukemia (cancer of the blood)
Low WBC levels could be due to an immune
deficiency or a liver or spleen disorder

Treating High WBC
Medications - Antibiotics, steroids,
chemotherapy for cancer
Procedures - Leukapheresis, bone marrow
treatment for cancer
Diet changes - Drink more water, less fat and
sugar intake, increase fiber and eat garlic and
omega-3 foods
Supplements - Probiotics, echinacea, tea tree oil
(topically) and other herbs

Treating Low WBC
Medications - Meloid growth factors
Diet changes - Eat carrots, spinach, kale, garlic
Supplements - Oleander extract, selenium,
ginseng, Siberian ginseng, Echinacea, green
tea, pau d'arco, suma root, beta glucans, aloe
vera, probiotics

RBC Meaning & Ranges
Red blood cell count is the actual number of
red blood cells per volume of blood
Red blood cells are the ones that carry oxygen
and remove carbon dioxide
Normal Reference Range: male 5 – 6
10 6 /μL and female 4 – 5 10 6 /μL
Optimal Range: male 5 – 6 10 6 /μL and
female 4 – 5 10 6 /μL

Hemoglobin Meaning & Ranges
Hemoglobin is the amount of oxygen-carrying
protein in the blood’s red blood cells.
It also carries toxic carbon dioxide from your
tissues and organs back to your lungs
This iron-containing protein makes blood red
Normal Reference Range: male 14 – 17.5
g/dL and female 12.3 – 15.3 g/dL
Optimal Range: male 14 – 17.5 g/dL and
female 12.3 – 15.3 g/dL

Hematocrit Meaning & Ranges
Hematocrit measures the percentage of red
blood cells in a given volume of whole blood
Normal Reference Range: male 40.7 –
50.3% and female 36.1 – 44.3%
Optimal Range: male 40.7 – 50.3% and
female 36.1 – 44.3%
The hematocrit not only depends on how many
red blood cells there are, but also how big they
are

Causes of High/Low Results
High results can indicate dehydration,
congenital heart disease, kidney tumor,
pulmonary fibrosis or can be the result of
smoking cigarettes
Low results can indicate anemia

Treating High Results
Medications - Aspirin or cancer drugs like
Hydrea or Leukeran
Procedures - Phlebotomy (bloodletting) for
high RBC
Diet changes - Drink more water
Supplements - Stay away from iron
Lifestyle Changes - Quit smoking

Treating Low Results
Medications - Procrit, Epogen, Aranesp
Procedures - Blood transfusion, bone marrow
transplant
Diet changes - Eat red meat, liver, greens,
beans
Supplements - Iron, B12, B6, folic acid and
many herbs

MCV Meaning & Ranges
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) measures
the average size of your red blood cells
Normal Reference Range: 80 – 100 fL
Optimal Range: 80 – 100 fL

MCH Meaning & Ranges
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is a
calculation of the average amount of oxygencarrying
hemoglobin inside a red blood cell
Normal Reference Range: 27 – 31 pg
Optimal Range: 27 – 31 pg

Causes of High/Low MCV/MCH
High MCV/MCH can be a result of macrocytic
anemia (likely due to vitamin deficiencies),
liver disease, hypothyroidism, myelofibrosis,
reticulocytosis
Low MCV/MCH can be due to lead poisoning,
microcytic anemia (likely due to iron
deficiency), hemoglobinopathy (genetic
disorder resulting in abnormally-shaped
hemoglobin, unable to efficiently carry
oxygen)

Treating High MCV/MCH
Procedures - Blood transfusion
Diet changes - Foods high in B12 and folic
acid
Supplements - B12

Treating Low MCV/MCH
Medications - For lead poisoning, chelation
therapy may be used or the drug EDTA.
Extreme iron deficiency can be treated with
hemodialysis or with an IV drip.
Diet changes - Foods high in iron
Supplements - Iron tablets

MCHC Meaning & Ranges
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration
(MCHC) is a calculation of the average
concentration of hemoglobin inside a red cell
Normal Reference Range: 32 – 36 g/dL
Optimal Range: 32 – 36 g/dL

Causes of High/Low MCHC
Low MCHC (hypochromia) is seen in
conditions where the hemoglobin is abnormally
diluted inside the red cells, such as in iron
deficiency anemia and in thalassemia
High MCHC (hyperchromia) is seen in
conditions where the hemoglobin is abnormally
concentrated inside the red cells, such as in
burn victims

Treating High/LowMCHC
Supplements - For high MCHC, vitamin B12
Supplements - For low MCHC, iron tablets

RDW Meaning & Ranges
Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a
calculation of the variation in the size of your
red blood cells
Normal Reference Range: 11 – 15%
Optimal Range: 11 – 15%

Causes of High/Low RDW
High RDW is due to pernicious anemia
(anemia due to an inability to absorb vitamin
B12 from foods and supplements)
Low RDW indicates that your red blood cells
are all very close in size (they could all be very
large – macrocytic anemia – or all very small –
microcytic anemia)

Treating High/Low RDW
Medications - For low RDW, iron tablets or
erythropoietin, epoetin and alfa, which
stimulate red blood cell production and for
high RDW, B12 shot
Diet changes –For high RDW, B12 enriched
foods and for low RDW, iron rich foods
Supplements – For high RDW, B12 and for low
RDW, B12 and iron

Platelets Meaning & Ranges
The platelet count is the number of platelets in
a given volume of blood; these disc-shaped
cells are your body's main clotting factor,
which help form blood clots
Normal Reference Range: 150 – 450 ×
10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 240 – 400 × 10 3 /μL
Both increases and decreases can point to
conditions of excess bleeding or clotting

Causes of High/Low Platelets
High platelets indicate thrombocytosis, mildly
high platelets indicate chronic infection, very
high platelets indicate myeloproliferative
disorder (abnormal growth of blood cell
elements in the bone marrow)
Low platelets indicate thrombocytopenia,
disseminated intravascular coagulation,
hemolytic anemia, hypersplenism, idiopathic
thrombocytopenic purpura or leukemia—
mostly all due to a chronic infection
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Treating High/Low Platelets
Medications - For high platelets, Anagrelide
(Agrylin/Xagrid) is a platelet reducing agent and
for low platelets, antibiotics for infection or
drugs for specific diseases
Diet changes - For low platelets, avoid red
meat, dairy, alcohol
Supplements - For high platelets, low dose
Aspirin and for low platelets, vitamin K and fish
oils

Neutrophils Meaning &
Ranges
Normally the most abundant type of white
blood cell in healthy adults; these are the white
blood cells that are first in line to fight infection
Normal Reference Range: 2.5 – 7 × 10 3 /μL
Optimal Reference Range: 3 – 6.5 × 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low
Neutrophils
High neutrophils is called neutrophilia and is a
result of a short-term bacterial infection
Low neutrophils is called neutropenia and is
usually caused by viral infections, radiotherapy
and chemotherapy
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Treating High/Low Neutrophils
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Medications - For high neutrophils, antibiotics
and for low neutrophils, antibiotics or
antifungals

Lymphocytes Meaning &
Ranges
Lymphocytes normally make up about 25% of
the total white blood cell count and have two
kinds: B cells, which produce antibodies, and T
cells, which recognize invaders and process
them for removal
Normal Reference Range: 1 – 4.8 × 10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 2.5 – 4.5 × 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low
Lymphocytes
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High lymphocytes can indicate the flu, chicken
pox, tuberculosis, leukemia, mumps or rubella
Low lymphocytes are usually a result of the
body producing lymphocytes in an abnormal
manner due to stress, malnutrition, Hodgkins
disease or an immune disorder such as AIDS

Treating High/Low Lymphocytes
Medications - For high lymphocytes,
antibiotics or drugs specified for illness and
for low lymphocytes, antibiotics
Diet changes - For high lymphocytes, high
protein and for low lymphocytes, foods rich in
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals
Supplements - For high lymphocytes,
vitamin C and zinc and for low lymphocytes,
vitamin supplements
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Monocytes Meaning &
Ranges
Monocytes ―eat‖ bacteria and other foreign
particles to destroy them; they make up 5-10%
of the total white blood cell count.
Normal Reference Range: 0.2 – 0.6 ×
10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 0.2 – 0.6 × 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low
Monocytes
High monocytes is called monocytosis and can
be due to inflammation, stress, an autoimmune
disease or sepsis
Low monocytes is called monocytopenia,
which is which is a form of leukopenia
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Treating High/Low Monocytes
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Medications - For high monocytes, drugs to treat
condition causing the high levels and for low
monocytes, antibiotics.
Diet changes - For high monocytes, food rich in
antioxidants
Supplements - For high monocytes, fish oils

Eosinophils Meaning &
Ranges
Eosinophils are believed to function in allergic
responses and in resisting some infections
Normal Reference Range: 0.1 – 0.4 ×
10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 0.1 – 0.3 × 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low
Eosinophils
High eosinophils indicate allergies, eczema,
asthma or an autoimmune disease
Low eosinophils is usually due to a bacterial
infection or Cushing's disease
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Treating High/Low Eosinophils
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Medications - For high eosinophils, allergy or
asthma medications and for low eosinophils,
corticosteroids or antibody therapy to fight the
infection
Diet changes - For high eosinophils, fruits,
nuts and antioxidant-rich foods
Supplements - For high eosinophils,
quercetin to reduce allergies or asthma

Basophils Meaning & Ranges
Basophils are involved in the beginning stages
of inflammation, which is the body's reaction to
injury or irritation
Normal Reference Range: 0.04 – 0.1 ×
10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 0.04 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL

Causes of High/Low
Basophils
High basophils indicate a parasitic infection
Low basophils are hard to diagnose as basophil
levels are normally at an extremely low level
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Treating High Basophils
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Medications - Appropriate anti-parasitic
Diet changes - Large amounts of water and
fiber
Supplements - Probiotics, garlic, vitamin C

Immature Granulocyte Meaning &
Ranges
Immature granulocytes are white blood cells
that will become monocytes, eosinophils and
basophils
Normal Reference Range: 0 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL
Optimal Range: 0 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL

Dealing With High/Low Immature
Granulocytes
High or low immature granulocytes indicates
the need for additional testing to determine
which type(s) of white blood cell is affected
The cause and treatment will depend on
whether monocytes, eosinophils or basophils
are the ones affected
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