Normal Reference Range - Blood Test Results Decoded
Normal Reference Range - Blood Test Results Decoded
Normal Reference Range - Blood Test Results Decoded
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Contains The Complete <strong>Blood</strong> Count (CBC) and<br />
Differential
WBC Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
White <strong>Blood</strong> Cell Count is the actual number<br />
of white blood cells per volume of blood<br />
White blood cells are cells that make up the<br />
immune system in the blood<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 4.5 – 10 10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 5.5 – 10 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low WBC<br />
The upper end of normal means your immune<br />
system is definitely producing enough white<br />
blood cells to prevent infections<br />
High WBC levels means that there is an<br />
infection or leukemia (cancer of the blood)<br />
Low WBC levels could be due to an immune<br />
deficiency or a liver or spleen disorder
Treating High WBC<br />
Medications - Antibiotics, steroids,<br />
chemotherapy for cancer<br />
Procedures - Leukapheresis, bone marrow<br />
treatment for cancer<br />
Diet changes - Drink more water, less fat and<br />
sugar intake, increase fiber and eat garlic and<br />
omega-3 foods<br />
Supplements - Probiotics, echinacea, tea tree oil<br />
(topically) and other herbs
Treating Low WBC<br />
Medications - Meloid growth factors<br />
Diet changes - Eat carrots, spinach, kale, garlic<br />
Supplements - Oleander extract, selenium,<br />
ginseng, Siberian ginseng, Echinacea, green<br />
tea, pau d'arco, suma root, beta glucans, aloe<br />
vera, probiotics
RBC Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Red blood cell count is the actual number of<br />
red blood cells per volume of blood<br />
Red blood cells are the ones that carry oxygen<br />
and remove carbon dioxide<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: male 5 – 6 <br />
10 6 /μL and female 4 – 5 10 6 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: male 5 – 6 10 6 /μL and<br />
female 4 – 5 10 6 /μL
Hemoglobin Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Hemoglobin is the amount of oxygen-carrying<br />
protein in the blood’s red blood cells.<br />
It also carries toxic carbon dioxide from your<br />
tissues and organs back to your lungs<br />
This iron-containing protein makes blood red<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: male 14 – 17.5<br />
g/dL and female 12.3 – 15.3 g/dL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: male 14 – 17.5 g/dL and<br />
female 12.3 – 15.3 g/dL
Hematocrit Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Hematocrit measures the percentage of red<br />
blood cells in a given volume of whole blood<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: male 40.7 –<br />
50.3% and female 36.1 – 44.3%<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: male 40.7 – 50.3% and<br />
female 36.1 – 44.3%<br />
The hematocrit not only depends on how many<br />
red blood cells there are, but also how big they<br />
are
Causes of High/Low <strong>Results</strong><br />
High results can indicate dehydration,<br />
congenital heart disease, kidney tumor,<br />
pulmonary fibrosis or can be the result of<br />
smoking cigarettes<br />
Low results can indicate anemia
Treating High <strong>Results</strong><br />
Medications - Aspirin or cancer drugs like<br />
Hydrea or Leukeran<br />
Procedures - Phlebotomy (bloodletting) for<br />
high RBC<br />
Diet changes - Drink more water<br />
Supplements - Stay away from iron<br />
Lifestyle Changes - Quit smoking
Treating Low <strong>Results</strong><br />
Medications - Procrit, Epogen, Aranesp<br />
Procedures - <strong>Blood</strong> transfusion, bone marrow<br />
transplant<br />
Diet changes - Eat red meat, liver, greens,<br />
beans<br />
Supplements - Iron, B12, B6, folic acid and<br />
many herbs
MCV Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) measures<br />
the average size of your red blood cells<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 80 – 100 fL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 80 – 100 fL
MCH Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is a<br />
calculation of the average amount of oxygencarrying<br />
hemoglobin inside a red blood cell<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 27 – 31 pg<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 27 – 31 pg
Causes of High/Low MCV/MCH<br />
High MCV/MCH can be a result of macrocytic<br />
anemia (likely due to vitamin deficiencies),<br />
liver disease, hypothyroidism, myelofibrosis,<br />
reticulocytosis<br />
Low MCV/MCH can be due to lead poisoning,<br />
microcytic anemia (likely due to iron<br />
deficiency), hemoglobinopathy (genetic<br />
disorder resulting in abnormally-shaped<br />
hemoglobin, unable to efficiently carry<br />
oxygen)
Treating High MCV/MCH<br />
Procedures - <strong>Blood</strong> transfusion<br />
Diet changes - Foods high in B12 and folic<br />
acid<br />
Supplements - B12
Treating Low MCV/MCH<br />
Medications - For lead poisoning, chelation<br />
therapy may be used or the drug EDTA.<br />
Extreme iron deficiency can be treated with<br />
hemodialysis or with an IV drip.<br />
Diet changes - Foods high in iron<br />
Supplements - Iron tablets
MCHC Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration<br />
(MCHC) is a calculation of the average<br />
concentration of hemoglobin inside a red cell<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 32 – 36 g/dL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 32 – 36 g/dL
Causes of High/Low MCHC<br />
Low MCHC (hypochromia) is seen in<br />
conditions where the hemoglobin is abnormally<br />
diluted inside the red cells, such as in iron<br />
deficiency anemia and in thalassemia<br />
High MCHC (hyperchromia) is seen in<br />
conditions where the hemoglobin is abnormally<br />
concentrated inside the red cells, such as in<br />
burn victims
Treating High/LowMCHC<br />
Supplements - For high MCHC, vitamin B12<br />
Supplements - For low MCHC, iron tablets
RDW Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Red cell distribution width (RDW) is a<br />
calculation of the variation in the size of your<br />
red blood cells<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 11 – 15%<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 11 – 15%
Causes of High/Low RDW<br />
High RDW is due to pernicious anemia<br />
(anemia due to an inability to absorb vitamin<br />
B12 from foods and supplements)<br />
Low RDW indicates that your red blood cells<br />
are all very close in size (they could all be very<br />
large – macrocytic anemia – or all very small –<br />
microcytic anemia)
Treating High/Low RDW<br />
Medications - For low RDW, iron tablets or<br />
erythropoietin, epoetin and alfa, which<br />
stimulate red blood cell production and for<br />
high RDW, B12 shot<br />
Diet changes –For high RDW, B12 enriched<br />
foods and for low RDW, iron rich foods<br />
Supplements – For high RDW, B12 and for low<br />
RDW, B12 and iron
Platelets Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
The platelet count is the number of platelets in<br />
a given volume of blood; these disc-shaped<br />
cells are your body's main clotting factor,<br />
which help form blood clots<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 150 – 450 ×<br />
10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 240 – 400 × 10 3 /μL<br />
Both increases and decreases can point to<br />
conditions of excess bleeding or clotting
Causes of High/Low Platelets<br />
High platelets indicate thrombocytosis, mildly<br />
high platelets indicate chronic infection, very<br />
high platelets indicate myeloproliferative<br />
disorder (abnormal growth of blood cell<br />
elements in the bone marrow)<br />
Low platelets indicate thrombocytopenia,<br />
disseminated intravascular coagulation,<br />
hemolytic anemia, hypersplenism, idiopathic<br />
thrombocytopenic purpura or leukemia—<br />
mostly all due to a chronic infection<br />
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Treating High/Low Platelets<br />
Medications - For high platelets, Anagrelide<br />
(Agrylin/Xagrid) is a platelet reducing agent and<br />
for low platelets, antibiotics for infection or<br />
drugs for specific diseases<br />
Diet changes - For low platelets, avoid red<br />
meat, dairy, alcohol<br />
Supplements - For high platelets, low dose<br />
Aspirin and for low platelets, vitamin K and fish<br />
oils
Neutrophils Meaning &<br />
<strong>Range</strong>s<br />
<strong>Normal</strong>ly the most abundant type of white<br />
blood cell in healthy adults; these are the white<br />
blood cells that are first in line to fight infection<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 2.5 – 7 × 10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 3 – 6.5 × 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low<br />
Neutrophils<br />
High neutrophils is called neutrophilia and is a<br />
result of a short-term bacterial infection<br />
Low neutrophils is called neutropenia and is<br />
usually caused by viral infections, radiotherapy<br />
and chemotherapy<br />
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Treating High/Low Neutrophils<br />
35<br />
Medications - For high neutrophils, antibiotics<br />
and for low neutrophils, antibiotics or<br />
antifungals
Lymphocytes Meaning &<br />
<strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Lymphocytes normally make up about 25% of<br />
the total white blood cell count and have two<br />
kinds: B cells, which produce antibodies, and T<br />
cells, which recognize invaders and process<br />
them for removal<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 1 – 4.8 × 10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 2.5 – 4.5 × 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low<br />
Lymphocytes<br />
38<br />
High lymphocytes can indicate the flu, chicken<br />
pox, tuberculosis, leukemia, mumps or rubella<br />
Low lymphocytes are usually a result of the<br />
body producing lymphocytes in an abnormal<br />
manner due to stress, malnutrition, Hodgkins<br />
disease or an immune disorder such as AIDS
Treating High/Low Lymphocytes<br />
Medications - For high lymphocytes,<br />
antibiotics or drugs specified for illness and<br />
for low lymphocytes, antibiotics<br />
Diet changes - For high lymphocytes, high<br />
protein and for low lymphocytes, foods rich in<br />
antioxidants, vitamins and minerals<br />
Supplements - For high lymphocytes,<br />
vitamin C and zinc and for low lymphocytes,<br />
vitamin supplements<br />
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39
Monocytes Meaning &<br />
<strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Monocytes ―eat‖ bacteria and other foreign<br />
particles to destroy them; they make up 5-10%<br />
of the total white blood cell count.<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 0.2 – 0.6 ×<br />
10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 0.2 – 0.6 × 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low<br />
Monocytes<br />
High monocytes is called monocytosis and can<br />
be due to inflammation, stress, an autoimmune<br />
disease or sepsis<br />
Low monocytes is called monocytopenia,<br />
which is which is a form of leukopenia<br />
42
Treating High/Low Monocytes<br />
43<br />
Medications - For high monocytes, drugs to treat<br />
condition causing the high levels and for low<br />
monocytes, antibiotics.<br />
Diet changes - For high monocytes, food rich in<br />
antioxidants<br />
Supplements - For high monocytes, fish oils
Eosinophils Meaning &<br />
<strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Eosinophils are believed to function in allergic<br />
responses and in resisting some infections<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 0.1 – 0.4 ×<br />
10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 0.1 – 0.3 × 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low<br />
Eosinophils<br />
High eosinophils indicate allergies, eczema,<br />
asthma or an autoimmune disease<br />
Low eosinophils is usually due to a bacterial<br />
infection or Cushing's disease<br />
46
Treating High/Low Eosinophils<br />
47<br />
Medications - For high eosinophils, allergy or<br />
asthma medications and for low eosinophils,<br />
corticosteroids or antibody therapy to fight the<br />
infection<br />
Diet changes - For high eosinophils, fruits,<br />
nuts and antioxidant-rich foods<br />
Supplements - For high eosinophils,<br />
quercetin to reduce allergies or asthma
Basophils Meaning & <strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Basophils are involved in the beginning stages<br />
of inflammation, which is the body's reaction to<br />
injury or irritation<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 0.04 – 0.1 ×<br />
10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 0.04 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL
Causes of High/Low<br />
Basophils<br />
High basophils indicate a parasitic infection<br />
Low basophils are hard to diagnose as basophil<br />
levels are normally at an extremely low level<br />
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Treating High Basophils<br />
51<br />
Medications - Appropriate anti-parasitic<br />
Diet changes - Large amounts of water and<br />
fiber<br />
Supplements - Probiotics, garlic, vitamin C
Immature Granulocyte Meaning &<br />
<strong>Range</strong>s<br />
Immature granulocytes are white blood cells<br />
that will become monocytes, eosinophils and<br />
basophils<br />
<strong>Normal</strong> <strong>Reference</strong> <strong>Range</strong>: 0 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL<br />
Optimal <strong>Range</strong>: 0 – 0.1 × 10 3 /μL
Dealing With High/Low Immature<br />
Granulocytes<br />
High or low immature granulocytes indicates<br />
the need for additional testing to determine<br />
which type(s) of white blood cell is affected<br />
The cause and treatment will depend on<br />
whether monocytes, eosinophils or basophils<br />
are the ones affected<br />
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