Understand your lab report
Plain-language guides to common blood and urine tests.
- Albumin: The main protein made by the liver; it keeps fluid in blood vessels.
- Alkaline phosphatase: An enzyme found in the liver, bile ducts and bones.
- ALT (SGPT): A liver enzyme (also called SGPT) released when liver cells are irritated.
- Anti-TPO antibodies: Antibodies against the thyroid, a sign of autoimmune thyroid disease.
- AST (SGOT): An enzyme (also called SGOT) found in the liver, heart and muscles.
- Blood urea nitrogen: Blood urea nitrogen, a waste product cleared by the kidneys.
- C-reactive protein: A protein that rises quickly with inflammation or infection.
- Calcium: A mineral for bones, muscles and nerves.
- Creatinine: A waste product cleared by the kidneys; used to judge kidney function.
- eGFR: An estimate of how well your kidneys filter blood.
- Eosinophils: White cells involved in allergies and fighting parasites.
- ESR: A general marker of inflammation in the body.
- Fasting glucose: Blood sugar after at least 8 hours without food.
- Ferritin: The body's iron stores.
- Folate: A B vitamin needed for making new cells.
- Free T3: The active thyroid hormone.
- Free T4: The main thyroid hormone available to the body.
- GGT: A liver enzyme sensitive to bile flow and alcohol.
- Glucose: The amount of sugar in your blood when the sample was taken.
- HbA1c: Your average blood sugar over roughly the last three months.
- HDL cholesterol: Often called "good" cholesterol; it helps remove cholesterol from arteries.
- Hematocrit: The share of your blood made up of red blood cells.
- Hemoglobin: The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen around the body.
- Homocysteine: An amino acid linked to B-vitamin levels and heart risk.
- hs-CRP: A sensitive version of CRP used to estimate heart risk.
- Insulin: The hormone that moves sugar from the blood into cells.
- Iron: The amount of iron in the blood at that moment; it varies through the day.
- LDL cholesterol: Often called "bad" cholesterol; it can build up in artery walls.
- Lymphocytes: White cells central to fighting viruses and making antibodies.
- MCH: The average amount of haemoglobin in each red cell.
- MCHC: How concentrated haemoglobin is inside red cells.
- MCV: The average size of your red blood cells.
- Monocytes: White cells that clear debris and help fight infection.
- Neutrophils: The most common white cell, the first responders to bacterial infection.
- Non-HDL cholesterol: All the cholesterol that can contribute to artery build-up.
- Platelet count: Platelets help blood clot and stop bleeding.
- Post-prandial glucose: Blood sugar about two hours after a meal.
- Potassium: A salt essential for heart rhythm and muscles.
- PSA: A protein made by the prostate gland.
- RBC count: How many red blood cells are in a sample of blood.
- RDW: How much your red blood cells vary in size.
- Sodium: A salt that controls fluid balance and nerve signals.
- Total bilirubin: A yellow pigment made when red blood cells are broken down and cleared by the liver.
- Total cholesterol: All the cholesterol carried in your blood.
- Total protein: All the protein in your blood, mainly albumin and globulins.
- Triglycerides: A type of fat in the blood, strongly affected by recent meals, sugar and alcohol.
- TSH: Thyroid-stimulating hormone, which tells the thyroid how hard to work.
- Urea: A waste product from protein breakdown, cleared by the kidneys.
- Uric acid: A waste product from the breakdown of purines in food and cells.
- Vitamin B12: Needed for nerves and making red blood cells.
- Vitamin D (25-OH): Vitamin D supports bones, muscles and immunity.
- VLDL cholesterol: A cholesterol particle that carries triglycerides.
- WBC count: White blood cells fight infection. This is the total count.