Ferritin measures stored iron and is also an acute-phase protein, so inflammation raises it. WHO’s 2020 thresholds come in two columns, and here is why.
Ferritin Blood Test: What the Iron-Store Number Means Read Post »
Thresholds for a high hemoglobin differ by source, and no WHO cutoff defines it as one defines anemia. Sourced causes, and what the number cannot settle.
High Hemoglobin: What an Above-Range Result Can Mean Read Post »
A hemoglobin of 11 sits below WHO adult cutoffs, at the pregnancy cutoff, and above the cutoffs for young children. Read yours against your lab’s range.
Is a Hemoglobin of 11 Low? Reading Your Own Number Read Post »
Hematocrit is a proportion, not a count, which is why dehydration raises it without adding a single red cell. How to read yours against your own lab’s range.
Understanding Hematocrit (Hct) on Your Report Read Post »
Hemoglobin runs low for three reasons: too few cells made, blood lost, or cells destroyed. The common causes by situation, and when the reading misleads.
Why Is My Hemoglobin Low? The Common Reasons Read Post »
Low Hb, low MCV, high RDW, low ferritin: how iron deficiency looks on a blood test, why stores fall first, and when a normal ferritin does not settle it.
Iron Deficiency Anemia Blood Test: the Pattern Read Post »
A low hemoglobin with a normal MCV is called normocytic anemia. Why the reticulocyte count is the next test, and what each branch of the workup looks for.
Low Hemoglobin, Normal MCV: What Comes Next Read Post »
Anemia is one finding with many causes. How doctors sort the types by cell size and by mechanism, and how to place your own MCV and RDW on the map.
Types of Anemia, Explained in Plain Language Read Post »
Short answers to the CBC questions people actually ask: fasting, the blood draw, waiting for results, H and L flags, and why a lab sometimes redraws.
CBC Test FAQ: Your Top Questions, Answered Read Post »
