Understanding blood results
A result is a list of numbers with units and ranges. It does not tell you which values belong together, what matters, or what you can do with it. This runs through that.
Read in groups, not line by line
The biggest mistake in reading a result is going line by line and judging each value on its own. Blood values mean something in combination. An unremarkable value can gain meaning from the one next to it.
| Group | What you read together |
|---|---|
| Blood count | Haemoglobin, haematocrit, MCV and MCH. Small red cells point elsewhere than large ones. |
| Iron status | Ferritin, iron, transferrin and saturation. Store and transport together. |
| Thyroid | TSH with fT4 and fT3. TSH alone gives half a conclusion. |
| Lipids | Cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides, non-HDL and ApoB. Particle count alongside quantity. |
| Blood sugar | Glucose, HbA1c, insulin and HOMA-IR. Moment, average and the effort it takes. |
| Hormones | Total testosterone, SHBG and free testosterone. Binding decides what is available. |
What the columns mean
There is a measured value, a unit and a range. On our report a second range sits alongside: the target. The lab reference shows whether you stand out relative to the population, the target shows where you would want to be long term. See reference versus optimal.
Watch the units too. The same marker is reported in different units in different countries. Comparing a result from abroad, check the units first, otherwise a difference appears that is not there.
What a single measurement can and cannot do
One measurement is a snapshot under that day's conditions: what you ate, how you slept, whether you trained, whether you had been ill. Some values move strongly with that, others barely.
- Moves fast: glucose, triglycerides, creatine kinase, hs-CRP, serum iron.
- Moves slowly: HbA1c over roughly three months, ferritin, vitamin D, ApoB.
- Barely moves: Lp(a), which is largely genetic.
That is why the second measurement is almost always more valuable than the first. It shows direction, and direction is what you can steer.
A practical order to work through a result
- Look first at what falls outside the reference, and whether that is one value or five. With forty markers a single outlier is often noise.
- Then read per group, as above, instead of line by line.
- Compare against your previous measurement if you have one. Direction over number.
- Note the conditions: fasted or not, trained or not, recently ill or not.
- Pick two or three values to follow. Steering everything at once does not work.
Stuck on your result?
Send a photo of your result or the values you are unsure about. Mario will look and explain what it says, even if you have nothing drawn here.
Reachable Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 18:00. An appointment can usually be scheduled within a few days.
Frequently asked questions
Why are there two ranges on my result?
The lab reference and the target range.
The reference shows whether you stand out in a population, the target where you would want to be long term. See this article.
Should I worry about one value outside the reference?
Usually not.
With forty markers one will almost always fall outside. Look at the pattern and at the group the value belongs to.
Why is the second measurement more important than the first?
Because it shows direction.
One measurement is a snapshot. Two under comparable conditions show whether anything is moving, and that is what you can steer.
Can I compare a foreign result with a Dutch one?
Only after checking the units.
The same marker is reported in different units in different countries, and reference ranges differ per laboratory too.
Which values change fastest?
Glucose, triglycerides, creatine kinase and hs-CRP.
HbA1c, ferritin, vitamin D and ApoB move more slowly, over weeks to months. Lp(a) barely changes at all.
Note: a blood test gives you insight and direction. It does not prove or rule out a condition on its own. Results are meant for prevention and for tracking change over time, not as a diagnosis. For symptoms or values outside the reference range, see your GP.