What Are Blood Tests Used For?
Normal ranges for blood test results will vary depending on the type of test.
Blood tests are common medical tests used by healthcare providers to diagnose medical conditions, assess overall health, monitor chronic conditions, or see how well a medication or treatment is working.
Normal ranges for blood test results may include:
- Liver enzymes
- Different liver enzymes are tested to determine cellular dysfunction versus cellular damage versus liver obstruction
- ALT (alanine aminotransferase) Female 7-30 units/L; Male 10-55 units/L
- Alkaline phosphatase Female 30-100 units/L; Male 45-115 units/L
- AST (aspartate aminotransferase) Female 9-25 units/L; Male 10-40 units/L
- Bilirubin – total 0.0-1.0 mg/dL
- Gamma glutamyl transferase (GGT) Female 45 U/L; Male 65 U/L
- Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (total) 270 U/L
- Different liver enzymes are tested to determine cellular dysfunction versus cellular damage versus liver obstruction
- Electrolytes
- Important electrolytes are checked because each has a function on different cellular processes in the body
- Calcium 8.5-10.5 mg/dL
- CO2 (bicarbonate) 20-32 mmol/L
- Chloride 95-108 mmol/L
- Phosphorus 2.5-4.5 mg/dL
- Potassium 3.4-5.0 mmol/L
- Sodium 135-145 mmol/liter
- Important electrolytes are checked because each has a function on different cellular processes in the body
- Hormones
- To check for glandular dysfunction in the body
- Cortisol 0-25 µg/dL (depends on time of day)
- Stress hormone
- Estradiol Female premenopausal 30 to 400 pg/mL; Female postmenopausal 0 to 30 pg/mL; Male 10 to 50 pg/mL
- Female sex hormone
- Testosterone, total Female 6-86 ng/dL; Male 270-1070 ng/dL
- Male sex hormone
- Cortisol 0-25 µg/dL (depends on time of day)
- To check for glandular dysfunction in the body
- Blood components
- To check levels of these elements within the blood
- Albumin 3.1 – 4.3 g/dL
- Non-cellular component of blood plasma
- Platelets (thrombocytes) 130-400 x 103/µL
- Blood component that helps blood coagulate
- Red blood cell count (RBC) Female 3.9-5.2 x 106/µL; Male 4.4–5.8 x 106/µL
- Blood component that carries oxygen
- Hematocrit Female 36.0-46.0% of red blood cells; Male 37.0-49.0% of red blood cells
- Hemoglobin Female 12.1 to 15.1 g/dL; Male 13.8 to 17.2 grams per deciliter (g/dL)
- WBC (white blood cells, leukocytes) 4.5-11.0 x 103/mm3
- Blood component that helps fight infection
- Eosinophils 0-8% of white blood cells
- Lymphocytes 16-46% of white blood cells
- Basophils 0-3% of lymphocytes
- Monocytes 4-11% of white blood cells
- Neutrophils 45-75% of white blood cells
What Other Types of Blood Tests Are Used?
Other common tests healthcare providers may use to assess a person's general health may include the following:
- Amylase 53-123 units/L
- Pancreatic enzyme
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) 8-25 mg/dL
- Kidney function test
- Cholesterol, total less than 200 mg/dL
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (sed rate) Female 30 mm/h; Male 20 mm/h
- Inflammatory marker
- Glucose, plasma 70-110 mg/dL
- Lactic acid 0.5-2.2 mmol/L
- An acid by-product of cellular energy use; a marker for severe illness or sepsis
- Triglycerides 40-150 mg/dL
- A fatty substance in the blood
From
References
REFERENCES:
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.iapac.org/fact-sheet/normal-laboratory-values/
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/hemoglobin
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=167&ContentID=estradiol
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/blood-test
Image source: iStock Images
https://www.iapac.org/fact-sheet/normal-laboratory-values/
https://www.mountsinai.org/health-library/tests/hemoglobin
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=167&ContentID=estradiol
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/blood-test