Doctor-written guides to everyday blood tests, from cholesterol and liver enzymes to kidney function, CRP and iron. Learn what each result means.
Your uric acid levels are usually a quiet background number — until they climb high enough to crystallise and trigger the sudden, searing pain of gout. Uric acid is a normal waste product your body makes when it breaks down purines, and most of it is filtered out by your kidneys. This guide explains what…
Your CRP levels are one of the simplest windows into inflammation anywhere in your body. C-reactive protein (CRP) is made by your liver and rises within hours of an infection, injury, or flare of inflammation — which is why doctors order it so often. This guide explains what your CRP level means, the difference between…
Quick answer A kidney function test usually means two results: eGFR from a blood test and ACR from a urine test. An eGFR of 90 or more is normal, 60–89 is mildly decreased, and below 60 for more than 3 months counts as chronic kidney disease (CKD). A urine ACR below 3 mg/mmol (UK) or…
High liver enzymes are one of the most common surprises on a routine blood test — and one of the most worrying-looking. The good news is that mildly raised levels are usually not an emergency, and the most frequent cause is very treatable. So what do high liver enzymes actually mean, what causes them, and…
Quick answer A cholesterol test (lipid panel) measures total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides. US labs call LDL below 100 mg/dL optimal, total cholesterol below 200 mg/dL desirable and triglycerides below 150 mg/dL normal. The NHS calls total cholesterol below 5 mmol/L and non-HDL below 4 mmol/L healthy, with HDL above 1.0 mmol/L for men…
Quick answer Ferritin is the protein that stores iron, and a ferritin blood test is the best single check of your iron stores. Below 15 ng/mL usually means stores are used up. Below 30 counts as low stores in UK (BSG 2021) and US (ASH 2026) guidance, even when your lab range starts lower. Inflammation…