Your doctor wants to run some blood tests. So you go to the lab hungry and a technician jabs you with a needle drawing out enough blood to fill a vial or two. Then you’re bandaged and move on to get some food.
The results come back. Your doctor says, “Everything looks just fine”. With such a quick, flippant response you wonder “How does he know I’m just fine?”
The next time you have blood tests run, ask your doctor to show you your bloodwork results and explain it to you. If he doesn’t have time, maybe his nurse can help. If not, then the following information may give you some understanding of what your blood test means. Then you can return to your doctor’s office being informed and prepared to ask specific questions about your health.
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Glucose is the main source of energy for all living organisms. A level greater than 105 after fasting 12 hours suggests a diabetic tendency. This test can predict diabetes ten years or more before onset of the disease. Levels greater than 120 indicate diabetes.
Sodium is important in the salt and water balance in your body. A low level tells us that you’re drinking too much water. Heart failure or kidney failure could also be a concern with low levels. Low levels could also be caused by sodium loss in diarrhea or vomiting. A high level of sodium indicates you’re either taking in too much salt or you’re not drinking enough water.
Potassium and Magnesium are found primarily inside cells. Low levels indicate severe diarrhea, alcoholism, or excessive use of water pills. Very low levels of magnesium in the blood cause muscles to tremble. Muscle cells consist of magnesium and calcium and your heart is the most important muscle you have. Take care of it. Low potassium levels can also cause muscle weakness and heart problems.
Chloride is an electrolyte controlled by the kidneys and is sometimes affected by diet. It’s involved in maintaining acid-base balance of your body and helps regulate blood volume and artery pressure. Elevated levels of chloride are related to acidosis as well as too much water crossing cell membranes.
BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) is a waste product from protein breakdown in the liver.
Increased levels indicate excessive protein intake, kidney damage, certain drugs, low intake of fluids, intestinal bleeding, exercise, heart failure or decreased digestive enzyme production by the pancreas. Decreased levels show inadequate protein intake, malabsorption, or liver damage.
Creatinine is also a protein breakdown product and is a reflection of body muscle mass. Low levels reveal inadequate protein intake, liver disease, kidney damage or pregnancy. Elevated levels are generally reflective of kidney damage. If that’s your situation, you and your doctor need to monitor your creatinine levels very carefully.
Uric Acid is the end product of purine metabolism. High levels of uric acid are seen in gout, infections, high protein diets, consumption of high fructose corn syrup, and kidney disease. Low levels may indicate protein deficiency, liver damage or an overly acid kidney.
Phosphate is closely associated with calcium in bone development. Most phosphate is found in your bones. Phosphate levels in the blood are important for muscle and nerve function. Very low levels are associated with starvation or malnutrition which leads to muscle weakness. High levels in the blood indicate kidney disease.
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body and is involved in bone metabolism, protein absorption, fat transfer, muscular contraction, transmission of nerve impulses, blood clotting, and heart function. It’s important! Calcium is highly sensitive to magnesium, iron, and phosphorous. It’s necessary in orchestrating hormonal activity, vitamin D levels, CO2 levels and many drugs. Diet (or the presence of calcium in the diet) has much to do with “calcium balance” – how much calcium you take in and how much you lose from your body. Efficient assimilation of calcium by your body is essential to your long-term health.
Albumin is the most abundant protein in the blood and is produced in the liver. It offers antioxidant protection for your tissues from free radicals and binds waste products, toxins and dangerous drugs that are damaging to the body. Albumin also plays a role in controlling the precise amount of water in tissue and serves to transport vitamins, minerals and hormones. The higher the number, the better, with the highest being 5.5.
Alkaline Phosphatase is an enzyme found in all body tissue with the most important sites being bone, liver, bile ducts and the gut. A high level indicates bone, liver or bile duct disease. Certain drugs may also elevate levels. Growing children (because they’re growing) normally have higher levels than adults. Low levels are indicative of low functioning adrenal glands, protein deficiency, malnutrition or, more commonly, a zinc deficiency.
SGTP & SGOT (Transaminases) are enzymes found primarily in the liver. Too much alcohol, certain drugs, liver disease and bile duct disease can elevate levels. Hepatitis will also raise enzyme these levels. Low levels of SGPT and SGOT may indicate deficiency of vitamin B6.
GGTP (Gamma-Glutamyltranserase) is an enzyme involved in the transport of amino acids into the cells as well as glutathione metabolism. Low levels of GGTP – may indicate a magnesium deficiency. This enzyme is found in the liver and levels rise with alcohol use, liver disease, or excess magnesium. Decreased levels are found in hypothyroidism and more commonly in decreased magnesium levels.
LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase) is an enzyme found in all tissues of the body. A high level may result from a number of different diseases. Slightly elevated levels are common and usually don’t indicate disease. Most common sources of LDH are found in the heart, liver, muscles, and red blood cells.
Total Protein is a measure of the amount of protein in your blood. Low or high total protein does not indicate a specific disease, but some additional tests may be required to determine if there is a problem.
Iron is necessary to make hemoglobin and to help transport oxygen to the muscles. If your results show low iron, all cells (particularly muscles in adults and brain cells in children) don’t function as they should. If you test low in iron, consider a Ferritin test, especially if you’re a menstruating female.
Triglycerides are fats used as fuel by the body and as an energy source for metabolism. Increased levels show you may be taking in too many carbohydrates. Decreased levels indicate possibly hyperthyroidism, malnutrition and malabsorption. Triglyceride levels fluctuate daily.
Cholesterol is a group of fats vital to cell membranes, nerve fibers and bile salts. Cholesterol is also a necessary precursor for sex hormones. High levels indicate a diet high in carbohydrates and sugars. Low levels reveal a lowfat diet, malabsorption, or carbohydrate sensitivity. Cholesterol consists of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) and HDL (the “good” cholesterol). LDL carries cholesterol for cell building needs, yet leaves behind any excess on artery walls and in tissues. HDL helps prevent narrowing of the artery walls by removing excess cholesterol and transports it to the liver for excretion. Low HDL percentage frequently indicates diets high in refined carbohydrates and/or carbohydrate sensitivity.
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) is related to the respiratory exchange of carbon dioxide in the lungs and serves as part of the body’s buffering system. When used with other electrolytes, CO2 levels indicate pH or acid/alkaline balance in tissues. This is one of the most important tests we measure. Most people are too acidic in their bodies creating an environment for bacterial proliferation or cancer cell development. A balanced pH helps our bodies remain healthy.
WBC ( White blood count) is a measure of the total number of white blood cells in a given volume of blood. White blood cells kill bacteria and this test serves as a measure of your body’s response to infection.
Hemoglobin provides the main transport of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood. It is composed of “globin”, a group of amino acids forming a protein, and a “heme” which contains iron. This value is an important determinant of anemia or possible overhydration when levels are decreased. Elevated levels point to possible dehydration.
MCV measures the average size of red blood cells and their volume. Decreased levels indicate iron deficiency anemia or rheumatoid arthritis while increased levels reveal a possible B12/folate deficiency anemia.
Not All Values are the Same
You’ve seen your blood test results, but not every value listed within range of normal values is necessarily your “normal”. Sometimes your numbers can reflect a little on the high side and still appear normal. Conversely, they could appear low yet be within normal range. That’s when you start researching and asking questions, especially if you’re dealing with a situation that doesn’t improve over time with treatment. Now you’re able to make wise decisions as you understand more about the mysteries of your body and the tests necessary to measure its efficiency.
New Tests on the Market
In the weeks to come, I’ll try to introduce you to some of the new tests available to you and what the test results can mean. All of this is to help you be wise in your personal health maintenance as well for you to take care of your family needs better. To get the right answers, you have to know the right questions. I hope I can help you formulate those questions so you’re better informed in this age of “Disease Management”.
Stay well…
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