Blood values by body system
Every blood value belongs to a system in your body: liver, thyroid, heart, hormones. Look up a value below. For each one, you get the reference range and what a deviation can mean.
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HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin)
HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin) reflects your average blood sugar levels over the past 2-3 months. It is the gold standard for long-term blood sugar monitoring and diabetes management.
Hematocrit
Your hematocrit shows which share of your blood consists of red blood cells. Dutch laboratories report it as a fraction. A result of 0.45 l/l therefore stands for 45 percent. Hematocrit is almost always measured alongside haemoglobin and the red cell count. It is a concentration measure, so your fluid balance feeds into the result. Being under-hydrated raises the value without a single extra red cell being made. One isolated hematocrit value therefore says little. The number gains meaning next to your haemoglobin, your MCV and the timing of the draw.
Hemoglobin
A hemoglobin test measures the amount of hemoglobin protein in your blood. Hemoglobin is found inside red blood cells and is responsible for binding oxygen in the lungs and delivering it throughout your body.
Homocysteine
Homocysteine is an amino acid produced during protein metabolism. Elevated levels may be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline, and other health conditions.
Iron (Serum)
Serum iron measures the amount of circulating iron in your blood. Iron is essential for haemoglobin production, oxygen transport, and energy metabolism throughout the body.
LDL Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol is the amount of cholesterol carried inside LDL particles, the particles that can build up in the artery wall. That is where its nickname comes from: the bad cholesterol. Two things rarely appear on a report. First, in a routine lipid panel LDL is usually not measured but calculated from your total cholesterol, your HDL and your triglycerides. Second, the 3.0 mmol/l upper limit is a population reference interval, not a target. What counts as a good LDL for you is decided by your overall cardiovascular risk, not by the line printed on the page.
LH (Luteinizing Hormone)
An LH blood test measures luteinizing hormone, a pituitary hormone essential for reproductive function. LH plays a key role in triggering ovulation in women and stimulating testosterone production in men.
Leukocyte Differential
A leukocyte differential test measures the relative proportions of different types of white blood cells in your blood. It provides a detailed breakdown of your immune cell populations, offering valuable insight into your immune system's function.
Leukocytes (WBC)
Leukocytes are the white blood cells in your blood. They form the core of your defence against bacteria, viruses and fungi. The leukocyte count states how many of these cells sit in a fixed volume of blood. The number is the sum of five different cell types, each with its own task. At the laboratory that runs the test the usual adult range runs from 4.3 to 10.0 x10^9/L. Laboratories use slightly different limits from one another. Always read the reference value printed on your own result. A single measurement is not a diagnosis. The number moves with infection, exertion, stress, smoking and even the time of day you give blood.
Lipoprotein(a)
Lp(a), in full lipoprotein(a), is an LDL-like particle with an extra protein bolted onto it: apolipoprotein(a). That single extra protein makes the particle more damaging to the artery wall than an ordinary LDL particle. What makes Lp(a) unusual is that its level is more than 90 percent written into your DNA. It is set by the LPA gene, fixed early in life, and barely changes afterwards. Diet, exercise and weight loss shift the value hardly at all. That is why European consensus recommends measuring Lp(a) at least once in the life of every adult. A single test usually suffices: you learn a number that will not change again.
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)
MCH is the average amount of haemoglobin in one red blood cell, calculated from your haemoglobin and red cell count. A low value often points to iron deficiency, a high value to a B12 or folate shortage. Learn what your MCH can mean.
MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration)
MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells, calculated from your haemoglobin and haematocrit. A low value fits iron deficiency; a raised value is rare and usually checked before it is acted on. Learn what your MCHC can mean.
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)
MCV stands for mean corpuscular volume: the average volume of one red blood cell, expressed in femtolitres. In adults an MCV between 80 and 100 fL is normal. Below 80 fL your red cells are small, which usually points to iron deficiency or to an inherited trait. Above 100 fL they are large, which fits a vitamin B12 or folate deficiency, regular alcohol use, an underactive thyroid or liver disease. MCV makes no diagnosis of its own: it indicates the direction in which to look further. And because it is an average, the value can be normal while two deficiencies exist side by side.
Magnesium
Magnesium is an essential mineral involved in over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body, including energy production, muscle and nerve function, blood sugar regulation, and bone development.
Non-HDL Cholesterol
Non-HDL cholesterol is your total cholesterol minus your HDL cholesterol. What remains is the cholesterol carried inside every particle that can lodge in an artery wall: LDL, IDL, VLDL, the remnant particles left after fat digestion, and Lp(a). One number, in other words, for the entire atherogenic burden, and no extra test is needed to obtain it. The strength of non-HDL lies in what it does not need. No formula is involved and you do not have to fast. Precisely where a calculated LDL becomes unreliable, with high triglycerides or after a meal, non-HDL still holds. The upper limit of 3.3 mmol/l printed on your result is a population reference value, not a target. What counts as a good value for you depends on your risk profile.
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
This value counts the platelets coming out of the same tube as your red and white cells. Platelets are the smallest things in your blood, and they help seal a cut. They are counted from the same tube as your red cells and your white cells. Together those three make up the full blood count. So this number is never read on its own. It only means something beside your haemoglobin, your MCV and your white cells. In adults the normal range runs from 150 to 400 ×10⁹/l, the same for men and women. Platelets live only seven to ten days. One odd reading is rarely the whole story.
Potassium
Potassium is an essential electrolyte and mineral that helps regulate heartbeat, muscle contractions, nerve signals, and fluid balance. It is one of the most important minerals for cardiovascular health.
Prolactin
A prolactin blood test measures the level of prolactin, a pituitary hormone primarily known for its role in lactation. Prolactin also influences reproductive function, immune regulation, and metabolic processes in both men and women.
SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)
SHBG stands for sex hormone binding globulin. It is a protein made by the liver. SHBG binds testosterone tightly and oestradiol somewhat more loosely. Hormone bound to SHBG cannot act in the tissues. SHBG therefore determines how much of your total testosterone is genuinely available. SHBG is not itself a sex hormone but a transport protein. Results are reported in nmol/l. Normal values differ by sex and by age, and in men SHBG rises as they get older. An SHBG should therefore be assessed alongside total testosterone, never on its own.
Sodium
Sodium is a vital electrolyte that regulates fluid balance, blood pressure, and nerve and muscle function. It is the primary cation in extracellular fluid and is closely regulated by the kidneys.
TPO Antibodies
TPO antibodies target the thyroid peroxidase enzyme involved in thyroid hormone production. Elevated levels may indicate autoimmune thyroid conditions such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Your healthcare provider can help determine what your TPO antibody results mean for your health.
TSH (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone)
TSH is thyroid-stimulating hormone. The pituitary gland makes it, and uses it to drive your thyroid. At the laboratory that runs the test the usual adult range runs from 0.27 to 4.20 mE/L. A high TSH usually fits an underactive thyroid. A low value usually fits an overactive one. That direction feels inverted, and it is. TSH is the pituitary signal, not the thyroid hormone itself. Laboratories use slightly different limits from one another. Always read the reference value printed on your own result. And a single measurement is never a diagnosis.
Total Cholesterol
Total cholesterol measures the combined amount of HDL, LDL, and VLDL cholesterol in your blood. It provides an overview of your lipid status but should be interpreted alongside individual components for a complete cardiovascular risk picture.
Total Testosterone
Total testosterone measures the combined amount of bound and free testosterone in the blood. As the primary androgen, testosterone may influence muscle mass, bone density, libido, mood, and energy levels in both men and women.
What does a checkup per body system measure?
A checkup per body system bundles the blood values that belong to it. The liver checkup measures, for example, ALT, AST and GGT. The thyroid checkup measures TSH and the thyroid hormones. That gives you a focused picture instead of one single value.
We offer eight checkups, one per body system. Think of liver, kidneys, thyroid, heart and hormones. Not sure which checkup fits your question? Our test finder helps you decide in a few questions.
How do reference ranges work?
Every blood value comes with a reference range: the range most healthy people fall within. Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. That comes from differences in method and the group studied. Falling outside the range is a signal, not a diagnosis.
When you order a checkup, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your results in context. So you get more than just a number. Always discuss treatment decisions with your GP.
When should you test again?
Many values are worth measuring again after three to six months. That applies, for example, if you are following a lifestyle change or a treatment. A first test is then your baseline; the next one shows what changed.
A repeat test can also help without an ongoing change. Think of persistent symptoms, or simply tracking your values over time. Choose how often you test yourself, there is no fixed schedule.
Frequently asked questions about blood values
- Which blood values are normal?
- That differs per value and per laboratory. Your reference range depends on several things: your age, your sex and the method used. Look up the value in the overview above and check its range. Always compare that range with your own result.
- Do I need a referral for a checkup?
- No, you don't need a referral from your GP for a checkup with us. You order the checkup that fits your question yourself. After the blood draw, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your results.
- Can a checkup diagnose a disease?
- A checkup is not a diagnostic test for one specific disease. An abnormal value can have several causes and often calls for follow-up testing. For persistent symptoms, your GP is the best next step.
- How quickly do I get my results?
- That differs per checkup and per laboratory. In general, you receive your results within a few days of the blood draw. You see your values with explanation in your account, assessed by a doctor.
Reference ranges may vary between laboratories. When you order a test, a BIG-registered doctor assesses your personal results in context. For treatment decisions, discuss your results with your GP.