Blog
CRP (C-Reactive Protein): Normal Range, hs-CRP & High Levels
What CRP measures, how it differs from hs-CRP, reference ranges, causes of elevation, and when to test for C-reactive protein.
Joint Pain: Which Blood Tests Find the Cause
Blood tests for joint pain — CRP, ESR, rheumatoid factor, uric acid, CBC. What each shows, how to tell inflammation from gout, and when to see a doctor.
Weak Immune System & Frequent Colds: Which Blood Tests to Take
Blood tests for frequent colds and low immunity — CBC with differential, vitamin D, B12, ferritin, CRP. What really lowers resistance and when it's immunodeficiency.
Insomnia: Which Blood Tests Find the Cause of Poor Sleep
Blood tests for insomnia — TSH, ferritin, vitamin D, glucose, cortisol, magnesium. How to rule out thyroid, iron deficiency and night-time glucose swings.
Can't Lose Weight? Which Blood Tests to Take for Weight Gain
Blood tests for weight gain — TSH, glucose, HbA1c, insulin and HOMA-IR, lipids. How to rule out hypothyroidism and insulin resistance, and when it's not hormonal.
Calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH): bone metabolism
How to read serum calcium and PTH together. What elevated PTH with normal calcium means. Screening for bone health after 40.
FSH and LH: assessing menopausal status and cycle phases
What follicle-stimulating (FSH) and luteinizing (LH) hormones show, how their values shift in perimenopause and postmenopause, when to measure, and why.
Thyroid peroxidase antibodies (anti-TPO): what it means
Anti-TPO is a marker of Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis. What it means, when to test, and how it affects the risk of hypothyroidism and pregnancy.
Women's 40+: baseline blood test panel for preventive checkup
Which lab tests women 40+ need for hormonal, metabolic, and bone health screening. TSH, FSH, estradiol, lipid panel, HbA1c, calcium, vitamin D.
Estradiol: reference ranges across cycle phases and when to test
What estradiol (E2) is, what's considered normal in follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases, and what declining levels in perimenopause mean.
Prolactin: reference range, hyperprolactinemia, and correct testing
What prolactin is, what's normal, what elevated levels mean (including prolactinoma), and how stress and sleep affect results.
Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR: assessing insulin resistance
What fasting insulin shows, how HOMA-IR is calculated, what's considered normal, and why this matters before prediabetes develops.
Vitamin B12 and folate: deficiency, anaemia, and the nervous system
What B12 and folate tests show, what counts as deficiency, why B12 deficiency is dangerous for the nervous system, and when to test.
Men's health at 40: the baseline lab panel every man should know
Blood tests every man at 40 should consider: lipid panel, HbA1c, testosterone, PSA, creatinine, TSH. USPSTF/AHA/AUA/ADA-aligned baseline screening guide.
Pregnancy blood tests: what, when, and why
Trimester-by-trimester guide to antenatal blood tests. Which reference ranges change in pregnancy and why. Gestational diabetes screening thresholds explained.
ALT and AST: normal ranges, De Ritis ratio, causes of elevation
Normal ALT and AST by sex, the AST/ALT De Ritis ratio, and common causes of elevation — NAFLD, hepatitis, alcohol, medications, muscle injury.
Haemoglobin levels: normal range, anaemia types, and what results mean
Normal haemoglobin range by age and sex, WHO 2024 thresholds, MCV-based anaemia classification, and why ferritin falls before haemoglobin. How to read results with your doctor.
Creatinine: normal range, eGFR, and what abnormal results mean
Serum creatinine, eGFR via CKD-EPI 2021, age- and sex-adjusted norms, causes of high and low values. How to read the result with your doctor.
Fatigue: which blood tests to run to find the cause
Screening minimum for chronic fatigue — ferritin, TSH, vitamin D, B12, glucose. What each marker shows and when to see a doctor.
Hair loss: which blood tests to run
Screening minimum for hair loss — ferritin, TSH, vitamin D, zinc, hormones. What each marker shows and when to see a trichologist.
HbA1c (glycated haemoglobin): what's normal and what it means
HbA1c reflects average glucose over 2-3 months. Normal range, prediabetes and diabetes cutoffs, how it differs from fasting glucose, limitations, and target values.
Ferritin: Iron Stores and What the Test Shows
What ferritin means, values indicating deficiency, why it can be elevated, and how to interpret the result.
Vitamin D: Ranges, Deficiency, and When to Test
What 25-OH vitamin D shows, ranges considered normal, risks of deficiency, and how often to check.
Blood glucose: normal ranges and what abnormal values mean
What blood glucose measures, fasting and postprandial ranges, what high or low levels indicate, and when to see a doctor.
CBC test: guide to 20+ parameters in a complete blood count
Step-by-step breakdown of CBC parameters: hemoglobin, red cells, white cells, platelets, ESR, and the differential.
How to read your lab results: beginner's guide
A step-by-step guide to reading a lab report, understanding reference ranges, knowing which values to prioritize, and when to call your doctor.
LDL and HDL cholesterol: complete lipid panel guide
What LDL, HDL, triglycerides and non-HDL mean, reference ranges, ratios, and how to lower 'bad' cholesterol through diet and medication.
TSH test: what it measures, when to take it, how to read results
What thyroid stimulating hormone reveals, adult and pediatric reference ranges, what elevated or suppressed TSH means, pregnancy considerations.