![Every Marker on Your Blood Test, in One Table](https://cdn.slatesource.com/4/1/0/41050e49-2d57-4904-92db-74dce855d0a5.webp) # Every Marker on Your Blood Test, in One Table - [Made in Slatesource](https://slatesource.com/@steph/every-marker-on-your-blood-test-in-one-table) - By [Steph](https://slatesource.com/@steph) - Created on Nov 5, 2026 ## Your results page, translated Your doctor ordered a blood panel and the results landed in your inbox. The page shows two columns of numbers, each with a "reference range" printed beside it, and flags on anything outside it. Most people spend twenty minutes Googling each item separately, landing on a different ad-heavy site per marker. This page is the one-stop version: all three panels that appear on a standard annual check-up (complete blood count, metabolic panel, lipid panel) in one place, with the range, the unit, and plain-language notes on what high and low usually indicate. It is a reading aid, not a diagnosis. Your own lab's reference range (printed on your results) is always the number to judge against, since ranges vary slightly by analyser and population. ![](https://cdn.slatesource.com/4/1/0/41050e49-2d57-4904-92db-74dce855d0a5.webp) "Human Blood Test" by Ja muzalevskaya (CC0 1.0, Wikimedia Commons). ## Complete blood count (CBC): what it measures The CBC counts the cells circulating in your blood. It has three main groups: red cells (which carry oxygen), white cells (which fight infection), and platelets (which seal wounds). A CBC is ordered for almost every annual check-up, every hospital admission, and any time a doctor wants a quick picture of overall health. The six markers below appear on virtually every standard CBC report. ## CBC: Complete Blood Count Marker Range (adults) High usually means Low usually means WBC (white blood cells) 4,500 to 11,000 /mcL Infection, inflammation, or rarely leukaemia Bone marrow suppression or immune disorder RBC (red blood cells) M: 4.6 to 6.2 M/mcL, F: 4.2 to 5.4 M/mcL Polycythaemia or chronic low oxygen Anaemia from blood loss or deficiency Haemoglobin M: 13 to 18 g/dL, F: 12 to 16 g/dL Dehydration or polycythaemia Anaemia reducing oxygen delivery Haematocrit M: 40 to 55 %, F: 36 to 48 % Dehydration or excess red cells Anaemia or severe blood loss MCV (mean corpuscular volume) 80 to 100 fL Macrocytic anaemia, B12 or folate deficiency Microcytic anaemia or iron deficiency Platelets 150,000 to 400,000 /mcL Reactive thrombocytosis or bone marrow disorder Bleeding tendency or bone marrow failure [Testing.com: Complete Blood Count (CBC)](https://www.testing.com/tests/complete-blood-count/?utm_source=slatesource) ## Metabolic panel (CMP or BMP): what it measures The comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP) checks how your kidneys, liver, and electrolytes are doing in one draw. A basic metabolic panel (BMP) is the same without the liver markers. The 11 markers below cover everything in a standard CMP. Glucose should be fasting (8 hours without food) for the most useful reading. All other markers are unaffected by fasting. ## CMP: Metabolic Panel Marker Range (adults, fasting) High usually means Low usually means Glucose 70 to 100 mg/dL Diabetes or impaired glucose control Hypoglycaemia (shakiness, confusion) BUN (blood urea nitrogen) 6 to 20 mg/dL Kidney dysfunction or dehydration Liver disease or malnutrition Creatinine M: 0.7 to 1.3 mg/dL, F: 0.5 to 1.1 mg/dL Kidney disease or muscle breakdown Low muscle mass or severe liver disease Sodium 135 to 145 mEq/L Dehydration or kidney disease Overhydration or adrenal insufficiency Potassium 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L Kidney disease or excess supplementation Heart arrhythmias or muscle weakness Calcium 8.5 to 10.5 mg/dL Hyperparathyroidism or bone disease Vitamin D deficiency or hypoparathyroidism ALT (alanine aminotransferase) 7 to 56 U/L Liver damage, hepatitis, or fatty liver Rarely clinically significant AST (aspartate aminotransferase) 10 to 40 U/L Liver injury or muscle breakdown Rarely clinically significant Alkaline phosphatase 44 to 147 U/L Liver obstruction or bone disease Malnutrition or hypothyroidism Total bilirubin 0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL Liver disease or red cell breakdown Rare; not usually flagged Albumin 3.5 to 5.0 g/dL Dehydration Liver disease or malnutrition [Testing.com: Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)](https://www.testing.com/tests/comprehensive-metabolic-panel/?utm_source=slatesource) ## Lipid panel: what it measures A lipid panel measures the fats in your blood that relate to cardiovascular risk. It is almost always ordered fasting (12 hours without food), because triglycerides spike dramatically after a meal. The four markers below appear on every standard lipid panel. Note that for HDL, higher is protective: a low HDL raises cardiovascular risk even if total cholesterol looks fine. ## Lipid Panel Marker Range (adults, fasting) High usually means Low usually means Total cholesterol Below 200 mg/dL (desirable) Elevated cardiovascular risk Severe malnutrition or liver disease (rare) LDL cholesterol Below 100 mg/dL (optimal) Plaque build-up risk in arteries Rare genetic disorder or malnutrition HDL cholesterol M: above 40 mg/dL, F: above 50 mg/dL Protective effect against heart disease Increased cardiovascular risk Triglycerides Below 150 mg/dL Metabolic syndrome, diabetes, or diet Malnutrition (uncommon finding) [Testing.com: Lipid Panel](https://www.testing.com/tests/lipid-panel/?utm_source=slatesource) Four things that shift your numbers before a flag means anything. First, hydration: even mild dehydration concentrates the blood and raises haematocrit, haemoglobin, albumin, and creatinine. Drink normally the morning of your draw. Second, timing: strenuous exercise in the 24 hours before a draw elevates AST, creatinine, and CK (if ordered). Third, fasting: glucose and triglycerides are only meaningful fasting. Fourth, lab variation: each analyser is calibrated to its own population, so a value