Understanding your lab results
The numbers in brackets, the asterisk next to a value, the twelve-hour fast. Here we explain what each part of a report means and how to read it alongside your own history.
High triglycerides: what the number means and what to check before repeating the test
High triglycerides in your results: what each band means, why they change with dinner and alcohol, and what to check before repeating the test.
High creatinine: what it means, what raises it without the kidney, and what to ask for
Your creatinine came out high on a blood test. What raises it without the kidney being involved, what eGFR is, why it is repeated in three months and what to ask for.
Lab reference range: why the normal on your report is not your personal norm
What a lab reference range is, why it differs between labs, how much a value moves in the same person and when a change inside the range still matters.
How to read your lab results without panicking
A flagged value is not a diagnosis. What moves your results when nothing is wrong, why something almost always comes back out of range, and how to read your report in five steps.