Blood tests
Blood test normal ranges: 48 common values explained
Blood test reports print each value beside a reference range, and the range printed on your own report is the one that applies. This page lists 48 common values in nine panels, from sugar to iron, with the range commonly printed for adults and a sourced page on each, so you can find your test and see what it measures.
Last updated 16 sources
Which blood sugar tests appear on a report?
Blood sugar tests on a report include fasting glucose, taken after at least eight hours without food, random glucose, taken at any time, and HbA1c, which reflects average blood sugar over about three months and needs no fasting. Many Indian reports also print a post-prandial (PP) reading taken after a meal. Each value below has its own page.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| HbA1c | Glycated Haemoglobin, Glycosylated Hemoglobin, Glycated Hemoglobin | 4–5.6% |
| Fasting Glucose | FBS, Fasting Blood Sugar, Glucose Fasting | 70–100 mg/dL |
| Random Glucose | RBS, Random Blood Sugar, Glucose Random | <140 mg/dL |
| Post Prandial Glucose | PPBS, PP Glucose, Postprandial Blood Sugar | <140 mg/dL |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What does a lipid profile include?
A lipid profile measures cholesterol and triglycerides in one blood sample: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and triglycerides, and often non-HDL cholesterol and VLDL. LDL on a report may be marked calculated, meaning it was worked out from the other values, or measured directly. You may be asked to fast for nine to 12 hours before the test.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Total Cholesterol | Cholesterol Total, Serum Cholesterol, Cholesterol | <200 mg/dL |
| LDL | LDL Cholesterol, Low Density Lipoprotein, LDL-C | <100 mg/dL |
| HDL | HDL Cholesterol, High Density Lipoprotein, HDL-C | >40 mg/dL |
| VLDL | VLDL Cholesterol, Very Low Density Lipoprotein, VLDL-C | <30 mg/dL |
| Triglycerides | TG, Serum Triglycerides, Triglyceride | <150 mg/dL |
| Non-HDL Cholesterol | Non HDL Cholesterol, Non-HDL, Non HDL | <130 mg/dL |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What does a kidney function test (KFT) include?
A kidney function test (KFT) usually prints creatinine, a waste product from muscle that healthy kidneys filter out, urea or blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and eGFR, an estimate of how quickly your kidneys filter blood, worked out from creatinine with your age and sex. Creatinine alone is not the best guide to kidney function, so doctors read it with eGFR.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Creatinine | Serum Creatinine, S. Creatinine, Creat | 0.6–1.3 mg/dLvaries by sex |
| Urea | Blood Urea, Serum Urea, S. Urea | 17–43 mg/dL |
| BUN | Blood Urea Nitrogen, Urea Nitrogen, B.U.N. | 7–20 mg/dL |
| eGFR | Estimated GFR, GFR, Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate | >90 mL/min/1.73m² |
| Uric Acid | Serum Uric Acid, S. Uric Acid, Urate | 3.5–7.2 mg/dLvaries by sex |
Sources:MedlinePlus
Which electrolytes and minerals are tested?
An electrolyte panel measures electrically charged minerals in your blood: sodium, which helps control body fluid and supports nerves and muscles, potassium, which cells, the heart and muscles need, chloride, which helps regulate fluid, and often calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. It needs no special preparation. Fluid intake, dehydration, kidney disease and some medicines can move these values.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Sodium | Serum Sodium, Na, Na+ | 136–145 mEq/L |
| Potassium | Serum Potassium, K, K+ | 3.5–5.1 mEq/L |
| Chloride | Serum Chloride, Cl, Cl- | 98–107 mEq/L |
| Calcium | Serum Calcium, Ca, Total Calcium | 8.5–10.5 mg/dL |
| Phosphorus | Serum Phosphorus, Phosphate, Inorganic Phosphorus | 2.5–4.5 mg/dL |
| Magnesium | Serum Magnesium, Mg, S. Magnesium | 1.7–2.4 mg/dL |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What does a liver function test (LFT) include?
A liver function test (LFT) is a group of blood tests: the enzymes ALT (SGPT), AST (SGOT), ALP and GGT, which are mainly made in the liver, bilirubin, a waste product from old red blood cells, and the proteins albumin and total protein. Doctors usually ask for a fast of 10 to 12 hours before the test.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Total Protein | Protein Total, Serum Protein, Total Proteins | 6–8.3 g/dL |
| Albumin | Serum Albumin, S. Albumin, Alb | 3.5–5.2 g/dL |
| Globulin | Serum Globulin, Glob, Globulins | 2–3.5 g/dL |
| Bilirubin Total | Total Bilirubin, Bilirubin (Total), T. Bilirubin | 0.1–1.2 mg/dL |
| Bilirubin Direct | Direct Bilirubin, Bilirubin (Direct), D. Bilirubin | <0.3 mg/dL |
| SGPT (ALT) | ALT, Alanine Aminotransferase, SGPT | 7–56 U/L |
| SGOT (AST) | AST, Aspartate Aminotransferase, SGOT | 8–33 U/L |
| ALP | Alkaline Phosphatase, Alk Phos, Alk. Phosphatase | 44–147 U/L |
| GGT | Gamma GT, Gamma Glutamyl Transferase, GGTP | 9–48 U/Lvaries by sex |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What does a thyroid profile include?
A thyroid profile usually prints TSH, the hormone from the pituitary gland that tells the thyroid how much hormone to make, with T3 and T4, the thyroid hormones themselves, printed as free or total values. When thyroid hormone is low the pituitary makes more TSH, so the values are read together.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| TSH | Thyroid Stimulating Hormone, Ultra TSH, TSH Ultrasensitive | 0.4–4.8 µIU/mL |
| Free T3 | FT3, Free Triiodothyronine, T3 Free | 2.3–4.2 pg/mL |
| Free T4 | FT4, Free Thyroxine, T4 Free | 0.8–1.9 ng/dL |
| Total T3 | T3, T3 Total, Triiodothyronine | 78–158 ng/dL |
| Total T4 | T4, T4 Total, Thyroxine | 4.9–11.9 µg/dLvaries by sex |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What does a complete blood count (CBC) include?
A complete blood count (CBC), printed as CBP on some Indian reports, counts red blood cells, which carry oxygen, white blood cells, which fight infection, and platelets, which help blood clot. It also measures haemoglobin, the iron-rich protein in red cells, and the red cell indices MCV, MCH and MCHC. Usually no special preparation is needed.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Haemoglobin | Hemoglobin, Hb, HGB | 12.1–17.2 g/dLvaries by sex |
| RBC Count | RBC, Red Blood Cell Count, Total RBC Count | 3.8–5.7 million/µLvaries by sex |
| WBC Count | WBC, Total Leucocyte Count, TLC | 4500–11000 cells/µL |
| Platelet Count | Platelets, PLT, Platelet | 1.5–4.1 lakh/µL |
| MCV | Mean Corpuscular Volume, Mean Cell Volume, M.C.V. | 79–95 fL |
| MCH | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin, Mean Cell Haemoglobin | 27–33 pg |
| MCHC | Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration, Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration, Mean Cell Haemoglobin Concentration | 32–36 g/dL |
Sources:MedlinePlus
What do ESR and CRP measure?
ESR and CRP both point to inflammation without saying what is causing it. ESR times how fast red blood cells settle in a tube; faster settling means more inflammation, and the usual values change with age and sex. CRP measures a protein the liver makes when inflammation is present, and hs-CRP detects smaller rises. Doctors often order the two together.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| ESR | Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate, E.S.R., Sed Rate | <20 mm/hrvaries by sex and age |
| CRP | C-Reactive Protein, C Reactive Protein, CRP (Quantitative) | <5 mg/L |
Sources:MedlinePlus
Which vitamin and iron tests are common?
Vitamin D is usually tested as 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the form the liver makes, and the total is the number that matters. Iron tests include serum iron, the iron circulating in blood, and ferritin, the iron stored in the body; they are usually done in the morning, sometimes after a 12 hour fast.
| Value | Also printed as | Commonly printed range |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D | 25-OH Vitamin D, 25-Hydroxy Vitamin D, Vitamin D3 | 30–100 ng/mL |
| Vitamin B12 | Cobalamin, Vit B12, B12 | 299–1054 pg/mL |
| Ferritin | Serum Ferritin, S. Ferritin, Ferritin Serum | 13–150 ng/mLvaries by sex |
| Serum Iron | Iron, Iron Serum, S. Iron | 60–170 µg/dLvaries by sex |
Sources:MedlinePlus
Guides
Questions people ask
What is the normal range for all blood tests?
A single normal range for all blood tests does not exist, because each test has its own range and each lab sets or checks its own, using its equipment and the people it tested. The 48 values on this page show the ranges commonly printed for adults, and the range on your own report is the one that applies.
Why do different labs have different normal ranges?
Different labs print different normal ranges because they use different equipment, chemicals and methods, and each lab sets or validates its own range from the healthy people it tested. The differences are usually small, but a value one lab marks in range another may flag, so compare your result only with the range on your own report.
Do I need to fast before a blood test?
Fasting depends on the tests ordered. A fasting glucose test and a lipid profile often need eight to 12 hours without food or drink, and a liver panel is often done after a 10 to 12 hour fast, while HbA1c, a CBC and an electrolyte panel need no special preparation. Your lab's instructions for your own order apply.
What does it mean if a value is slightly outside the range?
A value slightly outside the printed range may or may not point to a health problem. MedlinePlus says it is common for healthy people to sometimes have results outside the reference range, and about 5% of a healthy group falls outside by the way ranges are built. Your doctor reads the value with your history, symptoms and other results.
Sources:MedlinePlus, Testing.com, NHS
Sources
- How to Understand Your Lab ResultsMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Reference Ranges and What They MeanTesting.com · testing.com · Opened
- Blood testsNHS · nhs.uk · Opened
- Blood Glucose TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Cholesterol LevelsMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Creatinine TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) and GFR TestsMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Electrolyte PanelMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Liver Function TestsMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- TSH (Thyroid-stimulating hormone) TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)MedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR)MedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Vitamin D TestMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
- Iron TestsMedlinePlus · medlineplus.gov · Opened
About this page
Every statement on this page comes from the sources listed above. Ranges are those commonly printed on Indian lab reports; the range printed on your own report is the one that applies.
Published by Amara Health, a product of MetaNova AI Private Limited, Hyderabad.
Amara Health does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Information shown by Amara is based on available health records and may contain errors. Review important information against the original report and consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical decisions. Do not use Amara for medical emergencies.
Amara does not diagnose. You do.
Your health history should be easier to use.
Start with two reports. Free, no card, about a minute.