Labs & Biomarkers
What common lab tests and biomarkers measure — general education only.
Understanding lab reference ranges
What a lab reference range is, how labs build it from the middle ~95% of healthy results, why ranges vary, and why out-of-range isn't a diagnosis.
Common blood markers, explained
A plain-language guide to common blood markers — what the CBC, metabolic panel, and lipid markers generally measure, with interpretation left to clinicians.
What a ferritin test measures
What a ferritin test measures — iron stored in the body — how it differs from a serum iron test, why its range is wide, and why clinicians read it in context.
What's in a cholesterol panel
What a cholesterol (lipid) panel measures — total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides — in plain language, with interpretation left to clinicians.
HbA1c vs a single glucose reading
How an HbA1c test differs from a single glucose reading — average blood sugar over ~2–3 months vs a moment in time — in plain language.
Understanding vitamin D blood levels
What a vitamin D blood test measures — 25(OH)D — why experts debate the 'optimal' level, and why your result is read in context by a clinician.