Understanding Lab Reports (Part 1)

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Leviticus 17:11 – “…The life of the flesh is in the blood...” 

In the lab work results sheet, you will have the following ranges:

• Low range (out of normal limits)
  

• Normal range (within normal limits) (WNL)
  

• High range (out of normal limits)

• Albumin

• Albumin/Globulin Ratio

• Alkaline Phosphatase: Evaluation of liver and bone diseases

• ALT (SGPT): Evaluates liver function

• AST (SGOT): Evaluates liver function

• Bilirubin: Evaluates kidney and liver function

• BUN (blood urea nitrogen): Measures liver and kidney function

• BUN/Creatinine Ratio: For diagnosis of impaired renal(kidney) function

• Calcium

• Chloride

• Creatinine: A test used to measure kidney function

• Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)(dealing with the kidneys)

• Fasting Glucose (blood sugar)

• Globulin

• Iron (serum)

• LDH (lactic dehydrogenase)

• Lipid Profile: Evaluates the risk for developing atherosclerosis (arterial plaque) and coronary heart disease.

• Phosphorus

• Potassium

• Sodium

• Total Protein

• Uric acid

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL

• Triglycerides

• HDL Cholesterol

• Cholesterol

• Total Cholesterol/HDL Ratio

COMPLETE BLOOD COUNT (CBC):

• Differential count

• Hematocrit

• Hemoglobin

• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC)

• Mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH)

• Platelet count

• Red blood cell count

• Red blood cell distribution

• Red blood cell indices

• White blood cell count(WBC)

NORMAL RANGES:

• Albumin: 3.9 to 5.0 g/dL

• Alkaline phosphatase: 44 to 147 IU/L

• ALT (alanine transaminase): 8 to 37 IU/L

• AST (aspartate aminotransferase): 10 to 34 IU/L

• BUN (blood urea nitrogen): 7 to 20 mg/dL

• Calcium - serum: 8.5 to 10.9 mg/dL

• Serum chloride: 101 to 111 mmol/L

• CO2 (carbon dioxide): 20 to 29 mmol/L

• Creatinine: 0.8 to 1.4 mg/dL **

• Direct bilirubin: 0.0 to 0.3 mg/dL

• Gamma-GT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase): 0 to 51 IU/L

• Glucose test: 100 mg/dL

• LDH (lactate dehydrogenase): 105 to 333 IU/L

• Phosphorus - serum: 2.4 to 4.1 mg/dL

• Potassium test: 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L

• Serum sodium: 136 to 144 mEq/L

• Total bilirubin: 0.2 to 1.9 mg/dL

• Total cholesterol: 100 to 240 mg/dL

• Total protein: 6.3 to 7.9 g/dL

• Uric acid: 4.1 to 8.8 mg/dL

#1: LIPID PANEL = BLOOD FATS:

• Two Types:

1. Cholesterol

2. The Triglyceride Component
***The higher the fat content, the more likely they are to cause artery disease...
***Let's look at the “triglycerides”
Normal = <150
***If you inherit genes for the production of fats, these values may run higher than normal.
Or if you are taking in an excess of certain fats or triglycerides. Your triglycerides will tend to be high.
If you are taking in sugar, etc., it will be converted over to triglycerides.
 
CHOLESTEROL
Mostly comes from animal fats.
It's best to < 150. -- This can be done by changing diet and lifestyle.
LDL = Low Density Lipoprotein
This should be <90
Labs say <130
For Optimal Health should be <70
 
HDL = High Density Lipoprotein
For men.... >40
Women.... >50
For Optimal Health in both...>75
 
***Very high levels of HDL can be harmful
***Low levels are mostly due to overweight and lack of exercise
 
#2: METABOLIC PANEL (or Comprehensive Metabolic Panel): 

This gives you a screen of certain substances found in the blood
 
a. GLUCOSE (BSL)
It is usually for fasting
Normal = 66-99
>99 = impaired glucose handling...
100-125 = pre-diabetic
>126 = Diabetes
 
b. BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen)
 
c. CREATININE
Normal ration is 10:1
10 for BUN
1 for Creatinine
 
***These 2 are often looked at as representatives of kidney function.
***Both are substances found in the blood, result from a breakdown of certain proteins.
 
The kidney normally filters these, but if there is a problem with the function of the kidneys, or a shrunken vascular volume d/t taking diuretic medication, the filtration won't work as well, so those levels will rise
These 2 are to look at the function of the kidneys...
 
d. EGFR (estimated glomerular filtration)
Ranges...
A normal eGFR is 60 or more
A low eGFR number may suggest kidney disease.
Use this scale to see what your eGFR may mean.
 
***The glomerulus in the kidney is just the collection of capillaries where the blood is brought and the filtration takes place where there is an exchange of blood substances that are going to be removed, it comes in contact with the Renal (kidney) tubule.
 
There is an exchange so those substances that are going to be excreted from the blood will be passed over into the kidney tubule (the nephron) and be excreted in the urine.
The glomerulus are capillary toughs where all of this is taking place. And if the filtration rate in the glomerulus is low, kidney function is usually impaired.
 
You might be able to find normal BUN and Creatinine in early stages of Kidney Disease, but the glomerular filtration may be impaired.
 
THEY HAVE 2 DIFFERENT RANGES:
African American & Non-African American
 
#3: Serum Electrolytes (Blood Electrolyte)
a. Sodium:
Sodium is the major positive ion (cation) in fluid outside of cells. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When combined with chloride, the resulting substance is table salt. Excess sodium (such as that obtained from dietary sources) is excreted in the urine. Sodium regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells also plays a role in critical body functions. Many processes in the body, especially in the brain, nervous system, and muscles, require electrical signals for communication. The movement of sodium is critical in generation of these electrical signals. Too much or too little sodium therefore can cause cells to malfunction, and extremes in the blood sodium levels (too much or too little) can be fatal.
 
Increased Sodium (hypernatremia) in the blood occurs whenever there is excess sodium in relation to water.
There are numerous causes of hypernatremia; these may include kidney disease, too little water intake, and
Loss of water due to diarrhea and/or vomiting.
 
A decreased concentration of sodium (hyponatremia) occurs whenever there is a relative increase in the amount of body water relative to sodium. This happens with some diseases of the liver and kidney, in patients with congestive heart failure, in burn victims, and in numerous other conditions.
 
A Normal blood sodium level is 135 - 145 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L),
or in international units
135 - 145 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).
 
b. Potassium
Potassium is the major positive ion (cation) found inside of cells. The chemical notation for potassium is K+. The proper level of potassium is essential for normal cell function. Among the many functions of potassium in the body are regulation of the heartbeat and the function of the muscles.
A seriously abnormal increase in potassium (hyperkalemia) or decrease in potassium (hypokalemia) can profoundly affect the nervous system and increases the chance of irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), which, when extreme, can be fatal.
Increased potassium is known as hyperkalemia. Potassium is normally excreted by the kidneys, so disorders that decrease the function of the kidneys can result in hyperkalemia. Certain medications may also predispose an individual to hyperkalemia.
 
Hypokalemia, or decreased potassium, can arise due to kidney diseases; excessive loss due to heavy sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, eating disorders, certain medications (such as diuretics), or other causes.
 
The normal blood potassium level is 3.5 - 5.0 milliEquivalents/liter (mEq/L)
or in international units 3.5 - 5.0 millimoles/liter (mmol/L).
Q: WHAT IS THE #1 SOURCE OF POTASSIUM IN PLANT FOOD?
A: BLACK STRAP MOLASSES
 
c. Magnesium:
Levels should be 1.3 to 2.1 milliequivalents per liter
 
MAGNESIUM: WHAT IS IT?

• Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in the body and is essential to good health.
  
• Approximately 50% of total body magnesium is found in bone. The other half is found predominantly inside cells of body tissues and organs.
  
• Only 1% of magnesium is found in blood, but the body works very hard to keep blood levels of magnesium constant.
• For a proper magnesium test, a person should have an Exatest done.
  

This measures the magnesium in the tissue and not the blood, seeing that only 1% is found in the blood.
A blood test is an inaccurate test.

 
IntraCellular Diagnostics,Inc®
945 Town Centre Drive - Suite A
Medford, OR 97504
Tel. 541-245-3212
 
Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body.

• It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong.
  
• Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.
  
• There is an increased interest in the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Dietary magnesium is absorbed in the small intestines. Magnesium is excreted through the kidneys.
• Eating a wide variety of legumes, nuts, whole grains, and vegetables will help you meet your daily dietary need for magnesium. Selected food sources of magnesium are listed in Table 1.
  

d. Calcium:
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body.
The serum level of calcium is closely regulated with a normal total calcium of 2.2-2.6 mmol/L (9-10.5 mg/dL) and a normal ionized calcium of 1.1-1.4 mmol/L (4.5-5.6 mg/dL).
The amount of total calcium varies with the level of serum albumin, a protein to which calcium is bound.
Vitamin D is an important co-factor in the intestinal absorption of calcium. Proper levels of magnesium are very important as well
 
#4: Serum Proteins: (I do not have the readings for this.)

#5: Total Bilirubin...Bilirubin is a yellowish pigment found in bile, a fluid produced by the liver.
Alkaline Phosphatase
AST
ALT
 
***These reflect the Liver. The total bilirubin should be: 0.3 to 1.9 mg/dL …
 
WHAT ABNORMAL RESULTS MEAN
Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eye, which occurs when bilirubin builds up in the blood at a level greater than approximately 2.5 mg/dl. Jaundice occurs because red blood cells are being broken down too fast for the liver to process. This might happen due to liver disease or bile duct blockage.

• May be elevated in some who are in the fasting state
• Referred to as YoBare Syndrome, pronounced Gilbert
• A sluggish enzyme system in the liver for conjugating break down products of Red Blood Cells
• If all the other tests are normal, we're not too concerned about that.
• But if there is an elevation of the Alkaline Phosphatase Enzyme, AST or
• ALT, that is more reflective of some problems that have affected the Liver.
• In Hepatitis, you will get a rise in the AST and ALT.
• They usually go up very high, and sometimes the Alkaline Phosphatase may go up a bit. If you get obstruction for any reason of the bile ducts, the Alkaline Phosphatase will go very high...

#6: U/A = Urinalysis:
***Give you a color of the urine and whether it is turbid, cloudy or clear and will give you a specific gravity
The normal where the urine is neither concentrated nor diluted = 1.010...
Concentrated Urine = >1.010             Diluted Urine = <1.010
 
***Most people who are drinking a fair amount of water, your urine should be clear/pale/very diluted
(Signs of lack of water = lower back pain; concentrated urine…color ranging from med light yellow to tea color or dark brown)
 
#7. PH

• Normal = 7.35-7.45
  
• The higher the #, the more alkaline
• The body will adjust and keep the blood PH almost to tenths of a point without about 7.4.
  
• It does it by changing the PH of the urine and how much a person is exhaling the Carbon Dioxide in the breath.
• ***The acidity or alkalinity of blood. A pH of 7 is neutral.
  
• The lower the pH, the more acidic the blood.
• A variety of factors affect blood pH including what is ingested, vomiting, diarrhea, lung function, endocrine function, kidney function, and urinary tract infection.
  
• The normal blood pH is tightly regulated between 7.35 and 7.45

***When they do a U/A, they dip a stick into the urine and compare it to a color chart.
***You may get your Diagnostic test strips from PH Ion.
***Want a clean catch in a midstream...This will get the most reliable test results.

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