Hematology
18 markers in this category
Basic Blood Count
A basic blood count measures three core values in your blood: hemoglobin, white blood cells and platelets. Together they say something about oxygen transport, immune defence and clotting. It is a simple baseline check, without the red-cell indices and white-cell differential of a complete blood count.
Basophils
Basophils are the rarest white blood cells in your blood count. In adults the basophil value sits between 0 and 0.2 x10⁹/l, whatever your weight. In a monitoring programme this is the value that moves least. From your baseline to your six-month check the range stays the same. If your basophils are low or zero, that is normal and you need do nothing. If something does change lastingly, the explanation lies outside your programme. Below you can read what your number means, and which values do show your progress.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
A complete blood count counts your red blood cells, your white blood cells and your platelets from one tube, and determines the amount of haemoglobin. During a period of weight loss, something important changes about the interpretation. You eat less, so you take in less of everything, including the building blocks for blood cells. The blood count, however, responds slowly. It is a late indicator, and that is exactly why it helps to know how to read it.
Eosinophils
Eosinophils are white blood cells involved in allergic reactions and the defence against parasites. As part of your complete blood count, they can offer clues about allergies or asthma. A raised count is often seen with allergic complaints or a parasitic infection, while a low count is usually not a concern. Your doctor reviews the value in context.
Erythrocytes (RBC)
An erythrocyte (red blood cell) count measures the number of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and transporting carbon dioxide back for exhalation.
Hematocrit
Your hematocrit says what percentage of your blood consists of red blood cells. In a weight-loss programme that is an awkward number, because it is a concentration. If you eat and drink less, the fluid in your blood falls and the value rises. Not a single extra red cell has been made. That is exactly what often happens while a GLP-1 dose is built up. Nausea then reduces your intake. Later in the programme the value can fall instead. So here you look at your own line over time, not at one result.
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin monitoring is particularly valuable for seniors, as age-related changes can affect red blood cell production and iron metabolism. Regular testing supports early detection of anemia, helping maintain energy, cognitive clarity, and quality of life.
Leukocyte Differential
A leukocyte differential test measures the relative proportions of different types of white blood cells in your blood. It provides a detailed breakdown of your immune cell populations, offering valuable insight into your immune system's function.
Leukocytes (WBC)
Leukocytes are your white blood cells. In a supervised programme this number is most useful as a comparison with your own baseline. As a standalone check against a table it says far less. At the laboratory that runs the test the ordinary adult range runs from 4.3 to 10.0 x10^9/L. Within that wide range everyone has their own level. A value of 5.0 means something different for someone who started at 4.5 than for someone who started at 8.5. That is why the baseline at the start of your programme is the reference point that really counts.
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are white blood cells central to your defence against viruses and to immune memory. As you get older, the make-up of immune defence can change. A high count often fits a viral infection, while a low count can occur with stress or certain infections. Your doctor reviews the value in context.
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)
MCH is the average amount of haemoglobin in one red blood cell. A smaller appetite means a smaller intake of iron, B12 and folate, and MCH shifts in a different direction depending on which is short. Learn what your value can mean.
MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration)
MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. Eating less over a long period lowers iron intake, and MCHC is one of the values that shows the effect. Learn what your value can mean.
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)
Your MCV is too high when your red blood cells are on average larger than roughly 100 fl; the reference range shown on this page runs from 80 to 100 fl for adults. Inside a GLP-1 or weight-loss programme, a high MCV value is usually not a sign that your programme is going wrong. It is a signal about your intake and your absorption: vitamin B12 and folate come under pressure with a strongly restricted intake and after bariatric surgery. MCV reacts slowly, because it only shifts once a new generation of red cells has been made. So compare your value with your own baseline, not with a table.
Monocytes
Monocytes are the largest white blood cells. In your tissue they become macrophages. In fat tissue especially, those sustain the low-grade inflammation that comes with excess weight. That makes this number interesting to follow during a weight-loss programme. It is a slow value, though. Do not expect anything from it in the first few weeks. Your blood sugar and triglycerides move far sooner. Below you can read when your monocytes do show something.
Neutrophils
Neutrophils are the most common white blood cells and your first defence against bacterial infections. As you get older, immune defence can gradually change. A high count often fits an infection or inflammation, while a low count can leave you more vulnerable. Your doctor reviews it together with the rest of your blood count.
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
The platelet count is simply how many platelets circulate per litre. On a weight-loss programme that number is worth watching. Carrying extra weight comes with low-grade inflammation, and platelets react to inflammation. So a slightly raised count at the start is common here. If it drifts down as you lose weight, that fits with less inflammation. If it climbs while everything else improves, low iron is worth ruling out. The usual adult range is 150 to 400 ×10⁹/l, the same for everyone. Compare against your own first result rather than a table.
RDW
RDW shows how much your red blood cells vary in size. Anaemia becomes more common as you get older and can go unnoticed for some time. A raised RDW can be an early clue to a shortage of iron, vitamin B12 or folate, often before other values change.
Reticulocytes
A reticulocyte count measures the number of young, immature red blood cells in your blood. It reflects how actively your bone marrow is producing new red blood cells and is a valuable indicator of bone marrow function.