Hematology
23 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 differential. In adults the basophil value sits between 0 and 0.2 x10⁹/l. Your result shows it as a percentage and as an absolute count. Work with the absolute figure, because the percentage moves with the other cell types. This value does not respond measurably to training load or recovery. A result of 0.0 x10⁹/l is normal and calls for nothing. Only a rise that persists without explanation should be assessed by a doctor. Below you can read what your number means. You will also see which values in this blood count do reflect load.
Blood Type + Rh
A blood type test determines your ABO blood group and Rh factor. Knowing your blood type is essential for safe blood transfusions, organ transplants, and pregnancy planning.
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
For an athlete, a complete blood count is mainly a trend instrument. One measurement is a snapshot. Four measurements across a season show a line. In one tube the panel counts your red blood cells and your white blood cells. Your platelets are counted too. The lab also determines the amount of haemoglobin. The series simply move at very different speeds. The red series changes over weeks to months. The white series changes within hours. Miss that difference and you read noise as progress.
Coombs Test (Indirect)
The indirect Coombs test screens for unexpected antibodies in your blood that may react against red blood cells. It is an important test for transfusion safety and prenatal care.
Eosinophils
Eosinophils are white blood cells involved in allergic reactions and the defence against parasites. This can be relevant for active people, as allergies and asthma can affect breathing and training capacity. A raised count is often seen with allergies or asthma, while a low count is usually not a concern.
Erythrocytes (RBC)
Red blood cells are the oxygen highway for your muscles and tissues. For active individuals and active individuals, monitoring erythrocyte levels provides insight into your aerobic capacity and recovery potential, helping you train smarter and perform at your peak.
Haptoglobin
A haptoglobin test measures the level of haptoglobin protein in your blood. Haptoglobin binds to free hemoglobin released from damaged red blood cells, and its levels can help assess whether red blood cells are being destroyed faster than normal.
Hematocrit
Your hematocrit describes how much of your blood consists of red cells. Lab reports often abbreviate it as Hct. For an endurance athlete that is a deceptive number. It is a concentration, and training mainly changes the plasma those cells float in. A falling Hct after a hard block therefore rarely means you have lost red cells. Usually the plasma volume has grown. At the same time a dehydrated morning can lift your result. Measurement conditions decide a large share of this number.
Hemoglobin
Hemoglobin is your primary oxygen-delivery molecule and a cornerstone metric for endurance performance. Monitoring hemoglobin levels helps active individuals assess training adaptations, identify early signs of overtraining, and optimise recovery strategies.
Hemoglobin Electrophoresis
Hemoglobin electrophoresis is a laboratory technique that separates and identifies different types of hemoglobin in your blood. It is primarily used to detect hemoglobin variants and diagnose inherited blood disorders such as sickle cell disease and thalassemia.
Irregular Antibody Screening
An irregular antibody screening test detects unexpected antibodies in your blood that may react against foreign red blood cells. These antibodies can develop after transfusions, pregnancies, or immune stimulation and are important to identify for transfusion and pregnancy safety.
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)
For an athlete the leukocyte count is above all a trend number. White blood cells respond to exertion within minutes and then fall back. A single isolated measurement therefore says almost nothing about your immune defence. What does say something is the same measurement at comparable moments across a block. At the laboratory that runs the test the usual adult range runs from 4.3 to 10.0 x10^9/L, with the caveat that laboratories differ. Draw rested, not within 24 hours of a hard session, and always read the value alongside the differential.
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes are white blood cells central to your defence against viruses. This is relevant for active people, as intensive training and insufficient recovery can temporarily affect immune defence. A high count often fits a viral infection, while a low count can occur with stress or overload.
MCH (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin)
MCH is the average amount of haemoglobin in one red blood cell. Because haemoglobin carries oxygen to working muscle, a low value can show up as fatigue and reduced endurance well before you feel unwell. Learn what your MCH can mean.
MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration)
MCHC is the average concentration of haemoglobin inside your red blood cells. It is the steadiest of the three red cell indices, so a shift is worth reading carefully alongside your MCV and MCH. Learn what your value can mean.
MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)
The MCV blood value is the average volume of a single red blood cell, expressed in femtolitres (fl). The reference range shown on this page is 80 to 100 fl for adults. Below 80 fl the cells are small, above 100 fl they are large, and that direction decides where a low haemoglobin gets investigated. If you train, the movement across seasons is the interesting part: an MCV drifting slowly downwards while still inside the reference range can show something earlier than haemoglobin itself. One isolated result says little about that, two or three side by side say a great deal more.
Monocytes
Monocytes are the largest white blood cells. They clean up after inflammation and after tissue damage. For anyone training hard that matters, because both come with heavy load. The count rises briefly after a hard session and then settles again. One measurement soon after training is therefore hard to read. As a trend at rest your monocyte count says far more. Two or three measurements under the same conditions show what is really moving. Monocytes are not a performance measure, but context alongside the rest of your blood count.
Neutrophils
Neutrophils are the most common white blood cells and your first defence against bacterial infections. This matters for active people, as heavy training load can temporarily affect immune defence. A high count often fits an infection, inflammation or physical stress, while a low count can leave you more vulnerable.
Platelets (Thrombocytes)
A platelet (thrombocyte) count measures the number of platelets in your blood. Platelets are small cell fragments essential for blood clotting, helping to stop bleeding when blood vessels are injured.
RDW
RDW shows how much your red blood cells vary in size. For active people this is valuable, because healthy red blood cells carry oxygen to your muscles. A raised RDW can be an early clue to a shortage of iron, vitamin B12 or folate, which may limit endurance and recovery.
Reticulocytes
Reticulocytes reveal how rapidly your body is producing fresh red blood cells — a key recovery metric for active individuals. Tracking reticulocyte counts helps you understand how your bone marrow responds to training stress, altitude exposure, and periodised recovery programmes.