Many people accept the reference range report on a lab slip as medical gospel. What they don’t know is that many labs are not only behind the times, they may be flat out wrong.
Most medical labs are not only behind the times in their reporting some of the reference ranges, but when it comes to some unfamiliar lab tests they may completely wrong. If you or your doctor are basing health decisions on incorrect laboratory reference ranges, it not only defeats the point of the test, but it may cause you to NOT make necessary changes that could lessen your risk for chronic disease.
Have you ever had your homocysteine level checked? Was it normal? Was it high, putting you at risk? If you are at risk what should you do about it? What if the lab reference range told you that you had a normal level but actually you were at risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke and you could have changed something to help reduce this damaging amino acid complex so that there would be less damage to your arteries and less plaque formation if you would have only known?
So, next time you look at your lab work, here are some suggestions I have for interpreting your report. (Be sure to talk with your doctor about it before you make any health decisions, as I am not your doctor, but only giving my opinion …based upon research.)
I have not seen any laboratory incorrectly report a CBC or Metabolic Panel, so there is no need to discuss that.
Here are the more commonly mistaken reported lab tests, only here are the CORRECT reference ranges, …IMHO, or at least how I would like to see them reported so that you can start making lifestyle changes right away. (Lifestyle changes means: eating healthy, taking nutritional supplements, exercising, reducing stress, and getting good quality, restorative sleep.)
Vitamin D (ng/ml)
< 10 Deficient
10 – 29 Insufficient
30 – 49 Sufficient
50 – 70 Good
71 – 85 Ideal
96 – 100 Good
100 – 110 Caution
> 110 Potential Intoxication. (Blood levels well over 100 may cause atrial fibrillation in certain individuals.)
Homocysteine
< 6.5 Ideal
6.6 – 7.3 Acceptable
7.4 – 8.0 Borderline Elevated Risk
8.1 – 10.0 Elevated Risk
10.1 – 15.0 High Risk
> 15 Very High Risk
C Reactive Protein (CRP)
< 1.0 Ideal
1.0 – 1.9 Acceptable
2.0 – 2.5 Borderline Elevated Risk
2.6 – 3.0 Elevated Risk
3.1 – 4.0 High Risk
> 4.0 Very High Risk
Oxidized LDL
< 45 Low Risk
45 – 60 Mildly Elevated Risk
60 – 68 Borderline Elevated Risk, Refer to oxLDL-to-HDL ratio for interpretation
69 – 79 Elevated Risk
80 – 90 High Risk
> 90 Very High Risk
Oxidized LDL-to-HDL Ratio (The most predictive blood test to assess one’s risk of atherosclerosis, heart disease, and stroke.)
<35 Low Risk
35 – 51 Borderline Elevated Risk
52 – 74 Elevated Risk
75 – 80 High Risk
> 80 Very High Risk
Be sure to get your annual or semi-annual blood work, including your cardiac panel (or lipid panel), one that includes the critically-important Oxidized LDL-to-HDL ratio, C Reactive Protein, Homocysteine, and Vitamin D, among others. Check out your lab report with what I’ve written above, and talk with your doctor about any discrepancies. Do not base your health, medical decisions, or changes in medications based upon this blog post or anything else on this website. That is between you and your doctor.
Lastly, if you are having trouble finding a lab that can test your Oxidized LDL-to-HDL ratio, then please contact Molly Fini MollyrFini@gmail.com, and she’ll be able to assist you.
Comments
Posted On
Jun 04, 2012Posted By
MollyI love these reference ranges. I refer to this all the time!!! You are such a wealth of information.