Complete Blood Count (CBC)

Close-up of clinical laboratory blood draw for Complete Blood Count (CBC) testing
Close-up of clinical laboratory blood draw for Complete Blood Count (CBC) testing.
Microscopic view of biological markers measured in Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Microscopic view of biological markers measured in Complete Blood Count (CBC).
Anatomical illustration of organ or tissue revealed by Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Anatomical illustration of organ or tissue revealed by Complete Blood Count (CBC).

Table of Contents

  1. Overview: What a CBC Measures and Why It Is Ordered
  2. White Blood Cells (WBC) — Total Count
  3. WBC Differential: Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, and Basophils
  4. Red Blood Cells (RBC) — Count, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit
  5. RBC Indices: MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW
  6. Platelets: Count and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)
  7. What High and Low Values Mean for Each Marker
  8. Common CBC Patterns
  9. Nutrition and CBC Markers: What the Research Reports
  10. Retesting: What Guidelines Describe
  11. Related Tests
  12. Cautions About Self-Diagnosis
  13. Key Research Papers
  14. Connections
  15. Featured Videos

Overview: What a CBC Measures and Why It Is Ordered

The Complete Blood Count (CBC) is a commonly performed blood test (MedlinePlus). It measures the three main cell populations circulating in the blood — white blood cells (leukocytes), red blood cells (erythrocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes) — together with hemoglobin, hematocrit, and the red-cell indices. A CBC with differential also reports each of the five main types of white blood cell (MedlinePlus).

About the ranges on this page. Unless another source is named, every range below is an example range from MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — its CBC page and its pages for each component. MedlinePlus notes that normal value ranges vary slightly among laboratories, that some labs use different measurements or test different samples, and that blood counts may vary with altitude; a result is read against the range printed on the report from the laboratory that ran it. The MedlinePlus pages do not all give the same numbers, which illustrates how much ranges differ between sources. A laboratory reference interval describes the typical distribution of results in a healthy reference population, and a result outside it does not necessarily indicate disease; a clinical decision limit, by contrast, is tied to the risk of a specific outcome (Ozarda 2018, for the IFCC Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits).

Some functional-medicine and naturopathic practitioners describe narrower “optimal” ranges for CBC markers. These ranges differ from one practitioner to another, and none of the sources cited on this page defines them, so they are not listed here.

MedlinePlus lists these reasons a CBC is ordered:

White Blood Cells (WBC) — Total Count

White blood cells are mediators of inflammation and the immune response (MedlinePlus). The total WBC count is used to help diagnose infection, allergic reaction, inflammation, and blood cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma (MedlinePlus WBC count page).

MedlinePlus example range: 4,500 to 11,000 cells per microliter (4.5 to 11.0 × 109/L)

A count below 4,500 cells per microliter is called leukopenia. MedlinePlus lists bone marrow deficiency or failure, cancer-treating and other medicines, autoimmune disorders such as lupus, disease of the liver or spleen, radiation treatment, certain viral illnesses such as mononucleosis, cancers that damage the bone marrow, very severe bacterial infections, and an ethnic/genetic trait that is not uncommon in African Americans (see the Duffy-null section below).

A count above the range is called leukocytosis. MedlinePlus lists certain medicines (such as corticosteroids), cigarette smoking, spleen removal, infections (most often bacterial), inflammatory disease such as rheumatoid arthritis or allergy, leukemia or Hodgkin disease, tissue damage such as burns, pregnancy, and severe emotional or physical stress.

The differential, below, shows which cell types account for the total. MedlinePlus notes that an abnormal increase in one type of white blood cell can lower the percentage of the other types.

WBC Differential: Neutrophils, Lymphocytes, Monocytes, Eosinophils, and Basophils

The differential reports the five main types of white blood cell, each as a percentage of all white cells (MedlinePlus blood differential page). Multiplying a percentage by the total white cell count gives an absolute count — the method MedlinePlus describes for the absolute eosinophil count.

Neutrophils

Neutrophils make up the largest share of circulating white cells in the MedlinePlus ranges and are early responders to bacterial infection and acute inflammation. They are short-lived cells that arrive quickly at sites of tissue damage or microbial invasion.

MedlinePlus lists acute infection, inflammation, acute stress, eclampsia, gout, leukemia, myeloproliferative diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, thyroiditis, trauma, and cigarette smoking among causes of an increased neutrophil percentage, and aplastic anemia, chemotherapy, influenza and other viral infections, radiation, and sepsis among causes of a decreased percentage.

Neutropenia bands. Neutropenia is defined as an absolute neutrophil count (ANC) below 1,500 per µL in adults and children older than 1 year, and below 1,000 per µL in infants. It is classified as mild (1,000–1,500 per µL), moderate (500–999 per µL), or severe (below 500 per µL). The same review lists vitamin B12, folate, and copper deficiency among the nutritional causes of acquired neutropenia, and describes febrile neutropenia — fever with an ANC below 500 per µL — as an oncologic emergency (Kim 2025).

Duffy-null associated neutrophil count (formerly “benign ethnic neutropenia”). Many people of African ancestry have lower neutrophil counts without an increased risk of infection, a pattern associated with the Duffy-null phenotype (no Duffy antigen on red blood cells). In 120 healthy self-identified Black adults at one primary care center, 66.7% were Duffy-null; their median ANC was 2,820 per µL, compared with 5,005 per µL in Duffy non-null participants, and 23.8% of the Duffy-null participants had an ANC below 2,000 per µL, compared with none of the non-null group. The authors proposed replacing the term “benign ethnic neutropenia” with “Duffy-null associated neutrophil count” and developing Duffy-null-specific reference ranges (Merz 2023). A 2019 review, using the older name, described it as one of the most common causes of chronic neutropenia in people of African, Middle Eastern, and West Indian descent, with no increased risk of infection (Atallah-Yunes 2019). A 2026 study of 8,018 healthy Duffy-null adults on four continents established Duffy-null reference intervals (for the United States, ANC 1,210 to 5,390 per µL) and found that standard institutional reference intervals classified 21.7% to 50.9% of them as neutropenic, depending on the country; ANC did not differ significantly between Black and non-Black Duffy-null participants (Hibbs 2026).

Lymphocytes

Lymphocytes include T cells and B cells (MedlinePlus), as well as natural killer (NK) cells. They carry out adaptive immunity, including antibody production and immune memory.

MedlinePlus lists chronic bacterial infection, infectious hepatitis, infectious mononucleosis, tuberculosis, lymphocytic leukemia, multiple myeloma, and viral infections such as mumps or measles among causes of an increased lymphocyte percentage, and chemotherapy, HIV/AIDS, leukemia, radiation, sepsis, steroid use, and aging among causes of a decreased percentage.

Monocytes

Monocytes migrate into tissues and become macrophages, which engulf microbes, dead cells, and debris. They also present antigens to T cells.

MedlinePlus lists chronic inflammatory disease, leukemia, parasitic infection, tuberculosis, and viral infections (for example infectious mononucleosis, mumps, or measles) among causes of an increased monocyte percentage.

Eosinophils

Eosinophils are specialized cells involved in combating parasitic infections and modulating allergic and inflammatory responses. They release cytotoxic granules and pro-inflammatory mediators.

MedlinePlus lists adrenal gland deficiency (Addison disease), allergic disease including hay fever, asthma, autoimmune diseases, eczema, fungal infections, hypereosinophilic syndrome, leukemia and other blood disorders, lymphoma, and parasite infections such as worms among causes of a high eosinophil count, and notes that certain medicines can raise it. It also notes that the count cannot tell whether a rise is caused by allergy or by a parasite infection.

Basophils

Basophils are the rarest of the white blood cells and play a role in allergic reactions by releasing histamine and heparin. They are involved in immediate hypersensitivity responses.

MedlinePlus lists spleen removal, allergic reaction, chronic myelogenous leukemia, collagen vascular disease, myeloproliferative diseases, and chickenpox among causes of an increased basophil percentage, and acute infection, cancer, and severe injury among causes of a decreased percentage.

Red Blood Cells (RBC) — Count, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit

Red blood cells transport hemoglobin, which carries oxygen; the amount of oxygen body tissues receive depends on the amount and function of red cells and hemoglobin (MedlinePlus). This part of the CBC is used to detect anemia and conditions with too many red cells, such as polycythemia vera.

RBC Count

The RBC count measures the number of red blood cells in a given volume of blood.

Hemoglobin (Hgb)

Hemoglobin is the iron-containing protein within red blood cells that carries oxygen. The World Health Organization defines anaemia by haemoglobin concentration.

WHO 2024 anaemia cutoffs. The 2024 WHO guideline defines anaemia by these haemoglobin cutoffs, set at the 5th percentile of haemoglobin in apparently healthy populations (WHO 2024):

For adults, the guideline grades anaemia as mild at 110–129 g/L in men and 110–119 g/L in non-pregnant women, moderate at 80–109 g/L, and severe below 80 g/L. Compared with earlier WHO guidance, the 2024 guideline changed the cutoff for children 6–23 months and adopted the existing cutoff for the second trimester of pregnancy; it notes that data in adult men may suggest a higher cutoff (135 g/L) but retained 130 g/L because of uncertainty in the evidence. It recommends adjusting haemoglobin for elevation of residence and for smoking, and not adjusting it for infection or inflammation or for genetic ancestry, ethnicity, or race (WHO 2024).

MedlinePlus lists bleeding; a bone marrow unable to produce new red cells (from leukemia, other cancers, drug toxicity, radiation therapy, infection, or marrow disorders); chronic illness; chronic kidney disease; destruction of red cells (hemolysis); malnutrition; pregnancy; too little iron, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 in the diet; and too much water in the body among causes of a low hemoglobin. A high hemoglobin is most often caused by low blood oxygen (hypoxia) over a long period; MedlinePlus lists polycythemia vera, cigarette smoking, dehydration, failure of the right side of the heart (cor pulmonale), kidney tumor, congenital heart disease, and scarring of the lungs (pulmonary fibrosis), notes that hemoglobin rises for several weeks at higher altitude, and on its CBC page adds testosterone use.

Hematocrit (Hct)

Hematocrit is the share of whole blood made up of red blood cells (MedlinePlus). It usually moves in parallel with hemoglobin and RBC count.

Hemoglobin and hematocrit are concentrations, so hydration affects them: MedlinePlus lists dehydration (for example from severe diarrhea) among causes of a high hematocrit and too much water in the body among causes of a low one. MedlinePlus also lists copper deficiency alongside iron, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 deficiency among causes of a low hematocrit.

RBC Indices: MCV, MCH, MCHC, and RDW

The RBC indices measure the size and hemoglobin content of red blood cells, and the results are used to diagnose different types of anemia (MedlinePlus RBC indices page).

Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)

MCV measures the average size of red blood cells in femtoliters (fL).

MedlinePlus describes an MCV below normal (microcytic anemia) as possibly due to low iron levels, lead poisoning, or thalassemia; a normal MCV with anemia (normocytic anemia) as possibly due to sudden blood loss, long-term diseases, kidney failure, aplastic anemia, or man-made heart valves; and an MCV above normal (macrocytic anemia) as possibly due to low folate or vitamin B12 levels, chemotherapy, or liver disease.

Macrocytosis is generally defined as an MCV greater than 100 fL. A 2009 review lists alcoholism, vitamin B12 and folate deficiencies, and medications as the most common causes, and hypothyroidism, liver disease, and primary bone marrow disorders (including myelodysplasia and myeloproliferative disorders) as some of the more common other causes. A peripheral smear and a reticulocyte count help separate megaloblastic causes from drug or alcohol toxicity and from hemolysis or hemorrhage (Kaferle 2009).

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)

MCH measures the average amount of hemoglobin per red blood cell in picograms (pg). It generally correlates with MCV.

MedlinePlus describes an MCH below normal (hypochromic anemia) as often due to low iron levels, and an MCH above normal as possibly due to low folate or vitamin B12 levels, chemotherapy, or liver disease.

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (MCHC)

MCHC measures the average concentration of hemoglobin within red blood cells. It reflects how densely packed hemoglobin is within each cell.

MCHC is one of the red-cell parameters traditionally used in the diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis, an inherited hemolytic disorder caused by red-cell membrane protein deficiency (Polizzi 2025).

Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)

RDW measures how much the volume and size of red blood cells vary (anisocytosis). It is usually reported as a percentage and compared with a reference range that varies with the laboratory; MedlinePlus gives no single example range (MedlinePlus RDW page).

Bessman and colleagues combined MCV with RDW to classify anemias and reported that this improved the distinction of iron deficiency anemia from heterozygous thalassemia or the anemia of chronic disease, and improved the detection of early iron and folate deficiency; red-cell volume histograms also identified fragmented red cells and dimorphic (two-population) red cells (Bessman 1983).

MedlinePlus lists chronic liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, and cancer, especially colorectal cancer, among conditions that a high RDW may signal; it notes that a normal RDW does not rule out anemia and that a low RDW is not a sign of anemia. A 2015 review described an increased RDW as a strong and independent risk factor for death in the general population, while noting that it has not been established whether RDW is a cause or only a marker of underlying disturbances (Salvagno 2015).

Platelets: Count and Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)

Platelets are small cell fragments produced by megakaryocytes in the bone marrow. They are essential for blood clotting and wound healing. The platelet section of the CBC provides information about both clotting ability and underlying inflammatory or marrow conditions.

Platelet Count

A count below 150,000 per microliter is thrombocytopenia (MedlinePlus; Gauer 2022). MedlinePlus notes that the risk of bleeding is higher below 50,000 per microliter. A 2022 review reports that people with counts above 50,000 per µL are generally without symptoms, that counts between 20,000 and 50,000 per µL may bring mild skin signs (petechiae, purpura, or bruising), and that counts below 10,000 per µL carry a high risk of serious bleeding. In stable outpatients, the review describes first excluding pseudothrombocytopenia (a falsely low count from platelet clumping in the sample) by repeating the count in a tube containing heparin or sodium citrate; common non-emergency causes are drug-induced thrombocytopenia, immune thrombocytopenia, and liver disease (Gauer 2022). MedlinePlus groups the causes as too few platelets made in the marrow, platelets destroyed in the bloodstream, and platelets destroyed in the spleen or liver, and lists cancer treatments, medicines, and autoimmune disorders as three of the more common causes; its CBC page adds pregnancy and an enlarged spleen.

A count of 400,000 per microliter or above is thrombocytosis. MedlinePlus lists iron deficiency, certain infections, major surgery or trauma, cancer, certain medicines, myeloproliferative neoplasms (including polycythemia vera), and spleen removal, and notes that some people with very high counts may be at risk of blood clots or of bleeding.

Mean Platelet Volume (MPV)

MPV measures the average size of platelets. Newly made platelets are larger than older platelets (MedlinePlus MPV page). MedlinePlus describes a high MPV as possibly meaning that older platelets are being destroyed faster and the marrow is making many new ones, listing thrombocytopenia, myeloproliferative diseases, preeclampsia, heart disease, diabetes, and hemolytic anemia; and a low MPV as possibly meaning the marrow is not making enough new platelets, listing certain cancers, side effects of certain medicines, aplastic anemia, autoimmune diseases, bacterial or viral infections, genetic conditions, and alcohol use disorder.

In a 2010 meta-analysis, MPV was higher in people with acute myocardial infarction than in those without (mean difference 0.92 fL; 16 cross-sectional studies, 2,809 patients), and an elevated MPV was associated with death after myocardial infarction and with restenosis after coronary angioplasty; the authors wrote that whether the relationship is causal, and whether MPV has a role in guiding treatment, remains unknown (Chu 2010).

What High and Low Values Mean for Each Marker

Interpreting CBC results requires looking at each marker individually and in relation to the others. The summary below collects the causes listed in the sections above; it is a list of possibilities, not a diagnosis.

White Blood Cells

Red Blood Cells, Hemoglobin, and Hematocrit

MCV

RDW

Platelets

Common CBC Patterns

Certain combinations of results point toward particular causes. MedlinePlus describes the CBC as only one tool, read together with medical history, symptoms, and other tests.

Iron Deficiency Pattern

The pattern usually described for iron deficiency includes:

Iron deficiency is confirmed with iron studies. The British Society of Gastroenterology’s 2021 guideline describes serum ferritin as the single most useful marker: a ferritin below 15 µg/L indicates absent iron stores and one below 30 µg/L generally indicates low stores, so most laboratories’ lower limit lies between 15 and 30 µg/L. Because ferritin rises with inflammation, an apparently normal ferritin can occur with iron deficiency when inflammation is present, and transferrin saturation can help. For microcytosis with normal iron studies, the guideline describes hemoglobin electrophoresis to look for thalassemia. It also reports that about a third of men and postmenopausal women presenting with iron deficiency anemia have an underlying abnormality, most commonly in the gastrointestinal tract, which is why investigation of the cause accompanies treatment (Snook 2021).

B12 and Folate Deficiency Pattern

This pattern reflects impaired DNA synthesis in developing red blood cells, causing them to become abnormally large:

MedlinePlus lists the CBC, reticulocyte count, lactate dehydrogenase, bilirubin, serum B12, methylmalonic acid (MMA), homocysteine, and anti-intrinsic factor and anti-parietal cell antibodies among the tests used for B12 deficiency anemia. The British Society for Haematology guideline states that there is no “gold standard” test for cobalamin (B12) deficiency: serum cobalamin is the first-line test, plasma MMA is a second-line test that helps clarify uncertain results, and homocysteine is less specific than MMA. It concludes that definitive cut-off points for clinical and subclinical deficiency are not possible because of differences in methods, that local reference ranges are to be established, and that when results conflict with strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment is not delayed, because of the risk of neurological impairment (Devalia 2014).

Chronic Infection and Inflammation Pattern

Long-lasting infection or inflammation can shift several CBC values:

Dehydration Pattern

MedlinePlus lists dehydration among causes of a high RBC count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit, and too much water in the body among causes of low values. Because these are concentrations, a sample drawn during dehydration reads higher than one drawn at normal hydration, which can make a low hemoglobin look closer to normal.

Nutrition and CBC Markers: What the Research Reports

Nutritional deficiencies are one group of causes behind abnormal CBC results: MedlinePlus lists too little iron, copper, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6 among causes of low red-cell values. The findings below describe what studies and guidelines report. Decisions about supplements belong with a clinician, partly because the cause of a deficiency — for example blood loss from the gastrointestinal tract — also needs to be found (Snook 2021).

Iron-Rich Foods and Iron Absorption

Iron bioavailability has been estimated at about 14–18% from mixed diets and 5–12% from vegetarian diets in people with no iron stores. Phytate, polyphenols, and calcium (which reduce absorption) and ascorbic acid and meat (which increase it) change iron absorption in single-meal isotope studies, but their effect is more modest in multi-meal studies of a varied diet, and a person’s iron status generally has a greater effect on absorption than diet composition (Hurrell 2010).

Oral Iron Preparations

The British Society of Gastroenterology guideline reports that gastrointestinal side effects (nausea, diarrhea, constipation) are much commoner with oral than with intravenous iron, and finds no convincing evidence that any of the readily available traditional iron salts is superior to the others (Snook 2021). In a meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials, ferrous bisglycinate (an iron–amino acid chelate) given for 4–20 weeks produced higher hemoglobin concentrations (standardized mean difference 0.54 g/dL) and fewer gastrointestinal adverse events (incidence rate ratio 0.36) than other iron supplements in pregnant women, with no significant difference in children; the authors called for more trials in other populations (Fischer 2023). A meta-analysis of 4 trials in 600 pregnant women with iron deficiency anemia concluded that oral bovine lactoferrin was as effective as ferrous sulfate in improving hematological values, with fewer gastrointestinal side effects (Abu Hashim 2017).

Vitamin C and Iron Absorption

Ascorbic acid increases iron absorption from a single meal (Hurrell 2010). In a randomized equivalence trial in 440 adults with iron deficiency anemia, adding 200 mg of vitamin C to each 100 mg oral iron tablet, taken every 8 hours for 3 months, gave a hemoglobin rise at 2 weeks equivalent to iron alone, with no difference in ferritin gain at 8 weeks or in adverse events (Li 2020). Citing that trial, the British Society of Gastroenterology guideline recommends against routinely adding vitamin C to oral iron therapy (Snook 2021). Whole-food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, kiwi, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, and guava.

Vitamin B12

Folate

Additional Supportive Nutrients

Retesting: What Guidelines Describe

The timing of a repeat CBC depends on the condition being followed. The intervals below are those described in the sources named.

MedlinePlus notes that diet, activity level, medicines, a menstrual period, not drinking enough water, and other factors can affect results, so results drawn under similar conditions are easier to compare over time.

A CBC provides an overview, and its findings often lead to further testing. Tests commonly read alongside a CBC include:

Cautions About Self-Diagnosis

Understanding CBC results supports informed conversations with health care providers, but the test has limits. MedlinePlus describes the CBC as only one tool, read together with medical history, symptoms, and other tests, and notes that an abnormal result does not always mean a medical condition that needs treatment.

The CBC is a widely available, routinely performed test. Its results are read alongside history, symptoms, and other tests, and decisions about further testing or treatment belong with a clinician.

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Key Research Papers

  1. World Health Organization (2024). Guideline on haemoglobin cutoffs to define anaemia in individuals and populations. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO Guidelines Approved by the Guidelines Review Committee) — PubMed PMID: 38530913
  2. Kim MJ, Forlini C, Kremsreiter K (2025). Neutropenia: Evaluation and Management in the Primary Care Setting. American Family Physician 112(6):618-628 — PubMed PMID: 41533406
  3. Merz LE, Story CM, Osei MA, et al. (2023). Absolute neutrophil count by Duffy status among healthy Black and African American adults. Blood Advances 7(3):317-320 — PubMed PMID: 35994632
  4. Hibbs SP, Chipare I, Halawani AJ, et al. (2026). Multinational assessment of absolute neutrophil counts and white blood cell counts among healthy Duffy-null adults. Blood 147(3):290-298 — PubMed PMID: 41191521
  5. Atallah-Yunes SA, Ready A, Newburger PE (2019). Benign ethnic neutropenia. Blood Reviews 37:100586 — PubMed PMID: 31255364
  6. Bessman JD, Gilmer PR Jr, Gardner FH (1983). Improved classification of anemias by MCV and RDW. American Journal of Clinical Pathology 80(3):322-326 — PubMed PMID: 6881096
  7. Salvagno GL, Sanchis-Gomar F, Picanza A, Lippi G (2015). Red blood cell distribution width: A simple parameter with multiple clinical applications. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences 52(2):86-105 — PubMed PMID: 25535770
  8. Kaferle J, Strzoda CE (2009). Evaluation of macrocytosis. American Family Physician 79(3):203-208 — PubMed PMID: 19202968
  9. Polizzi A, Dicembre LP, Failla C, et al. (2025). Overview on Hereditary Spherocytosis Diagnosis. International Journal of Laboratory Hematology 47(1):18-25 — PubMed PMID: 39467036
  10. Gauer RL, Whitaker DJ (2022). Thrombocytopenia: Evaluation and Management. American Family Physician 106(3):288-298 — PubMed PMID: 36126009
  11. Demirin H, Ozhan H, Ucgun T, et al. (2011). Normal range of mean platelet volume in healthy subjects: Insight from a large epidemiologic study. Thrombosis Research 128(4):358-360 — PubMed PMID: 21620440
  12. Chu SG, Becker RC, Berger PB, et al. (2010). Mean platelet volume as a predictor of cardiovascular risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis 8(1):148-156 — PubMed PMID: 19691485
  13. Snook J, Bhala N, Beales ILP, et al. (2021). British Society of Gastroenterology guidelines for the management of iron deficiency anaemia in adults. Gut 70(11):2030-2051 — PubMed PMID: 34497146
  14. Hurrell R, Egli I (2010). Iron bioavailability and dietary reference values. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 91(5):1461S-1467S — PubMed PMID: 20200263
  15. Alves C, Saleh A, Alaofè H (2019). Iron-containing cookware for the reduction of iron deficiency anemia among children and females of reproductive age in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. PLoS One 14(9):e0221094 — PubMed PMID: 31479458
  16. Fischer JAJ, Cherian AM, Bone JN, Karakochuk CD (2023). The effects of oral ferrous bisglycinate supplementation on hemoglobin and ferritin concentrations in adults and children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutrition Reviews 81(8):904-920 — PubMed PMID: 36728680
  17. Abu Hashim H, Foda O, Ghayaty E (2017). Lactoferrin or ferrous salts for iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy: A meta-analysis of randomized trials. European Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Reproductive Biology 219:45-52 — PubMed PMID: 29059584
  18. Li N, Zhao G, Wu W, et al. (2020). The Efficacy and Safety of Vitamin C for Iron Supplementation in Adult Patients With Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open 3(11):e2023644 — PubMed PMID: 33136134
  19. Devalia V, Hamilton MS, Molloy AM; British Committee for Standards in Haematology (2014). Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of cobalamin and folate disorders. British Journal of Haematology 166(4):496-513 — PubMed PMID: 24942828
  20. Pawlak R, Parrott SJ, Raj S, Cullum-Dugan D, Lucus D (2013). How prevalent is vitamin B12 deficiency among vegetarians? Nutrition Reviews 71(2):110-117 — PubMed PMID: 23356638
  21. Wang H, Li L, Qin LL, Song Y, Vidal-Alaball J, Liu TH (2018). Oral vitamin B12 versus intramuscular vitamin B12 for vitamin B12 deficiency. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 3:CD004655 — PubMed PMID: 29543316
  22. Watanabe F, Yabuta Y, Bito T, Teng F (2014). Vitamin B12-containing plant food sources for vegetarians. Nutrients 6(5):1861-1873 — PubMed PMID: 24803097
  23. Miller JW, Smith A, Troen AM, Mason JB, Jacques PF, Selhub J (2024). Excess Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Clinical Implications? Food and Nutrition Bulletin 45(1 Suppl):S67-S72 — PubMed PMID: 38987872
  24. Ozarda Y, Sikaris K, Streichert T, Macri J; IFCC Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits (2018). Distinguishing reference intervals and clinical decision limits – A review by the IFCC Committee on Reference Intervals and Decision Limits. Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences 55(6):420-431 — PubMed PMID: 30047297
  25. Mairbäurl H (2013). Red blood cells in sports: effects of exercise and training on oxygen supply by red blood cells. Frontiers in Physiology 4:332 — PubMed PMID: 24273518

PubMed Topic Searches

  1. Complete blood count interpretation — PubMed literature search
  2. Neutrophil lymphocyte ratio prognosis — PubMed literature search
  3. MCV macrocytosis causes — PubMed literature search
  4. Red cell distribution width — PubMed literature search
  5. Thrombocytopenia evaluation — PubMed literature search
  6. Eosinophilia differential — PubMed literature search
  7. Leukocytosis clinical — PubMed literature search
  8. Microcytic anemia iron deficiency — PubMed literature search
  9. Lymphocytosis viral infection — PubMed literature search
  10. Mean platelet volume cardiovascular — PubMed literature search

External Authoritative Resources

  1. MedlinePlus — Laboratory Tests Reference
  2. MedlinePlus — Complete Blood Count (CBC) medical test
  3. MedlinePlus — Medical Tests (U.S. National Library of Medicine)
  4. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — CBC blood test
  5. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — WBC count
  6. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Blood differential test
  7. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Eosinophil count – absolute
  8. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — RBC count
  9. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Hemoglobin
  10. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Hematocrit
  11. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — RBC indices
  12. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Platelet count
  13. MedlinePlus — RDW (Red Cell Distribution Width)
  14. MedlinePlus — MPV Blood Test
  15. MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia — Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia
  16. MedlinePlus — Hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) Test

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Connections

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Complete Blood Count — scientific infographic poster