In short
Our health tools explain what lab results and health numbers usually mean, in plain words. They are for education. They don't diagnose, treat or replace a doctor, and they can be wrong for your situation.
If you feel very unwell, have chest pain, trouble breathing, confusion, fainting or heavy bleeding, call your local emergency number now. Don't wait for a tool or a web page.
What the tools can do
- Compare each result with typical adult ranges, or with the range printed on your report.
- Explain in plain words what a test measures and common reasons a result is high or low.
- Flag results far outside the usual range so you know to contact a doctor promptly.
- Suggest questions to ask at your appointment.
What they can't do
- Know your symptoms, history, medicines, pregnancy or how the sample was taken. All of these change what a result means.
- Read results for children reliably: ranges are for adults.
- Tell you to start, stop or change any medicine. Only your doctor or pharmacist can.
How our health pages are written
Ranges and cut-offs come from widely used public references: MedlinePlus (US National Library of Medicine), the NHS, the American Diabetes Association for blood sugar and HbA1c, ACC/AHA and NCEP guidance for cholesterol, KDIGO for kidney function and the Endocrine Society for vitamin D. Every guide lists the sources it was checked against.
Each page is written in plain language, avoids promises, and says where experts disagree (for example, the vitamin D level that counts as enough). The numbers on our explainer pages are drawn from the same data as the checker, so the two always agree. We review the pages when guidelines change and show the date they were last checked.
The pages haven't yet been reviewed by a named clinician. When they are, the reviewer's name and qualifications will be shown on each page. If you're a doctor and spot an error, please tell us through the contact details on the About page.
Your data
Lab reports are read in your browser and never uploaded. Read the health data section of our privacy policy for the details.