How to use this chart
This chart collects typical adult reference ranges for 46 common blood tests in one place. Use it to get oriented when you receive a report: find your test, check the unit matches, and compare your value against the reference range printed on your own report, which always takes priority over any number here.
A few ground rules before you scroll: ranges differ between labs, so a small difference from your report is expected; where ranges differ by sex, both are shown; and a result just outside the range is often normal variation, not disease. Nothing here diagnoses anything on its own.
Blood test normal ranges chart
| Test | Typical adult range | Unit | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes & blood sugar | |||
| HbA1c | 4–5.7% | % | Guide |
| Fasting glucose | 70–100 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Fasting insulin | 5–10 | mU/L | Guide |
| Cholesterol & lipids | |||
| Total cholesterol | 120–200 | mg/dL | Guide |
| LDL cholesterol | 50–100 | mg/dL | Guide |
| HDL cholesterol | Women ≥50; men ≥40 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Triglycerides | Below 150 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Thyroid | |||
| TSH | 0.4–4 | mIU/L | Guide |
| Free T4 | 0.8–1.8 | ng/dL | Guide |
| Vitamins & minerals | |||
| Vitamin D (25-OH) | 30–100 | ng/mL | Guide |
| Vitamin B12 | 150–900 | pmol/L | Guide |
| Ferritin | Women 11–307; men 24–336 | ng/mL | Guide |
| Serum iron | 50–175 | mcg/dL | Guide |
| Calcium | 2.2–2.6 | mmol/L | Guide |
| Phosphorus | 2.5–4.5 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Blood counts | |||
| Haemoglobin | Women 12–15.5; men 13.5–17.5 | g/dL | Guide |
| White blood cells | 4,000–11,000 | /µL | Guide |
| Platelets | 150,000–400,000 | /µL | Guide |
| Kidney & electrolytes | |||
| Creatinine | Women 0.59–1.04; men 0.74–1.35 | mg/dL | Guide |
| eGFR | ≥90 | mL/min/1.73m² | Guide |
| Urea | 15–45 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Sodium | 135–145 | mmol/L | Guide |
| Potassium | 3.5–5 | mmol/L | Guide |
| Uric acid | Women 2.6–6; men 3.5–7.2 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Liver | |||
| ALT / SGPT | Below 56 | U/L | Guide |
| AST / SGOT | Below 40 | U/L | Guide |
| ALP (alkaline phosphatase) | Below 147 | U/L | Guide |
| GGT | Women 6–42; men 10–71 | U/L | Guide |
| Total bilirubin | Below 1.2 | mg/dL | Guide |
| Albumin | 3.5–5 | g/dL | Guide |
| Inflammation & infection | |||
| CRP | Below 10 | mg/L | Guide |
| hsCRP | Below 1 | mg/L | Guide |
| ESR | Women below 20; men below 15 | mm/hr | Guide |
| D-dimer | Below 500 | µg/L | Guide |
| Hormones | |||
| Testosterone | Women 15–70; men 300–1,000 | ng/dL | Guide |
| Prolactin | Women 2–29; men 2–18 | ng/mL | Guide |
| PSA (prostate) | Below 4 | ng/mL | Guide |
| Pancreas | |||
| Lipase | 10–140 | U/L | Guide |
| Amylase | 30–110 | U/L | Guide |
| Tumour markers | |||
| CA-125 | Below 35 | U/mL | Guide |
| CEA | Below 5 (smokers); below 2.5 (non-smokers) | ng/mL | Guide |
| AFP | Below 10 | ng/mL | Guide |
| CA 19-9 | Below 37 | U/mL | Guide |
| Blood clotting | |||
| PT (prothrombin time) | 11–13.5 | seconds | Guide |
| INR (no blood thinners) | 0.8–1.2 | ratio | Guide |
| Blood type | |||
| Blood group (ABO & Rh) | Fixed type, no range | n/a | Guide |
Ranges above are typical adult values compiled from our test guides. Children, older adults, and pregnant women often have different reference ranges; your lab’s printed range accounts for these.
Reading ranges the right way
- Match the units first. A value of 100 means nothing until you know whether the unit is mg/dL or mmol/L. Many apparent “abnormal” results are just unit confusion.
- Your report’s range wins. Every lab validates its own reference range for its equipment. If your lab says 3.9–5.5 and this chart says 4–5.7, your lab is right for your sample.
- Distance matters. A value 2% outside the range is a very different finding from one 200% outside it. Mild deviations are most often rechecked rather than acted on.
- Trend beats snapshot. Two results six months apart tell you more than one. Keep old reports so each new one can be compared.
- Context is everything. The same abnormal value can mean different things with different symptoms, medicines, and history. That interpretation is your doctor’s job.
Common units, explained
Most chemistry tests use mg/dL (milligrams per decilitre) or mmol/L (millimoles per litre); converting between them needs the substance’s molecular weight, so don’t convert by hand. Blood counts use cells per microlitre (/µL), hormones often use ng/mL or pg/mL, and clotting times use seconds or the unitless INR ratio. If a unit on your report looks unfamiliar, ask the lab; misreading units is one of the commonest sources of false alarm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these ranges the same at every lab?
No. Each laboratory sets its own reference ranges based on its equipment, methods, and the population it serves, so the numbers here are typical adult ranges, not universal ones. The reference range printed on your own report is the one your result must be read against.
Why does my report show a different range than this chart?
Different analysers, units, and reference populations produce different ranges, and ranges also shift with age, sex, and pregnancy. That is normal and expected; always interpret your value against the range on your own report, and ask your lab or doctor if the difference confuses you.
My value is slightly outside the range. Should I worry?
Not necessarily. Slightly out-of-range results are often normal variation, lab fluctuation, or a temporary effect of food, exercise, or illness. Doctors look at how far outside the value is, the trend over time, and the clinical picture. Discuss it with your doctor rather than worrying over one number.
Can I use this chart to diagnose myself?
No. Reference ranges are context for understanding results, not a diagnosis. Many conditions share the same abnormal values, and only a doctor reading your result with your symptoms, history, and other tests can say what it means.
How often is this chart reviewed?
This chart was last reviewed on the date shown at the top of the page. Typical adult ranges change slowly, but laboratories update their own ranges as methods change, so your own report always takes priority over any chart on the internet.
Pharmacist's practical notes
Bookmark this chart, but treat it as a map, not a verdict. Its real value is orientation: when a report lands in your hands, you can find the test in seconds, confirm the unit, and see whether your value sits comfortably inside the usual band or deserves a conversation with your doctor. The diagnosis always comes later, with clinical context.
The single most useful habit is keeping your old reports. Reference ranges drift between labs, and a value that looks “high” against one lab’s range may be exactly where you have sat for years. A personal trend across time is more informative than any single comparison to a population range.
Watch for the classic traps: unit mix-ups (mg/dL vs mmol/L), comparing against a range from a different lab, and panicking over borderline values that labs themselves would simply recheck. If a number worries you, the correct next step is a question to your doctor, not a search spiral.
Medicines move many of these numbers: statins and liver enzymes, diuretics and potassium, blood thinners and clotting times. If a value shifted after a new prescription, tell your doctor about the timing; that context often explains the change. If a result surprises you, discuss it with your doctor before repeating the test.
In India
Indian labs generally use the same units as international ones (mg/dL, ng/mL, U/L), so this chart reads directly against Indian reports. Prices for these tests vary by city and lab, and NABL-accredited labs are the safer choice where available; many labs offer home collection for routine panels.
As always, the reference range printed on your own Indian lab report takes priority over any chart, because analysers and reference populations differ between labs. Discuss results with your doctor rather than interpreting them alone.
References
Sources cited on this page.
- American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC): Lab Tests Online. Reference-range education for patients.
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI): Blood Tests patient information.
- StatPearls: reference-range summaries for common laboratory tests. NCBI Bookshelf.