About.com Health: Making Sense of Your Lab Test Results

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Health From Kristin Kane, your About Health Editor Ever wish your lab results came with one of those super secret decoders you used to find in cereal boxes when you were a kid? High? Low? Normal? WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? When you have questions, consider Lab Test Interpreter -- our latest tool, co-created by About.com Health and Harvard Medical School -- your web-based version of a "phone a friend." In a few steps, you'll get a personalized explanation of what your lab results are really saying about your health. (No Doctorate of Medicalese required.) Your Total Cholesterol Results Total cholesterol reflects the sum of 3 types of fats that circulate in the blood (see below). Knowing the levels of each provides the most accurate picture of your heart disease risk. So what can your total cholesterol tell you? Your HDL Cholesterol Level Your LDL Cholesterol Level Your Triglyceride Level Your Blood Glucose Test Results Your blood sugar reading -- be it from a doctor-ordered test or an at-home monitor -- can vary greatly, depending on when it was taken. Several other factors, however, come into play when determining what that number means in your specific case. Diabetics: 5 Good Reasons to Check Your Blood Sugar Your Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) Test Results A TSH level indicates whether you are making or taking the right amount of thyroid hormone, which can help your doctor ID if that little gland of yours is too hyped up or sleeping on the job, or if your treatment needs adjusting. Symptoms of Thyroid Disease For more, visit the Lab Test Interpreter. What test do you suggest we add next? Contact Our Medical Director Health Ads Health & Health Tips Lab Test Health Sector Jobs Best Health Quote Featured Articles Follow About.com Health on Twitter! Low-Carb Honey Cake Ragweed's Back! Get the Tissues Backpacks...and Back Pain Air Travel With an Oxygen Tank Coping with Your Own Perfectionism   More from About.com Is it a Cold or the Flu? Knowing whether you have a cold or the flu can help you treat your symptoms more effectively. More> Concerned About Your Drinking? This short quiz can help you identify whether or not you have a drinking problem. More>   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Health newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2010 About.com   Read / Share Your Cancer Advice for Actor Michael Douglas Teaching Your Child's Teacher About His Asthma "Why I Choose an IUD" Advertisement