by Teralyn Sell, PhD | Oct 20, 2026 | Lab notes
Ferritin is often described as an “iron storage” test. That description is useful, but incomplete.A ferritin result can add important context to an iron discussion. It can also invite more certainty than one number can support. A low result, a high result, and a...
by Teralyn Sell, PhD | Oct 13, 2026 | Lab notes, nutrition reality check
Magnesium is one of those lab topics that invites a fast conclusion.A result is low, normal, or high. Surely that tells us whether someone has enough magnesium.Not quite.A recent 2026 narrative review renewed attention on a long-running laboratory problem: serum...
by Teralyn Sell, PhD | Oct 6, 2026 | Lab notes
Most lab reports invite a very simple reading: in range is good, out of range is bad.That is understandable. The colors, arrows, and bolded flags are designed to make a long report easier to scan. But a reference range is not a diagnosis, a treatment target, or a...
by | Sep 29, 2026 | Lab notes
A familiar assumption follows almost every repeat lab panel: if the number changed, something in the body changed. Sometimes that is true. Sometimes the change is meaningful. But a lab result is not a direct photograph of health. It is a measurement taken at one...
by Teralyn Sell, PhD | Sep 22, 2026 | Lab notes
For years, “fasting bloodwork” was treated as the serious version of a cholesterol test.No breakfast. Morning appointment. Water only. Then, presumably, a more trustworthy answer.That assumption is being examined more closely. A 2025 UK laboratory consensus statement...
by Teralyn Sell, PhD | Sep 15, 2026 | Lab notes
A1C is often described as a three-month average of blood sugar. That description is useful, but it is incomplete enough to create confusion.An A1C result is not a report card on how someone ate, exercised, or managed stress over the previous 90 days. It is a...
