Science portal
CRP: what the level indicates and what it doesn’t
CRP: what the value indicates and what it does not The essentials at a glance According to IQWiG, C-reactive protein is a blood protein produced during inflammation (as of March 20, 2025). It therefore indicates that something is happening. It...
Blood lipid levels: why only all four together provide a complete picture
Blood lipid levels: why all four together are needed to provide a complete picture The essentials at a glance A report usually lists four numbers under blood lipids: total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. They do not describe four levels...
HbA1c: the period represented by the value
HbA1c: the period represented by the value The essentials at a glance HbA1c is the only commonly used blood glucose value that does not describe a point in time. The MSD Manual, professional edition, puts it succinctly: HbA1c levels reflect...
Hormone levels and the right day of the cycle
Hormone levels and the correct cycle day The essentials at a glance For hormone values, the cycle day is part of the result. The MSD Manual, professional edition, gives an FSH level above 25 IU/L for the late menopausal transition...
Free Androgen Index: how it is calculated and what it indicates
Free Androgen Index: how it is calculated and what it can do The essentials at a glance The Free Androgen Index is a calculated value derived from two laboratory measurements. The formula is: testosterone in nanomoles per liter multiplied by...
SHBG: what the level means for available hormones
SHBG: what the value means about available hormones The essentials at a glance SHBG stands for sex hormone-binding globulin. It is a transport protein that binds and retains testosterone and estradiol in the blood. What is bound to it is...
Cortisol Blood Test: What the Morning Level Shows and What It Doesn’t
Blood cortisol test: what the morning level shows—and what it does not The essentials at a glance A blood cortisol level describes a point in time, not a day. The MSD Manual, professional edition, quantifies the range: Serum cortisol levels...
Understanding liver values: which ones matter and what they show
Understanding liver values: which ones count and what they show The essentials at a glance The commonly used liver values measure two different things. ALT and AST show whether liver cells are being damaged: they leak out of damaged liver...
What happens to your saliva sample after the analysis
What happens to your saliva sample after the analysis The essentials at a glance The saliva sample is read in the laboratory, the report is then generated, and the sample and the sequence that was read are subsequently destroyed after...