New writing every week
Blood markers, decoded.
Plain-language explainers, deep dives, and how-to guides on lab reports and the metrics that actually matter.
LiverBlood Test MarkersAST
What does high AST mean?
A high AST means there's more of an enzyme called aspartate aminotransferase in your blood than usual — often because some of the cells that hold it have released it. Those cells live in your liver, but also in your muscles, your heart, and your red blood cells. It's a common and usually mild finding, and on its own it rarely tells the whole story. What it means depends on how high it is, what's sitting next to it on the panel, and where it's been heading over time.
7 min read
More articles
View all
B12 DeficiencyVitamin B12What does low B12 mean?
Low B12 means your body doesn't have enough vitamin B12 — also called **cobalamin** — circulating to keep up with what your cells need it for. That's a long list: making red blood cells, copying DNA, and maintaining the myelin sheath that wraps your nerves so signals travel cleanly. When B12 runs low, those processes get sloppy. You feel it before the bloodwork shows it.
6 min read- FerritinIron studies
What does ferritin mean? — A plain-English guide to your iron storage marker
Ferritin is your body's iron savings account. When it's low, you can feel tired before standard anemia shows up on a blood test. When it's high, the reading often points to inflammation rather than "too much iron." The number on its own rarely tells the full story — your trend over time and the rest of your panel matter more. This is one of those markers your doctor probably mentions in passing and doesn't have the appointment minutes to fully explain. Here's the longer version.
5 min read About Bllod — The home for your blood tests
Bllod turns your lab PDFs into a clear, tracked, plain-English picture of your bloodwork over time. Here's what we are, who we serve, and what we won't do.
4 min read