Mediki
Red blood cells blood test: what your result means
Red blood cell count measures how many red blood cells are in your blood. These cells carry oxygen from the lungs to tissues.
- Category
- Complete blood count
- Standard unit
- 10^12/L
- Reported in
- 10^12/L, 10^6/µL, M/µL, 10^6/mm^3, M/mm^3, T/L and more
What does high red blood cells mean?
Higher values may suggest hemoconcentration or increased red cell production. What counts as high depends on the reference range printed on your lab report, because ranges differ between laboratories.
What does low red blood cells mean?
Lower values may suggest reduced oxygen-carrying capacity and can be seen with nutrient deficits or blood loss. What counts as low depends on the reference range printed on your lab report, because ranges differ between laboratories.
Red blood cells units and conversion
Mediki shows red blood cells in 10^12/L. Labs may report it in other units; Mediki converts them automatically so results from different labs line up on one chart.
10^6/µL, M/µL, 10^6/mm^3, M/mm^3, T/L, Tpt/L are numerically the same as 10^12/L, so no conversion is needed.
| Unit on your report | Convert to 10^12/L | Convert back |
|---|---|---|
| cells/µL, cells/mm^3 | 1 cells/µL = 1 × 10-6 10^12/L | 1 10^12/L = 1 × 106 cells/µL |
| cells/L | 1 cells/L = 1 × 10-12 10^12/L | 1 10^12/L = 1 × 1012 cells/L |
Convert a value from your report with the blood test unit converter.
Why track red blood cells over time?
A single red blood cells result is a snapshot. Comparing it with your earlier tests shows whether a value is stable, slowly drifting, or responding to a change in treatment or lifestyle, which is often more useful than one number on its own.
Read our guide on how to read blood test results to understand reference ranges, flags and units.
Track your red blood cells results in one chart
Upload your lab reports and Mediki plots every red blood cells result against its reference range. Your first 15 pages are free.
Try 15 pages freeRelated blood tests
Sources
Medical disclaimer: This page is general information, not medical advice. Reference ranges differ between laboratories, and only a doctor can interpret your results in the context of your health.