Blood count

Hemoglobin test

Also called Hb, haemoglobin, HGB

The protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen.

Typical range: Women 12–15.5 g/dL, men 13.5–17.5 g/dL. In pregnancy 11 g/dL or more.
Usual recheck: About 1 month when out of range

Why it's done

Checks for anaemia. Part of the CBC.

Can come from dehydration, smoking, living at altitude or, rarely, a bone marrow condition.

Anaemia. Common causes are low iron, B12 or folate, blood loss and pregnancy. Can cause tiredness and breathlessness.

Upload the PDF to Clarilab: it reads the values in your browser, flags anything out of range and tracks your results over time.