How to Read a Complete Blood Count: Markers Vegetarians Should Watch

The Markers Most Worth Watching in a CBC

• Hemoglobin (Hb): the core marker for anemia; the reference range is roughly 130–175 g/L for adult men and 115–150 g/L for women (varies slightly by lab)
• Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): a low value suggests possible iron-deficiency anemia, while a high value suggests possible B12 or folate deficiency — an important clue for identifying the type of anemia
• Red blood cell count and hematocrit: help assess the overall picture of anemia
• White blood cells and platelets: less directly tied to nutrition, but still an important part of a CBC — if abnormal, they should be evaluated alongside other tests

What a CBC Can and Can't Tell You

A CBC can give an initial indication of whether anemia is present and its general type (microcytic or macrocytic), but it can't directly tell you whether the deficiency is iron or B12, nor does it reflect the body's storage levels (such as ferritin). If a CBC comes back abnormal, further tests for ferritin, B12, and similar markers are usually needed to pin down the cause.

Advice for Vegetarians

Even if your current CBC is normal, long-term vegetarians are still advised to test once a year as routine monitoring of nutritional status. Paying attention to the trend in MCV over time is especially valuable — more so than any single reading — so it's worth keeping past checkup reports on file for easy comparison.