Educational information only. At Precursor, blood testing is requested and reviewed by a clinician and considered alongside your history and other markers, not as a stand-alone diagnosis. Testing is performed in NATA-accredited laboratories to ISO 15189 standards.

What is the red blood cell count?

The red blood cell count is simply the number of red cells in a given volume of blood. Red cells are the workhorses that carry oxygen, so their number, read together with haemoglobin and haematocrit, helps build a complete picture of your oxygen-carrying capacity.

Why it matters

On its own the count is one piece of the puzzle, but combined with the red cell indices such as MCV, it helps a clinician understand not just how many red cells you have but what they are like, which points toward particular causes when something is off.

What your results can mean

Lower than optimal

A low red cell count generally accompanies anaemia and is investigated alongside haemoglobin and the red cell indices to find the cause.

Higher than optimal

A high red cell count can reflect dehydration or, less commonly, increased production, and is interpreted within the full blood count.

Reference ranges in Australia

The red cell count is reported in cells times ten to the twelfth per litre (x10¹²/L), with reference ranges that differ between men and women. Read your result against the range on your own report.

Test your blood count with Precursor

The red cell count is most informative within a full blood count. At Precursor it is measured as part of Full Advanced Bloods, a single clinician-reviewed blood draw covering your full blood count, heart, metabolic, hormonal, kidney, liver, thyroid and nutrient markers together, giving you and your clinician a broad baseline to understand and track.