Blood count
Red cell distribution width (RDW) — optimal range for vegans & vegetarians
A measure of red-cell size variability.
Optimal range
≤ 14.5 %
How a value is read
| Optimal | ≤ 14.5 % |
| Above optimal | 14.5 – 16 % |
| Markedly high | > 16 % |
Bands are given in the marker's canonical unit; values in other units are converted automatically.
Why it matters on a plant-based diet
Variation in red-cell size. Rises EARLY with iron, B12 or folate deficiency — often before hemoglobin drops. A useful early signal.
A single marker decides nothing
Deficiencies mask one another: high folate hides low B12, inflammation inflates ferritin, low zinc mimics iron deficiency. VEGALYSIS reads the whole picture and explains the links.
Analyse my labsUnits
- %
VEGALYSIS accepts any of these units and converts the value to the canonical one.
Names seen on lab reports
rdw · red cell distribution width · ширина распределения эритроцитов
Sources
Related markers
Educational material; not a substitute for a clinician's advice.