All you need to know about testing White Cell Count levels with a laboratory test
6.9% of people tested have White Cell Count levels which are too high.
And 0.7% have levels that are too low.
The average White Cell Count result is 6.7 x10^9/L
Note what is normal for you may differ for your age and sex.
A White Cell Count (WBC) test indicates the number of white blood cells in your blood.
White blood cells protect your body from infection and assist in your immune response.
The blood contains five main groups of white blood cells. These are neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. Results for each of these cell types are also detailed separately.
By buying a laboratory test kit with professional nurse or clinic collection, you can accurately measure White Cell Count for total reassurance.
Professional analysis in an accredited laboratory ensures rapid result delivery.
The Vitall Full Blood Count (FBC) nurse or clinic test kit includes a White Cell Count test and is available for just £79.00.
Tests which include a White Cell Count test:
A high white blood cell count can occur with bacterial infections, inflammation and other blood disorders, trauma, certain medications, or after an operation.
Leucocytosis is the term used for an increased number of white blood cells.
A high white blood cell count is often considered a sign of an immune response to infection and is commonly prioritised for review.
Low white blood cell levels can occur for many different reasons.
They are often associated with recent infection (particularly viral), immune system diseases, certain medications, vitamin deficiencies, liver disease, an enlarged spleen, or occasionally an inflammatory condition.
A low white cell count is linked to increased susceptibility to infection, and this finding is often reviewed further to clarify the cause.
Measure your White Cell Count levels and measure your general blood and immune health and ability to fight viral & bacterial infections with a Full Blood Count (FBC) nurse or clinic finger-prick bloodtest kit
You get the convenient testing with the reassurance of professional clinical analysis. Your results are delivered quickly & securely online.
This Full Blood Count (FBC) Test is advised if you:
White Blood Cells (WBCs), also known as leukocytes, are immune cells that are present in your bloodstream, tissues, and lymphatic system. They play a key role in helping your body protect itself against infections and injuries. They are also heavily involved in allergic and inflammatory reactions.
WBCs can be grouped into five categories: neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. Cells in these categories have different structures and functions.
WBC blood tests are measured as part of a full blood count test and provide a count for each type of white blood cell in your body. [1-3]
When your body is experiencing an infection or an inflammatory reaction, white blood cells are produced at a higher rate by your bone marrow. The WBCs are then released into the bloodstream so they can reach the site of the reaction. Once the reaction has ended, the rate of production of WBCs will go back to normal as well as your WBC levels.
Cancer and autoimmune diseases can also affect the rate at which WBCs are produced and released by your bone marrow.
WBC blood tests may indicate if you have an underlying condition, although it is not enough for your GP to make a proper diagnosis; further blood tests are usually needed to get the full picture.
WBCs can also be used to monitor the evolution of previously diagnosed conditions as well as to monitor the effects of some treatments like chemotherapy or radiotherapy. [4,5]
WBC Blood Tests are usually routinely taken as part of the Full Blood Count (FBC) test once or twice a year depending on your overall health. Your GP can also ask you to take the FBC blood test if you have fever, body aches, a headache, or other symptoms of an infection or inflammation.
WBC tests can provide important insights if cancer, or if an autoimmune or blood disorder is suspected. You may have to take WBC tests regularly if you have already been diagnosed with a condition that affects your white blood cell count or are undergoing certain cancer treatments.
If previous tests show that you have abnormally low or high WBC count, you might need to regularly take the test in order to monitor the evolution of your condition and discuss with your GP the appropriate steps to take [6,7].
To test your WBC levels, you can order the Full Blood Count test kit online in the UK and you will receive the sampling kit int he post.
All you have to do is simply prick your finger to draw blood using the fingerprick lancet provided in the kit and send the sample by post in the envelope provided to you.
The sample will be analysed, and the results sent to you online usually within 24 hours.
You can learn more about the testing process here.
A normal white blood cell count is in the 4,500 to 11,000 WBCs per microliter range. Each type of the different WBCs has a reference percentage of the total count.
Neutrophils normally represent 40 to 60 % of the total count, lymphocytes 20 to 40 %, monocytes 2 to 8 %, eosinophils 1 to 4 %, and basophils 0.5 to 1%. [8]
Having WBC levels higher than the normal range is referred to as leucocytosis. Leucocytosis can be caused by smoking or by severe trauma causing tissue damage.
The spleen is an organ that regulates the levels of WBCs in your body. Individuals who have had to get a splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen) either due to a ruptured spleen or for disease related reasons, will have a drastic increase in WBCs.
Taking a lot of medication can cause your body to experience leucocytosis. Medication that has shown to cause leucocytosis are anti-asthma drugs such as salbutamol, as well as corticosteroids, epinephrine, heparin, lithium, and chemotherapy drugs like the granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF).
Elevated levels of the different types of WBCs can indicate a specific condition.
Generally speaking, infections, inflammatory diseases such allergies, inflammatory bowel syndrome, or rheumatoid arthritis as well leukaemia or Hodgkin’s lymphoma can raise your overall WBC levels significantly.
Pregnant women usually have high levels of white blood cells that can reach 13,000 WBCs per microliter and sometimes more. These high levels of WBCs are not only due to the pregnancy itself but also to the physical and mental stress associated with it.
Symptoms of leucocytosis can be frequent fever, bleeding or bruising, fatigue, dizziness, excessive sweating, vision problems, lack of appetite, weight loss, breathing problems and pain in arms and legs.
It is important to know that if your leucocytosis is caused by mental health issues or by a medication, you may not have any symptoms. [9,10]
If a WBC test reports that your white blood cell count is above 11,000 WBCs per microliter, you are considered to have leucocytosis.
Your GP might ask you to take further tests in order to understand what is causing your body to produce too many white blood cells. [11]
Having a white blood cell count that is higher than the reference range means that your body’s immune system is overly active.
A high level of WBCs in your body can cause your blood to thicken, which is known as the hyperviscosity syndrome. This condition is rare, but it can have serious complications, from strokes to vision loss, difficulty breathing and gastro-intestinal bleeding.
It is important to know if you have leucocytosis from early on, and this is why if you start experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should talk to your GP and take a full blood count test. [12,13]
Many strategies exist to decrease your WBC count. Doing more exercise, following a weight loss diet if you are overweight, or reducing your levels of stress can all help lower your WBC count.
Avoid drinking any alcohol, reheating meals in the microwave, or having processed foods or any foods with too much salt, fat, and sugar.
Having a diet rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and vitamin C can help your body regulate its WBC levels.
You should talk to your GP to understand what is causing your leucocytosis. If it is a medicine you are taking, discuss alternatives with your GP. [14,15]
When your WBC levels are lower than normal, it is called leukopenia. Many different factors can cause leukopenia. A tumour or infection of the bone marrow can alter your WBC count and can lead to lower levels of WBCs being released into the bloodstream. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus can also cause leukopenia.
Mononucleosis is a disease caused by a specific type of the Herpes virus that can severely impact your WBC levels. A lot of people with mononucleosis aren’t even aware they have it, as symptoms could be indicative of just a common cold and fatigue, so it is important to address these symptoms and see your GP if they are long lasting. Other conditions that can cause leukopenia are bacterial infections and liver and spleen diseases.
Radiation therapy and certain medications such as antibiotics, anti-epileptics, anti-thyroid agents, captopril, chlorpromazine, clozapine, diuretics, selective histamine-2 antagonists, sulphonamides, quinidine, terbinafine, and ticlopidine can cause a decrease in your WBC levels.
Malnutrition and alcohol abuse can also cause your WBC levels to decrease.
Many different signs may indicate that you have a low white blood cell count: frequent fevers with chills and sweating, bladder infections that make it painful to urinate, lung infections that make you cough, mouth sores, sinus infections, and skin infections. [16,17]
If a WBC blood test reports that your white blood cell count is below 4000 WBCs per microliter, you are considered to have leukopenia.
Your GP might ask you to take further tests in order to understand what is causing your body not to produce enough white blood cells. [18]
Having a low white blood cell count means that your immune system is not working at full capacity and that you might be more prone to infections. A lot of the symptoms you experience when you get an infection or develop a medical condition as a result of the actions taken by your white blood cells to defend your body, such as a fever.
Therefore, if you have leukopenia and you get an infection, these symptoms can be masked, so you might not even know that you have an infection or an underlying condition, which will prevent you from seeking your GP. Leaving an infection or a medical condition untreated can have serious effects in the long term.
Cancer patients with a low white blood cell count that have an infection must interrupt their treatment and first address the infection, as cancer treatments can further lower white blood cell count and worsen the infection. Cancer patients with a very low blood cell count can develop infections more easily which can lead to complications such as septicaemia that can be fatal.
While leucopenia can give you mild symptoms, it can also be fatal if left untreated. It is important to know if your body is not producing enough white blood cells, and this is why you should always talk to your GP if you start experiencing any signs that could be characteristic of leukopenia and see if you need to take the WBC test. [19,20]
An inadequate diet can often be the reason why you have below-average WBC levels. A lot of different foods can help your body produce more white blood cells.
The production of eosinophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages can be stimulated by garlic.
Consuming spinach daily has been shown to help increasing the overall number of white blood cells in your body.
Most yogurts have probiotics that can increase the amount of white blood cells that are produced by your bone marrow.
Selenium has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells, specifically neutrophils, and lymphocytes. You can either get the dose of selenium you need from tuna, sardines, turkey, and chicken or from supplements. Noni fruit has a direct effect on the production of T and B lymphocytes. It is usually available as a juice in most supermarkets.
Most vitamins play a very important role in helping your body better defend itself. Vitamin C is the best-known nutrient that can increase the amount of WBCs in your body. Vitamin A has been shown to particularly boost the production of lymphocytes while vitamin E increases the rate of production of natural killer lymphocytes and vitamin B9 promotes the production of neutrophils.
Other foods that can increase your white blood cell count and boost your immunity are citrus fruits like lemon and orange, kiwi, red bell peppers, broccoli, papaya leaves, and sunflower seeds.
Zinc and omega-3 fatty acids can increase your white blood cell count. Zinc is found in whole grains, oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, and nuts. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish and seafood, nuts, seeds, and plant oils such as flaxseed or soybean oil. Both zinc and omega-3 fatty acids can also be taken as food supplements. [21,22]
Dr. Shahzaib Ahmad MBBS, BSc, MRCP, FRCA, FFICM
Clinical Supervisor - Vitall|GMC 7495062|Profile
Reviewed on 03/02/2026
Next review due 03/02/2027
Review focus: Blood biomarkers, laboratory testing methodology, and biochemical interpretation.
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