Immune and inflammation
Neutrophils (absolute neutrophil count)
ANC
Included in every MyHealthspan membership: Focus, Baseline, and Complete.
Compare membershipsYour body's first responders to infection.
Neutrophils are the most common white blood cells and usually the first to reach an infection or injury. Your neutrophil count helps assess infection, inflammation, and how well your bone marrow is keeping up with demand.
Stress hormones can move this number.
Neutrophils rise with bacterial infections and inflammation, and they also respond to everyday stress. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline move extra neutrophils into circulation, so a stressful stretch, hard exercise, smoking, or corticosteroid medicine can push the count up.
On the low side, many people with African ancestry, and some with Middle Eastern ancestry, have an inherited blood type called Duffy-null. It's linked to a lower neutrophil count in the blood, now called Duffy-null associated neutrophil count (formerly benign ethnic neutropenia). It isn't linked to more infections, and it's useful context for whoever reviews your results.
Questions
What can lower neutrophils?
Viral infections, certain medications (including some antibiotics), chemotherapy, some nutritional deficiencies, and bone marrow conditions can lower neutrophils. A clinician considers how low the count is, whether it's new, and whether you have symptoms.
What happens if my neutrophils are out of range?
A single result slightly outside the range is often rechecked, especially after a recent illness. A clinician reads it with your full blood count, your symptoms, and your medications to decide whether follow-up makes sense.