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Erythropoietin

Abbreviation: EPO

Panel: Iron Studies · All iron studies tests

Typical adult reference range

Conventional units2.6–18.5 mIU/mL
SI units2.6–18.5 mIU/mL

Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.

What a high or low result can mean

High erythropoietin: high values can be seen in response to anemia or low oxygen, and rarely with erythropoietin-producing tumors.

Low erythropoietin: low values for the degree of anemia may occur in kidney disease.

These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.

Good to know

Produced mainly by the kidneys in response to low oxygen.

◆ Kidney note

This test is closely tied to kidney health, and it is one a kidney specialist (nephrologist) watches closely. On this site, kidney-related results are a special focus: see the kidney and dialysis medicines in our Drug Guide and the kidney condition hubs for the wider picture.

Related tests — Iron Studies

FerritinHaptoglobinIron, SerumSoluble Transferrin ReceptorTotal Iron-Binding CapacityTransferrinTransferrin SaturationUnsaturated Iron-Binding Capacity
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.