Understanding Your Metabolic Panel

Glucose is the amount of glucose, or blood sugar, measured in a blood sample. On a lab report, Glucose helps show how much sugar is circulating in the blood at the time of the test. In a metabolic panel, the Glucose result is often reviewed alongside other chemistry markers to give a broader snapshot of blood chemistry.

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) is a lab value that measures the amount of urea nitrogen in the blood, a waste product made from protein breakdown. It is reported as BUN on a blood test or Blood Urea Nitrogen on a lab report and helps describe how blood chemistry is changing over time.

Creatinine is a waste product measured in blood and used as part of a metabolic panel. It is commonly shown on a blood test as Creatinine and helps describe how the body is handling muscle breakdown products and fluid balance. The Creatinine test is often read with other lab values to understand overall blood chemistry.

Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) is a calculated lab value that estimates how well the kidneys filter blood. On a lab report, eGFR is usually reported from creatinine, age, sex, and sometimes race-adjusted equations, and it helps show overall filtering capacity. eGFR is commonly included on a metabolic panel and is often reviewed with creatinine and blood urea nitrogen (BUN).

Sodium (Na) is a lab value that measures the amount of sodium in blood, usually reported in mmol/L. Sodium on a blood test helps show how concentrated the blood sample is and how water balance is reflected in the result. On a metabolic panel, Na is read alongside other chemistry markers to describe the overall composition of the blood sample.

Potassium (K) is a blood electrolyte measured on a lab report to show how much K is circulating in the bloodstream. It is commonly included in a metabolic panel and helps describe fluid balance, cell function, and the overall chemical makeup of blood. High or low K values on a blood test are read alongside other markers such as sodium and creatinine.

Chloride (Cl) is a blood chemistry value that measures the amount of chloride, a major charged mineral in the fluid outside cells. On a lab report, Cl helps describe fluid balance and how the body keeps electrolytes in a steady range. It is commonly included in a Metabolic Panel and reported in mmol/L.

Calcium (Ca) is a blood chemistry value reported on a metabolic panel that shows how much calcium is present in the sample. Calcium on a lab report is read as part of the body’s overall mineral and fluid balance, and the Ca result is often considered alongside albumin and other metabolic markers. It helps describe whether the Calcium normal range is being maintained or whether the Calcium test result is higher or lower than expected.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is a blood test value that measures the total amount of carbon dioxide in serum or plasma, mostly as bicarbonate. It is commonly included in a metabolic panel and helps describe blood chemistry balance on a CO2 on a blood test. The Carbon Dioxide result is often read alongside other metabolic panel markers to understand overall fluid and acid-base patterns.

Total Protein is a lab value that measures the overall amount of protein in blood. Total Protein on a lab report helps summarize the protein balance of the fluid part of blood and is often reviewed as part of a metabolic panel. Changes in Total Protein can reflect shifts in hydration, protein levels in the bloodstream, or other factors that influence blood composition.

Albumin is a blood protein measured on a lab report to show how much of this major transport protein is present in the blood. In a Metabolic Panel, Albumin helps describe blood composition, protein balance, and fluid status. Albumin test results are often reviewed with other markers to understand whether the value is within the Albumin normal range or shifted high or low.

Magnesium (Mg) is a mineral measured on a blood test as part of some metabolic panels. It helps describe the balance of Mg in blood and how it compares with the Magnesium normal range on a lab report. This lab value is read with other markers to understand the overall chemistry pattern, not by itself.

Phosphorus (P) is a mineral measured in blood to show how much phosphorus is circulating in the body. On a lab report, it is often used in a metabolic panel to help describe mineral balance and how the body is handling intake, release, and removal of P.

Globulin is the non-albumin protein fraction measured on a blood test and shown on a lab report. The globulin value on a lab report describes the blood protein balance and is often reviewed together with albumin and the albumin/globulin ratio (A/G ratio). A globulin test result is interpreted against the globulin normal range printed by the laboratory, and results can shift with hydration, sample handling, and lab method. Total globulin on a blood test is usually reported in g/dL.

Anion Gap is a calculated value from a metabolic panel that reflects the balance between measured positively and negatively charged substances in blood. On an Anion Gap on a lab report or Anion Gap on a blood test, it helps summarize how the basic chemistry results fit together. The Anion Gap test is commonly reported in mmol/L and is read with other metabolic panel values for context.