Electrolytes — Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate
The electrolyte panel measures sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — minerals that help control fluid balance and acid-base (pH) balance.
The electrolyte panel measures four minerals that help control fluid balance and acid-base (pH) balance — sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — and shows whether the body has a fluid or acid-base imbalance.
Watch the 25-second version
Sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — four minerals on one panel that help control your fluid balance.
Transcript & sources → All videosMr. Age is AgeGen's editorial character. Facts come from the protocol above.
The biomarker
- Name: Electrolyte Panel (sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate)
- Units: mmol/L (mEq/L)
- Standard range: each of the four is reported separately against the lab's own reference range (ranges vary by lab).
How to read your result
| Electrolyte | What it does, and how to read a shifted value |
|---|---|
| Sodium | Helps control the amount of fluid in the body and helps nerves and muscles work properly. |
| Potassium | Helps the cells, heart and muscles work properly. |
| Chloride | Helps control the amount of fluid in the body and helps maintain healthy blood volume and blood pressure. |
| Bicarbonate | Helps maintain the body's acid-base (pH) balance and moves carbon dioxide through the bloodstream. |
| Context | Levels can become too low or too high when the amount of water in the body changes; abnormal levels can be caused by dehydration and kidney disease. |
| Reading | An abnormal level can be a sign of a serious health problem, including kidney disease, high blood pressure or a life-threatening irregular heartbeat — review it with a clinician. |
What moves the needle
- If flagged. A marked potassium or sodium abnormality is followed up promptly by a clinician.
- Preparation. No special preparation is needed for the panel itself; if other blood tests are ordered with it you may need to fast — follow your provider's instructions.
- Potassium caution. Do not add potassium supplements or potassium-based salt substitutes without clinical advice, especially with kidney disease.
Why this test is worth asking for
- The panel shows whether the body has a fluid imbalance or an imbalance in acid and base levels.
- It is read in context — hydration, kidney function and recent illness — against the lab's own range for each of the four values.
Sources
AgeGen lab guides are educational only. We do not provide medical diagnosis, prescribe brands, or recommend specific doses. Talk to a licensed clinician before changing your supplement or medication routine.
