Electrolytes — Sodium, Potassium, Chloride, Bicarbonate — 60-Second Protocol
25s · captions burned in · sound on
lab guide · 2026-10-18
Sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — four minerals on one panel that help control your fluid balance.
The electrolyte panel measures sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — minerals that help control fluid balance and acid-base (pH) balance. It shows whether the body has a fluid or acid-base imbalance, read against the lab's own range for each value.
The protocol
| Units | mmol/L (mEq/L) |
| Standard range | reported separately for each of the four against the lab's own reference range (ranges vary by lab) |
| sodium | helps control the amount of fluid in the body and helps nerves and muscles work properly |
| 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 |
| chloride | helps control the amount of fluid in the body and helps maintain healthy blood volume and blood pressure |
| potassium | helps the cells, heart and muscles work properly |
| bicarbonate | helps maintain the body's acid-base (pH) balance and moves carbon dioxide through the bloodstream |
| 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 |
Full transcript
Sodium, potassium, chloride and bicarbonate — four minerals on one panel that help control your fluid balance. Each is read against your lab's own range. Levels can drift too low or too high when the water in your body changes; dehydration and kidney disease are two causes. A marked sodium or potassium abnormality is followed up promptly by a clinician. No potassium supplements without clinical advice. agegen.ai. Generate your prime age! ~~ Mr. Age
Sources
- https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/electrolyte-panel/
- https://medlineplus.gov/fluidandelectrolytebalance.html
Find out which protocol you actually need
Your passport age is a date. Your Prime Age is the age your habits suggest — 12 questions, 2 minutes, no signup.
Take the 2-minute quiz A new protocol daily on TelegramEducational content, not medical advice. Talk to a licensed clinician before changing how you treat a health condition.