BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuElectrolytesElectrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge.Electrolytes affect how your body functions in many ways, including:The amount of water in your body The acidity of your blood (pH) Your nerve and muscle function Other important processes You lose electrolytes when you sweat. You must replace them by drinking fluids that contain electrolytes. Water does not contain electrolytes.Common electrolytes include:Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Electrolytes can be acids, bases, or salts. They can be measured by different blood tests. Each electrolyte can be measured separately, such as:Ionized calcium Ionized calciumIonized calcium is calcium in your blood that is not attached to proteins. It is also called free calcium. All cells need calcium in order to work. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum calcium Serum calciumThe calcium blood test measures the level of calcium in the blood. This article discusses the test to measure the total amount of calcium in your blo...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum chloride Serum chlorideChloride is a type of electrolyte. It works with other electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and carbon dioxide (CO2). These substances help keep...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum magnesium Serum magnesiumA serum magnesium test measures the level of magnesium in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum phosphorus Serum phosphorusThe phosphorus blood test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum potassium Serum sodiumSerum sodiumThe sodium blood test measures the concentration of sodium in the blood. Sodium can also be measured using a urine test.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Note: Serum is the part of blood that doesn't contain cells.Sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium levels can also be measured as part of a basic metabolic panel. A more complete test, called comprehensive metabolic panel, can test for these and several more chemicals.Basic metabolic panelThe basic metabolic panel is a group of blood tests that provides information about your body's metabolism.Read Article Now Book Mark Article The electrolytes - urine test measures electrolytes in urine. It tests the levels of calcium, chloride, potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes.Electrolytes - urine testThe electrolytes - urine test measures specific chemicals called electrolytes in urine. It most often measures the levels of calcium, chloride, pota...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesHamm LL, DuBose TD. Disorders of acid-base balance. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 16.Oh MS, Briefel G, Pincus MR. Evaluation of renal function, water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 15.AllVideoImagesTog Tests for Electrolytes Electrolytes - urineSweat electrolytes testRelated Information Calcium - ionized(Medical Test)Ions(Special Topic)Radioactive iodine uptake(Medical Test)Calcium blood test(Medical Test)Chloride test - blood(Medical Test)Magnesium blood test(Medical Test)Phosphorus blood test(Medical Test)Sodium blood test(Medical Test)Sweat electrolytes test(Medical Test) Review Date: 11/19/2023 Reviewed By: Jacob Berman, MD, MPH, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
ElectrolytesElectrolytes are minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge.Electrolytes affect how your body functions in many ways, including:The amount of water in your body The acidity of your blood (pH) Your nerve and muscle function Other important processes You lose electrolytes when you sweat. You must replace them by drinking fluids that contain electrolytes. Water does not contain electrolytes.Common electrolytes include:Calcium Chloride Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Electrolytes can be acids, bases, or salts. They can be measured by different blood tests. Each electrolyte can be measured separately, such as:Ionized calcium Ionized calciumIonized calcium is calcium in your blood that is not attached to proteins. It is also called free calcium. All cells need calcium in order to work. ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum calcium Serum calciumThe calcium blood test measures the level of calcium in the blood. This article discusses the test to measure the total amount of calcium in your blo...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum chloride Serum chlorideChloride is a type of electrolyte. It works with other electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and carbon dioxide (CO2). These substances help keep...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum magnesium Serum magnesiumA serum magnesium test measures the level of magnesium in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum phosphorus Serum phosphorusThe phosphorus blood test measures the amount of phosphate in the blood.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Serum potassium Serum sodiumSerum sodiumThe sodium blood test measures the concentration of sodium in the blood. Sodium can also be measured using a urine test.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Note: Serum is the part of blood that doesn't contain cells.Sodium, potassium, chloride, and calcium levels can also be measured as part of a basic metabolic panel. A more complete test, called comprehensive metabolic panel, can test for these and several more chemicals.Basic metabolic panelThe basic metabolic panel is a group of blood tests that provides information about your body's metabolism.Read Article Now Book Mark Article The electrolytes - urine test measures electrolytes in urine. It tests the levels of calcium, chloride, potassium, sodium, and other electrolytes.Electrolytes - urine testThe electrolytes - urine test measures specific chemicals called electrolytes in urine. It most often measures the levels of calcium, chloride, pota...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesHamm LL, DuBose TD. Disorders of acid-base balance. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 16.Oh MS, Briefel G, Pincus MR. Evaluation of renal function, water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 15.