Electrolyte Panel
The four electrolytes that govern hydration, nerve and muscle function, and acid-base balance.
Consider this test if:
- Symptoms of fluid or electrolyte imbalance: persistent nausea, weakness, confusion, swelling, or palpitations
- Taking diuretics, blood pressure medication, or other drugs that shift potassium and sodium
- Monitoring known kidney disease or a metabolic condition that affects acid-base balance
- Tracking hydration and electrolyte status during heavy training or after significant fluid loss
- HSA/FSA eligible
- Typical results in 1 day · Reviewed by a real clinician
- Drawn at a CLIA/CAP-accredited lab near you ·
Pre-test considerations
No fasting required. Prolonged tourniquet time, fist clenching, or a hemolyzed sample can falsely raise potassium, so a clean blood draw matters for accurate results.
Video consult with your Care Team
A 1:1 call to discuss your health.
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What this test is for
The electrolyte panel measures sodium, potassium, chloride, and total carbon dioxide (bicarbonate), the minerals that control fluid distribution, nerve and muscle signaling, and the body's acid-base balance. Sodium and chloride track hydration and fluid volume; potassium is essential for steady heart rhythm and muscle function; bicarbonate reflects the buffering system that keeps blood pH in range. Imbalances show up as dehydration, swelling, weakness, confusion, nausea, or cardiac arrhythmias, and often point to kidney disease, metabolic disorders, or the effects of medications like diuretics. The results are read together as a pattern rather than one value at a time.
This is the focused four-analyte version. If you also want kidney function and blood sugar in the same draw, the Basic Metabolic Panel adds calcium, glucose, creatinine, and urea nitrogen.
Biomarkers tested
Includes 4 biomarkers
Total CO2 measures the bicarbonate-based buffer your blood uses to keep pH stable, reflecting how your lungs and kidneys balance acid and base. Low levels point toward metabolic acidosis (from kidney disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or chronic diarrhea) while high levels suggest metabolic alkalosis or a compensated respiratory condition, both worth clarifying if you're dealing with unexplained fatigue, rapid breathing, or confusion. It's part of the standard electrolyte panel, so most people track it as a baseline metabolic marker alongside sodium, potassium, and chloride rather than ordering it alone.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Chloride is the main negative ion in your blood, working alongside sodium and bicarbonate to hold fluid balance, blood volume, and acid-base status steady. Low levels track with vomiting, dehydration, or metabolic alkalosis, while high levels point toward dehydration or metabolic acidosis, often from kidney or GI losses. Ordered as part of a basic metabolic panel, it mainly serves as a baseline check and a way to make sense of symptoms like dizziness, muscle cramps, or persistent fatigue tied to fluid or electrolyte shifts.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Potassium regulates the electrical signaling that fires your heart muscle, contracts your muscles, and controls nerve conduction, with cells and kidneys working together to keep it in a tight range. Levels that drift high or low show up as muscle weakness, cramping, palpitations, or fatigue, and can result from dehydration, kidney function changes, certain blood pressure medications, or heavy sweating from training. It's a core piece of any electrolyte or kidney panel, useful for a baseline check and essential context if you're on diuretics, ACE inhibitors, or pushing hard in endurance training where fluid and mineral losses run high.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
Sodium is the main electrolyte outside your cells and it controls how water distributes across your body, keeping blood volume and blood pressure stable while nerves and muscles fire correctly. Low sodium shows up as fatigue, headache, confusion, nausea, or muscle cramps, and points to excess water retention, heavy sweating, certain medications, or kidney and hormone issues, while high sodium usually signals dehydration. It's a core part of any metabolic panel, useful as a baseline check and essential for investigating unexplained fatigue, dizziness, or muscle cramping, especially in endurance athletes or anyone on diuretics.
- Specimen
- Serum or plasma
- Measures
- Substance concentration
What to expect
- 1 Book instantly
Click, book, done. Choose a convenient lab location near you. Transparent, up-front pricing.
- 2 Quick lab visit
Testing to fit your busy schedule, usually 15 minutes or less. Walk-in and appointments available.
- 3 Typical results in 1 day
Your results post straight to your dashboard as soon as the lab completes them.
- 4 Expert guidance
Included with Mito membership. A clinician reviews your results and your personalized action plan follows, with clear next steps.
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in one membership
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Every test at our cost
Members pay our cost on every test, with lab fees passed straight through. The full receipt is itemized, never padded.
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Upload past labs and watch your trends over time. Every marker and visit lives in one longitudinal record, so all your care stays together.
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Text anytime and get clinician-reviewed answers. When you want to go deeper, 1:1 consultations are available at affordable rates.
All for $9/month
Order any test or consult without joining. For $9/month, members unlock member prices, trend tracking, and year-round clinician guidance.
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Frequently asked questions
View all FAQsHow does pricing work?
Every test shows the member price next to the standard non-member price, so you can see what membership saves you. The member price is our cost — covering the lab and what it takes to run the service — never a profit on the test itself; Mito makes its money on the $9 membership, not on marking up your tests. Membership is $9/mo, and you still pay the lab’s order fee. Prices are itemized before you pay, with no hidden fees.
Where do I get tested?
Choose a partner lab (Quest, Labcorp, or BioReference) at checkout. If your cart spans multiple tests, we consolidate the whole order onto a single lab so you only make one visit.
Is this eligible for HSA/FSA?
Yes. This test is HSA/FSA eligible, and you can pay with your HSA/FSA card at checkout.
When will I get my results?
Your results post to your dashboard once your lab completes them, then a clinician reviews them and your full analysis and personalized action plan (with clear next steps) follow. Turnaround varies by test: specialty assays and at-home kits take longer, and each test shows its expected turnaround before you buy.
Do I need a doctor’s order?
No. Mito provides the lab order for you, so you can book and get tested without a separate doctor visit.
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