Quotes from James B. LaValle

REFERENCE RANGES FOR SERUM MAGNESIUM Category Normal Range Adult 1.8 to 2.6 mEq/L Child (2 to 18 years old) 1.7 to 2.1 mEq/L Infant 1.5 to 2.2 mEq/L

Insulin (mg/dL) Category 50 or above High alert 25 to 49 High, trending towards insulin resistance 17 to 25 Acceptable Target Range: 5 to 17 mg/dL, with

REFERENCE RANGES FOR CALCIUM Calcium (mg/dL) Category Greater than 12 Very high (Moderate to severe hypercalcemia) 10.2 to 12 High (Mild hypercalcemia) 8.6 to 10.2 Normal Less than 8.6 Low (Hypocalcemia)

REFERENCE RANGES FOR POTASSIUM Potassium (mEq/L) Category Greater than 7.0 Extremely high (Severe hyperkalemia) 6.1 to 7.0 Very high (Moderate hyperkalemia) 5.5 to 6.0 High (Mild hyperkalemia) 3.5 to 5.4 Normal 3.1 to 3.4 Low (Mild hypokalemia) 2.5 to 3.0 Very low (Moderate hypokalemia) Less than 2.5 Extremely low (Severe hypokalemia) Target Range: 3.5 to 4.5 mEq/L

REFERENCE RANGES FOR SODIUM Sodium (mEq/L or mmol/L) Category Greater than 155 Very high (Critical level of hypernatremia) 144 to 155 High (Hypernatremia) 134 to 143 Ideal 120 to 133 Low (Hyponatremia) Less than 120 Very low (Critcal level of hyponatremia)

REFERENCE RANGES FOR CHLORIDE Chloride (mmol/L) Category Greater than 108 High (Hypercholremia) 97 to 108 Normal Less than 97 Low (Hypocholremia)

REFERENCE RANGES FOR CARBON DIOXIDE Carbon Dioxide (mmol/L) Category Greater than 33 High (Hypercapnia) 21 to 33 Normal Less than 21 Low (Hypocapnia) Target Range: 23 to 29 mmol/L

Although optimal BUN levels can vary according to a person's age and gender, the generally accepted "normal" range is 6 to 20 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). Values less than 6 mg/dL are considered low, and values over 20 mg/dL are considered high. There is no optimal value for this lab.

REFERENCE RANGES FOR CREATININE Category Normal Range (mg/dL) Men 0.6 to 1.2 Women 0.5 to 1.1 Children (twelve years of age or younger) 0.3 to 0.7

REFERENCE RANGES FOR GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE (GFR) GFR (mL/min) Severity of Kidney Damage 90 to 120 with no evidence of kidney damage Normal Greater than 90 with evidence of kidney damage Stage 1 (Beginning of kidney damage) 60 to 89 Stage 2 (Mild kidney damage) 30 to 59 Stage 3 (Moderate kidney damage) 15 to 29 Stage 4 (Severe kidney damage) Less than 15 Stage 5 (Kidney failure)

REFERENCE RANGES FOR TOTAL PROTEIN Total Protein (g/dL) Category Greater than 8.0 High 6.5 to 8.0 Normal Less than 6.5 Low Target Range: 7.2 to 7.5 g/dL

REFERENCE RANGES FOR GLOBULIN Globulin (g/dL) Category Greater than 3.5 High 2.0 to 3.5 Normal Less than 2.0 Low Target Range: 2.8 to 3.2 g/dL

REFERENCE RANGES FOR ALBUMIN/GLOBULIN Albumin/Globulin Normal Range A/G Ratio 1.1 to 2.4

REFERENCE RANGES FOR ALANINE AMINOTRANSFERASE (ALT) Category ALT Normal Range (IU/L) Men 0 to 55 Women 0 to 40

REFERENCE RANGES FOR ALKALINE PHOSPHATASE (ALP) Category ALP Normal Range (IU/L) Men 15 to 20 years old 45 to 400 Men 20 to 60 years old 25 to 150 Men 60 to 100 years old 25 to 160 Women 15 to 20 years old 45 to 400 Women 20 to 60 years old 25 to 150 Women 60 to 100 years old 25 to 165 Target Range for Both Men and Women: 72.5 IU/L

Low AST readings are generally a sign of good health and not cause for concern.

The ranges used in this book reflect the guidelines set by LabCorp, a company that provides testing services to nearly 90 percent of doctors' offices, hospitals

First, increase your water intake about an hour before the test, since water helps to fill up the veins, making them plumper and more easily accessible.