Comprehensive metabolic panel: Tests and results Health ConditionsHealth ConditionsAlzheimer's & DementiaAnxietyArthritisAsthma & AllergiesBreast CancerCancerCardiovascular HealthCOVID-19Dermatology & SkincareDiabetesEnvironment & SustainabilityExercise & FitnessEye HealthHeadache & MigraineHealth EquityHIV & AIDSHuman BiologyInflammatory Bowel DiseaseLeukemiaLGBTQIA+Men's HealthMental HealthMultiple Sclerosis (MS)NutritionParkinson's DiseasePsoriasisSexual HealthWomen's HealthDiscoverNewsLatest NewsOriginal SeriesMedical MythsHonest NutritionThrough My EyesNew Normal HealthPodcastsHow to understand chronic painWhat is behind vaccine hesitancy?The amazing story of hepatitis C, from discovery to cureNew directions in dementia researchCan psychedelics rewire a depressed, anxious brain?Why climate change matters for human healthToolsGeneral HealthDrugs A-ZHealth HubsHealth ToolsBMI Calculators and ChartsBlood Pressure Chart: Ranges and GuideBreast Cancer: Self-Examination GuideSleep CalculatorHealth ProductsAffordable Therapy OptionsBlood Pressure MonitorsDiabetic SuppliesFitness TrackersHome GymsGreen Cleaning ProductsHow to Shop for CBDQuizzesRA Myths vs FactsType 2 Diabetes: Managing Blood SugarAnkylosing Spondylitis Pain: Fact or FictionConnectAbout Medical News TodayWho We AreOur Editorial ProcessContent IntegrityConscious LanguageNewslettersSign UpFollow UsMedical News TodayHealth ConditionsDiscoverToolsConnectSubscribe What to know about a comprehensive metabolic panel testMedically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Zia Sherrell, MPH on September 29, 2022A comprehensive metabolic panel is a set of tests that a doctor may order to find out more about a person’s overall health. These tests help evaluate how well the body is working. A comprehensive metabolic panel includes 14 different tests that assess the function of your liver and kidneys, as well as your blood sugar levels. The results of the tests can help a doctor identify any concerns or irregularities in the body’s metabolism and recommend treatment. This article discusses the individual tests included in the comprehensive metabolic panel and what their results could mean. What is a comprehensive metabolic panel Share on PinterestBetsie Van der Meer/Getty ImagesA comprehensive metabolic panel is a series of 14 blood tests that provide information about a person’s current metabolism, the National Library of Medicine explains. This set of tests helps doctors understand how well a person’s liver and kidneys function and how their body uses sugars, proteins, and lipids. It also provides information about a person’s overall health. Because a comprehensive metabolic panel includes various tests, it can give doctors a broad overview of the body’s overall health. A doctor may order the test for several reasons, including diagnosing and monitoring conditions such as diabetes and kidney or liver disease. What tests does it include A comprehensive metabolic panel includes 14 tests that measure:Glucose: This is a sugar and the body’s primary energy source.Calcium: This is a critical mineral that plays a role in blood clotting, heart rhythms, and nerve and muscle function.Electrolytes: The test checks for sodium, potassium, carbon dioxide, and chloride levels. These electrically charged minerals help the body control fluid levels and acid-alkaline balance.Albumin: The liver makes albumin, a protein that helps the body transport hormones and nutrients through the bloodstream.Bilirubin: The liver produces the pigment bilirubin when it breaks down red blood cells.Total protein: The test measures all the proteins in the blood, including albumin and globulin.Liver enzymes: This test covers alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).BUN (blood urea nitrogen) and creatinine: These are waste products. The kidneys remove BUN and creatinine from the blood. Uses A doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel to:Diagnose: The test can offer clues about health conditions that affect metabolism, electrolyte balance, and blood sugar, such as diabetes, or those that affect liver and kidney health.Monitor: If a person has a condition affecting their metabolism, the test can help doctors track disease progression and evaluate the person’s health. It can also help doctors figure out whether treatments are working and check for medication side effects, particularly if prescribed medications have the potential to affect the liver or kidneys.Screen: The test can help doctors identify health concerns before they cause symptoms. A doctor may order a comprehensive metabolic panel as part of a routine health checkup to look for any underlying issues. Preparation A doctor may request a person to fast for at least 8 hours before the test to ensure accurate results. This means a person cannot eat or drink anything other than water during this time. What happens in the test A comprehensive metabolic panel is a simple blood test. A healthcare professional usually carries out the test in a hospital or clinic. First, they take a small blood sample from a vein in the person’s arm using a needle and syringe. The risks of the test are very low, although a person may experience slight pain or stinging and bruising at the spot where the needle entered the skin. These symptoms go away quickly. Next, the sample goes to a laboratory for analysis. The results may take several days to come back. The doctor will then review these results with the person. They will discuss the meaning of the results and will recommend next steps. Results and typical ranges A person’s comprehensive metabolic panel results include upper and lower limit reference ranges. These are the values that doctors expect to see in a healthy person. The reference ranges differ by laboratory, so discussing the results with a doctor is important. They can explain what the numbers mean in relation to a person’s health. The typical ranges for each component of the comprehensive metabolic panel are as follows:Glucose: less than 126 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)Calcium: 8.8 to 10.7 mg/dLSodium: 135 to 145 milimoles per liter (mmol/L) Potassium: 3.6 to 5.5 mmol/L Albumin: 3.5 to 5.0 grams per deciliter (g/dL)Bilirubin: 0.1 to 1.0 miligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)Total protein: 6–7.8 g/dLAlanine aminotransferase (ALT): 8 to 20 units per liter (U/L)Aspartate aminotransferase (AST): 8 to 20 U/LAlkaline phosphatase (ALP): 35 to 100 U/LBUN: 8–20 mg/dLCreatinine: 0.5–1.2 mg/dL Remember that many factors can affect these test results, including:certain foods and drinksmedicationsstressstrenuous exerciseillnesses What happens next If the comprehensive metabolic panel results are outside the reference range, they may indicate an underlying health condition. A doctor may order further tests to confirm the diagnosis. For example, a person may need additional liver function tests if the ALP level is high. If the results are within the reference range, it usually means a person’s metabolism is working as it should. However, a doctor may order additional tests to check for other health conditions if the person has symptoms. A person may want to ask their doctor the following questions:What do my results mean?Are there any conditions that could have caused my results to be abnormal?Do I need to have any further tests?What are the treatment options for any underlying conditions?When should I have this test again?Are there any lifestyle changes I can make to improve my results? Summary A comprehensive metabolic panel is a simple blood test that measures different substances in the blood. It can help doctors identify health problems, check how well treatments are working, and look for medication side effects. Preparation for the test involves fasting for at least 8 hours beforehand. The test is usually quick and has few risks. Results typically take a few days to come back, and a doctor will discuss them with the person afterward. Reference ranges differ from laboratory to laboratory but give doctors an idea of what results are average for healthy people. If a person’s results are outside the reference range, they may indicate an underlying health condition. A doctor may then order further tests to confirm the diagnosis. Last medically reviewed on September 29, 2022Blood / HematologyMedical Devices / Diagnostics 4 sourcescollapsedMedical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We avoid using tertiary references. We link primary sources — including studies, scientific references, and statistics — within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP). (n.d.).http://www.medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/comprehensive-metabolic-panel-cmpHow to understand your lab results. (n.d.).https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/how-to-understand-your-lab-results/Khattak, Z.E., et al. (2022). Overview on ordering and evaluation of laboratory tests.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK570615Shrimanker, I., et al. (2021). Electrolytes.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK541123FEEDBACK:Medically reviewed by Cynthia Taylor Chavoustie, MPAS, PA-C — By Zia Sherrell, MPH on September 29, 2022 Latest newsWhat sets 'SuperAgers' apart? Their unusually large neuronsOmega-3 may provide a brain boost for people in midlifeSeasonal affective disorder (SAD): How to beat it this fall and winterCDC: Monkeypox in the US 'unlikely to be eliminated in the near future'Why are more women prone to Alzheimer's? New clues arise Related CoverageAll about blood testsMedically reviewed by Stacy Sampson, D.O. Blood tests are commonly part of routine preventative care and diagnostics. Learn about the different types of blood tests and what they mean here.READ MOREDoes Medicare cover blood tests?Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph.D., MSN, R.N., CNE, COI Original Medicare covers blood tests when a doctor orders them. Medicare Advantage, the alternative to original Medicare, offers at least the same…READ MORESugar disrupts microbiome and immune function, leading to metabolic disorders A new study found that sugar consumption disrupts the microbiome and leads to a loss of immune cells in mice. The researchers draw a strong connection…READ MORE