← Blood tests
Bicarbonate / CO2
Routine annualalso hco3, total co2
What it isBicarbonate is the body's main extracellular buffer. The kidneys regulate it to maintain blood pH within a tight range.
DoesNeutralizes metabolic acids; works with the lungs to maintain acid-base balance.
GoodMid-range bicarbonate signals balanced acid-base physiology.
BadLow bicarbonate indicates metabolic acidosis — chronic kidney disease, diabetic ketoacidosis, lactic acidosis. High bicarbonate indicates metabolic alkalosis from vomiting, diuretics, or chronic respiratory compensation.
- Standard
- 20–32 mEq/L.
- Optimal
- 24–28 mEq/L (narrow target)
- Modifiers
- Falls in metabolic acidosis; rises with vomiting and diuretic use.
How to optimize
- Lifestyle
- —
- Diet
- Vegetables and fruit support alkaline reserve; excessive protein generates acid load.
- Supplements
- Sodium bicarbonate occasionally used in chronic kidney disease.
- Peptides
- —
- Drugs
- Treat underlying cause; bicarbonate or citrate supplementation in CKD acidosis.
Reference ranges are general adult lab norms; optimal ranges are editorial picks from the longevity literature — not medical advice. Always interpret results with your physician.
within Minerals