fordfasterr

I just got my full lab work results back, and it shows that I have a low Anion Gap.

What does this mean exactly in relation to blood acidity / bicarbonate levels / lactate buffering?


My results were 6.6 in a range of 10-20 mmol/L


- Thanks.

BikeIndustryGuy

dude, this is BF.

no knowledge or thinking allowed.

fordfasterr

I retract my statements then.


- Thanks.

substructure

I rode up Low Anion Gap once. Beast of a climb.

BridgeRider

Yeah, this is an odd place to ask this question.

Ions are electrically charged particles required for chemical reactions in the body (that covers every function; we're just bags of chemicals). Cations (here, potassium and sodium) are positive, anions (here, chloride and bicarbonate) are negative. There are a lot more, but these are major ones, and used to calculate the “gap”. Abnormally high or low values indicate problems, usually “metabolic acidosis”. Note the word “indicate”; gap values are not in themselves diagnostic. High values may indicate dehydration, excessive exercise, lactic acidosis, problems, kidney problems, or others. Low values may indicate low blood protein, low blood sodium, immune system problems, or others.

Acidosis refers to high acid levels in the blood. With respiratory acidosis, the lungs can not get rid of enough carbon dioxide. With metabolic acidosis, other mechanisms are not working: such as the gastrointestinal system (as in excessive diarrhea), or the urinary system (kidney problems). Excessive acids intake, severe infection, burns, and many other possible influences can also cause metabolic acidosis.

What did your care provider say?

Chem-20 blood test https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/003468.htm
acidosis https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/e...cle/001181.htm

Matt RN

fordfasterr

Thanks for the insight, my HC provider told me that everything is fine.

All of the other values were withing range except for Carbon Dioxide, which was slightly elevated above the maximum levels...

I explained that I had some diahreah a few days before the test, so that may explain the elevated carbon dioxide.

markyore

It means you probably need to upgrade components, or perhaps buy a new bike

Amen

You need to increase your carbon intake. I recommend this.

calves2997

It is unlikely you had an elevated Co2 as this is not measured in a chem 7 or 10 blood panel. Blood CO2 is measured from arterial blood to measure respiratory ventilation.So what is actually measured is Hco3 or bicarbonate, and this is a measure of the lack of acidity or baseness of the blood. The anion gap is simply the difference between the cations ( Na + K) from the anions ( HCo3). That difference is the anion gap, and is usually helpful in distinguishing metabolic acidosis in which the Hco3 is low. Metabolic acidosis with a high anion gap almost always means that a severe life threatening issue is at stake, because there are unmeasured anions in the blood usually representing tissue necrosis.
The only low anion gap clinical situation I am aware of has to do with electrolyte abnormalities themselves or with multiple myeloma which I am sure you don't have,as this is usually a disorder of the elderly.

fordfasterr

Great info, thanks !

MarkSch

Please disregard the above...this is not correct. Theory is correct, but much else is wrong. Anion gap is as described, but it's Sodium - (Chloride + Bicarb). Correct that an ELEVATED anion gap is most concerning...low, not so much. Diarrhea usually causes loss of bicarb....though dehydration can be associated with an elevated bicarb, so balancing with what you were taking in might have been an issue too.