What does a CMP measure?
A CMP is a single blood draw that reports 14 values about how your body handles fuel, fluid and waste. MedlinePlus describes it as a routine test that checks liver and kidney health, blood glucose, protein levels and electrolyte balance.
It is easiest to read in four sets. The typical adult ranges below come from the MedlinePlus encyclopedia, which notes that ranges vary slightly among labs, so use the range on your own report.
| Set | Value | Typical adult range |
|---|---|---|
| Kidney | Creatinine | 0.6 to 1.3 mg/dL |
| Kidney | BUN (blood urea nitrogen) | 6 to 20 mg/dL |
| Liver | ALT | 4 to 36 U/L |
| Liver | AST | 8 to 33 U/L |
| Liver | Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) | 20 to 130 U/L |
| Liver | Total bilirubin | 0.1 to 1.2 mg/dL |
| Liver | Albumin | 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL |
| Liver | Total protein | 6.0 to 8.3 g/dL |
| Electrolytes | Sodium | 135 to 145 mEq/L |
| Electrolytes | Potassium | 3.7 to 5.2 mEq/L |
| Electrolytes | Chloride | 96 to 106 mEq/L |
| Electrolytes | CO2 (bicarbonate) | 23 to 29 mEq/L |
| Electrolytes | Calcium | 8.5 to 10.2 mg/dL |
| Glucose | Glucose | 70 to 100 mg/dL |
What do the kidney values tell you?
Creatinine and BUN are waste products your kidneys clear, so they rise when filtering slows. Creatinine is also the starting point for your eGFR, the number most often used to stage kidney function.
Creatinine has a known blind spot in active men. MedlinePlus notes that a high creatinine does not always mean a kidney problem, and that dehydration, intense exercise and a diet high in meat can raise it. The National Kidney Foundation adds creatine supplements and high muscle mass to the list. Our pages on eGFR and creatinine and the cystatin C test explain how to get a cleaner kidney reading.
What do the liver values tell you?
ALT and AST are enzymes that leak from damaged liver cells, ALP rises with bile flow problems and with bone growth or repair, and bilirubin reflects how well the liver clears old red-cell waste. Albumin and total protein reflect what the liver makes.
Two patterns are common and usually benign in men. ALT and AST can rise after heavy lifting because muscle contains them too, which our page on high liver enzymes after lifting covers. A mildly high bilirubin with normal enzymes is often Gilbert’s syndrome. When ALP is high and the source is unclear, a GGT test helps separate liver from bone.
What about electrolytes and glucose?
Sodium, potassium, chloride and CO2 track your fluid and acid-base balance, and calcium reflects bone, parathyroid and kidney function. Large shifts in these values can affect the heart and nerves, so they get attention quickly.
Potassium has a well-known false alarm. The MedlinePlus potassium page notes that repeatedly clenching and relaxing your fist during a draw can temporarily raise the level. Glucose is only interpretable when you know whether you fasted, and a fasting result above the range is a reason to check HbA1c rather than to diagnose from one value.
Recheck or visit: how to triage an out-of-range result
Context decides most of this. One value slightly outside the range, with a plausible reason, usually earns a repeat test. Several abnormal values together, a large deviation or new symptoms call for a provider visit.
| Finding | Usually means | Common reason in men |
|---|---|---|
| Creatinine slightly high, everything else normal | Recheck, often with cystatin C | Muscle mass, creatine, hard training, dehydration |
| ALT and AST mildly high after a heavy week in the gym | Recheck after a few easy days | Muscle breakdown from training |
| Bilirubin mildly high, enzymes normal | Recheck, usually benign | Gilbert’s syndrome, fasting |
| Potassium high with a difficult draw | Recheck | Fist clenching during the draw |
| Fasting glucose above range | Visit and HbA1c | Insulin resistance or prediabetes |
| ALT or AST well above range without a training explanation | Visit | Fatty liver, alcohol, medicines, supplements |
| Several kidney or liver values abnormal at once | Visit | Needs a broader workup |
Severe symptoms such as chest pain, confusion, fainting or yellowing of the skin and eyes are not a recheck situation. Call 911 or get to the nearest emergency department. Our page on next steps after abnormal blood work covers the in-between cases.
How Ultimate Male uses the CMP values
Liver and kidney function are part of the Targeted Preventative Health Panel and the 40+ biomarker Comprehensive Health Optimization Panel, both drawn on site at our San Gabriel and Downey clinics. Ask on the free call which of the 14 CMP values your chosen panel reports, and mention your training, supplements and fasting plans so the results can be read correctly.
Your PA-C or MD goes through each set at the consultation and separates the numbers that need a simple repeat from the ones that change your plan. Our liver and kidney function panel page describes that panel, and the full menu is on our preventative blood testing page.
