Chloride

Overview

Chloride, or chloride ion (Cl-), belongs to a group called electrolytes, which also includes sodium and potassium . Chloride has a number of functions in the human body, and acts in interaction with other electrolytes, among other things, for the body's cells to function normally and in regulating the body's fluid and salt balance.

Together with hydrogen, chloride forms the stomach's stomach acid (hydrogen chloride), which is important for digestion and defense against bacteria and other microorganisms. Chloride is found in most foods, mostly in common table salt such as sodium chloride, and the body regulates the levels of chloride in the blood on its own.

Testing Levels:

• High (105 mmol/L) - A high chloride concentration in the blood can be caused by many different things, but the most common reason is dehydration. Dehydration occurs when the body takes in too little fluid in relation to what it loses, e.g. in case of diarrhea and the use of certain drugs (e.g. thiazide-type diuretics). Other, more uncommon, causes of a high chloride value include kidney disease , hyperparathyroidism (overfunction of the parathyroid glands), and diabetes insipidus (an uncommon disease that has nothing in common with the much more common diabetes mellitus).
  
  
• Mid - A normal chloride concentration in the blood indicates that the body's electrolyte balance is within a healthy range. Chloride is essential for maintaining proper hydration, regulating pH levels, and ensuring cellular function. This measurement is crucial in assessing kidney function, acid-base balance, and overall fluid status. A consistent normal reading suggests that these physiological processes are functioning well, supporting overall health.
  
  
• Low (96 mmol/L) - Loss of certain body fluids with a high chloride content can lead to a low value. This includes intense sweating and prolonged vomiting. The chloride concentration can also decrease with overhydration, and with treatment with certain drugs (e.g. diuretics and cortisone). Less common causes include kidney disease, adrenal disease, SIADH (inadequate secretion of the hormone ADH), heart failure and acidosis (when the body is too 'acidic', eg as a result of diabetes mellitus).

Why We Test Chloride

Chloride is one of the substances needed for a normal fluid balance and usually occurs in the form of salts and is useful, among other things, when assessing the body's salt and fluid balance.

What Affects It

Slightly deviating chloride values ​​can also appear as a so-called normal variant. The reference interval includes 95% of a healthy experimental group. This means that 5% of healthy individuals end up outside the reference range without it being linked to illness. This is called a normal variant. If you take a blood sample with many blood markers, it is completely normal to be outside the reference range for one or more blood markers even though you are completely healthy.

How to Improve

Common Name: Chloride