Understanding Low Sodium Causes and the Signs That Matter
Low sodium is more often a water problem than a salt one. Here's what actually causes it, and why a level below 125 mEq/L can signal an emergency.
Sameer Patel — Founder & Editor
Sameer Patel is the founder and editor of My Medicine Advisor. He is not a doctor or medical professional — before starting this site he worked in banking, and he now researches and edits health information full-time.
He started My Medicine Advisor to make clear, well-sourced health information freely available to anyone. Every article is researched from recognised authorities such as the WHO, CDC, NIH, and NICE, drafted with the help of AI tools, and edited by hand, with sources linked so readers can check them. The calculators on the site use established, published formulas, each one named so you can look it up yourself.
My Medicine Advisor is currently a one-person operation with no clinical review panel, and the site is open about that. If you're a qualified clinician or researcher interested in reviewing content, Sameer would genuinely like to hear from you via the contact page.
What a Low Albumin Result Means and Why It Happens
Low albumin is a clue, not a diagnosis. Because albumin has a 21-day half-life, one low reading reflects weeks — not a bad day. See what drives it.
Understanding High Potassium Causes and When to Act
High potassium on a blood test isn't always dangerous — and sometimes it isn't even real. Learn to tell a true result from a false one, and when it's urgent.
Know What Causes High Creatinine and When to Worry
High creatinine is often a false alarm—creatine, protein, or dehydration can raise it without harming your kidneys. Here's how to tell benign from serious.
Understanding a High ALT Result on Your Blood Test
High ALT flags liver-cell stress, but how high matters. Here's the graded scale from borderline to massive, what usually causes it, and when it's urgent.
Know What Your Comprehensive Metabolic Panel Results Mean
Reading a comprehensive metabolic panel: doctors read all 14 numbers as a pattern, and 1 in 20 healthy people fall outside a normal range by design.
A Clear Look at Your Comprehensive Metabolic Panel Normal Ranges
Your comprehensive metabolic panel normal range spans 14 values, each with its own numbers. See the full chart and what one out-of-range result means.
Total protein and calcium on a CMP are linked to albumin
Total protein and calcium ride on albumin, which binds 40–45% of it. In 22,658 patients, the standard correction was right only 58.7% of the time.
A high glucose result on your CMP, and what to check first
High glucose on a CMP can also read falsely low — glucose falls 5–7% per hour in an unseparated tube. Here's what your number really tells you.
What your CMP electrolytes really mean, and when to check again
CMP electrolytes hide a quiet problem: a potassium of 3.6 is low by MedlinePlus and normal by another widely used reference. Only your lab's range counts.