Electrolytes
Osmolality
What This Marker Tells Us
Estimates the concentration of dissolved particles in your blood, primarily sodium, glucose, and urea, revealing your body's fluid balance and how effectively you regulate hydration at the cellular level.
Why It Matters
Detects dehydration, overhydration, electrolyte imbalances, and metabolic disorders affecting fluid regulation before you feel symptomatic. Proper osmolality ensures nutrients reach cells, waste products get removed, nerve signals transmit correctly, and blood pressure stays stable. Chronic imbalances impair cognitive function, physical performance, kidney health, and increase cardiovascular risk. Maintaining tight osmolality control optimizes every physiological system.
How to Interpret Your Trends
Low osmolality suggests overhydration, excessive water intake without electrolytes, or conditions causing sodium loss like SIADH. Typical values (275-295 mOsm/kg) indicate balanced hydration and metabolic control. High osmolality signals dehydration, inadequate fluid intake, excessive sodium consumption, elevated blood sugar, or kidney dysfunction. Athletes and people in hot climates need careful monitoring.
What Influences This Marker
Fluid intake, sweat losses during exercise, sodium consumption, and climate dramatically affect osmolality. High-protein diets increase urea. Uncontrolled diabetes elevates glucose. Alcohol suppresses antidiuretic hormone, increasing urination. Certain medications, caffeine, and illness alter fluid balance. Matching fluid and electrolyte intake to losses maintains optimal osmolality.
How Your Team Uses It
Your coach uses osmolality to optimize hydration protocols around training, adjust electrolyte supplementation, and assess metabolic control. Persistent elevation prompts investigation of glucose regulation and kidney function. It guides personalized hydration targets for performance and recovery.
Related Signals We Also Review
Sodium, glucose, BUN, creatinine, hematocrit, and urine specific gravity provide comprehensive hydration and metabolic status assessment alongside your activity patterns.