The Anion Gap Blood Test, which can indicate many diseases

Do you sometimes just feel tired, nauseous, or have a little trouble breathing? Today we're talking about a simple blood test that your doctor can do to find out what's causing these symptoms. This test can give clues about many serious illnesses in our bodies.

What is this Anion Gap?

Simply put, the Anion Gap test measures the amount of acid in your blood, or acidity. Whether the acidity of our blood is higher or lower than normal, it can be a sign of a health problem. The results of this test will help your doctor diagnose your condition and provide the right treatment.

Imagine, our blood has positive (+) and negative (-) electrical charges. We call these electrolytes . These are the minerals in our body like sodium, potassium, chloride, bicarbonate. Maintaining the right balance between these positive and negative charges is essential for the body to function. The Anion Gap is the gap between these positively and negatively charged electrolytes. When this gap changes, it gives an indication of a change in the acidity (pH) of the blood.

Why are you being asked to take this test?

If you have the following symptoms, your doctor may order an Anion Gap test. These symptoms may be caused by an increase in the acidity of the blood (Acidosis) or a decrease in acidity/alkalosis (Alkalosis) .

How do you do the test?

This is much simpler than you might think. It can be done at your doctor's office or at a lab. It just takes a small sample of blood from a vein in your arm .

Your doctor will tell you if you need to avoid eating or drinking anything before the test. Also, be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any medications (especially antibiotics), as some medications can affect the test results.

What does the test report say?

Your Anion Gap result can be Normal, High, or Low.

Normal Anion Gap

Normally, the Anion Gap value is between 4-12 mEq/L . This means that the acid-base balance (pH balance) of your blood is at a healthy level. That means there is nothing to worry about.

High Anion Gap

If your doctor says your Anion Gap is high, it means that your blood has more acid than normal. We call this condition acidosis . There can be several reasons for this.

• Dehydration: Loss of water and electrolytes in the body due to vomiting, diarrhea (stomach upset), and excessive exercise.
• Kidney disease: Our kidneys are responsible for removing excess acid from the blood through urine. When the kidneys fail, acid builds up in the blood.
• Diabetes: Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious condition that occurs especially in people with uncontrolled diabetes. In this condition, harmful acids (ketones) accumulate in the blood as the body burns fat for energy.
• Salicylate poisoning: Taking too much of medications like aspirin can increase the acidity of the blood.
• Alcohol abuse: Excessive alcohol consumption can also increase the amount of acid in the blood.
• Other medications: Some medications can also increase the acidity of the blood.

Low Anion Gap

This is usually rare. When the acid level in the blood is lower than normal, we call it alkalosis .

Sometimes, a small error in the lab can cause a low value. Therefore, your doctor may ask you to repeat the test. If the Anion Gap value is actually low, it may be due to a decrease in a type of protein called Albumin in the blood. Albumin is a protein that helps carry important things like vitamins and hormones throughout our bodies. This decrease may be a sign of the following conditions:

• Kidney problems
• Heart disease
• Liver disease
• Some types of cancer

The doctor will come to a final conclusion after considering your test report, symptoms, and any other tests that may be necessary. Therefore, the best explanation for your report can be obtained from your doctor.