Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
Measures 14 chemistries in one blood draw: kidney and liver enzymes, blood sugar, electrolytes, and protein balance. Often used as a wide metabolic check-in.
One blood draw can read glucose, electrolytes, kidney waste markers, liver enzymes, and a few proteins at once. That bundle is the comprehensive metabolic panel, the workhorse chemistry screen for annual physicals, medication monitoring, and anytime symptoms suggest dehydration, liver strain, kidney stress, or blood sugar shifts. Your doctor uses it to spot patterns across organ systems, not to judge one number in a vacuum.
Self-Pay Price Comparison
| Provider | Price | vs. Highest | Order |
|---|---|---|---|
Quest QuestHealth self-pay | $49.00 | Highest | Order · Quest |
LabCorp Labcorp OnDemand | $49.00 | Highest | Order · LabCorp |
GoodLabs Discount lab network | $5.00Best value | Best price | Order · GoodLabs |
What This Test Measures
The CMP bundles fourteen core chemistries from one draw: kidney waste markers, liver enzymes, fasting glucose, electrolytes, and key proteins. Here are the nine lines doctors read first when something looks off:
Shows how much sugar is in the blood at draw time when fasting rules were followed; high points toward diabetes, prediabetes, illness, or a non-fasting sample, low points toward excess insulin, a missed meal, or certain medicines.
Reflects protein breakdown products the kidneys clear; high often tracks dehydration or reduced kidney clearance, low is uncommon and can follow very low protein intake or severe liver synthesis trouble.
A steady waste product from muscle metabolism filtered by the kidneys; high rises when filtration drops or muscle mass is large, very low is uncommon and usually reflects low muscle mass rather than extra kidney reserve.
Estimates how much blood the kidneys filter each minute; a lower number flags reduced filtration, a higher-than-expected number often reflects youth or high muscle mass instead of disease.
The main electrolyte that sets fluid balance in the bloodstream; high usually means too little water relative to sodium, low means too much water, diuretics, or salt loss.
The major inside-the-cell electrolyte that helps govern heart rhythm; high is dangerous when marked and often ties to kidney slowing or some blood-pressure medicines, low follows vomiting, diarrhea, or diuretics.
An enzyme inside liver cells that leaks into blood when those cells are irritated; high points to fatty liver, medicines, alcohol, or hepatitis, very low is rarely meaningful on its own.
Pigment from recycled red cells processed by the liver; high can yellow the skin when flow is blocked or the liver is overwhelmed, low carries little day-to-day signal.
The liver-made protein that keeps fluid in the vessels; low suggests inflammation, poor intake, or liver synthesis trouble, high usually means dehydration concentrated the blood.
How to Read Your Results
Every line on the report ships with a reference band. Here is what the four most common CMP flags usually imply:
| Marker | Normal Range | If Flagged | What It Might Mean |
|---|---|---|---|
| Glucose (fasting) | 70-100 mg/dL (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, CMP). | high | Can reflect diabetes, prediabetes, stress, illness, or a non-fasting draw when fasting was requested. MedlinePlus notes abnormal CMP patterns can tie to diabetes or diabetes complications; one result in isolation rarely tells the full story. |
| Creatinine | 0.6-1.3 mg/dL (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, CMP); normal values can vary with age. | high | Rises when kidney filtration drops, but muscle mass and age shift the baseline. Doctors read creatinine with eGFR and trend, not a single point. |
| ALT | 4-36 U/L (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, CMP). | high | Liver cells release ALT when irritated by medicines, alcohol, fatty liver, or infection. Mild bumps are common and often rechecked after rest or med review. |
| Sodium | 135-145 mEq/L (MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, CMP). | abnormal | Low or high sodium usually ties to fluid balance, medicines, or hormone signals. Symptoms and repeat labs matter as much as the first number. |
When to Order
Annual baseline
A CMP is a core part of many yearly wellness labs for adults who want kidney, liver, and glucose status on file.
New medicines or dose changes
Kidney and liver chemistries help catch side effects from drugs that clear through those organs.
Nausea, swelling, belly pain, or yellowing skin
Liver enzymes and bilirubin shifts can line up with those symptoms; electrolytes hint at hydration and adrenal stress.
Diabetes follow-up
Fasting glucose on a CMP complements A1c; together they show a shorter window and a three-month average.
Known kidney or liver disease
Repeat CMPs track creatinine, eGFR, and enzymes over time so treatment plans can adjust early.
Prep & Logistics
- Fasting
- Fasting may be required
- Sample
- Blood draw
- Results
- Usually 24-48 hours; many portals update the same day or the next.
- Referral
- Often self-order (check local rules)
- Markers
- Standard 14-analyte CMP per MedlinePlus, plus eGFR and calculated ratios where the lab reports them (see biomarkers list).
Tests That Pair With This One
Adds red cell, white cell, and platelet context when liver enzymes, kidney markers, or glucose need a blood-count explanation.
Shows three-month glucose average when fasting CMP glucose is high or borderline and diabetes risk is on the table.
Adds cholesterol fractions when metabolic syndrome, statin therapy, or fatty liver makes heart risk part of the same visit.
Helps separate liver from bone sources when alkaline phosphatase is elevated and the story is still muddy.
FAQ
I had a basic metabolic panel last time—why order a CMP instead?
A BMP is a smaller chemistry screen. CMP adds liver enzymes and protein context on top of kidney, electrolytes, and fasting glucose—useful when you want one draw to cover metabolism and liver, not just kidneys and sugar.
My glucose was high even though I fasted. Now what?
Stress, poor sleep, recent illness, or a borderline fast can bump fasting glucose. Your doctor may repeat the CMP, add an A1c, or confirm how long you fasted. One draw is a snapshot, not a life sentence.
Do I really need to fast for eight hours?
MedlinePlus states you should not eat or drink for at least eight hours before a standard CMP. Water rules vary by lab; follow the instructions on your order so glucose and electrolytes are not skewed.
A liver enzyme is one point over the line. Is that an emergency?
Usually not. Tiny ALT or AST bumps happen after workouts, new supplements, or minor illness. Doctors look at multiples of the upper limit, symptoms, and trend before acting.
Sources
Prices pulled directly from provider websites and verified by hand. Reference ranges sourced from MedlinePlus. Not generated by AI.
- GoodLabs - product page (pricing context)(verified 2026-03-23)
- Quest - consumer lab shop (pricing context)(verified 2026-03-23)
- LabCorp OnDemand - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (pricing context)(verified 2026-03-23)
- MedlinePlus - Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP) overview
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia - Comprehensive metabolic panel (reference ranges, fasting)
- Clinical context: LabRecon editorial team. Not medical advice. For informational use only.
14-panel metabolic assessment covering renal function, hepatic enzymes, glucose metabolism, and fluid/electrolyte balance.