Complete metabolic panel guide — what each value means during GLP-1 therapy

Great question. Let me break down every single value and what it means specifically for someone on GLP-1 therapy: GLUCOSE (92): Fasting blood sugar. You're solidly normal. GLP-1s lower this by enhancing insulin secretion and reducing glucagon. Pre-sema this was probably higher if you had any insulin resistance. Nice number. BUN (24 — high end): Blood Urea Nitrogen. Measures protein metabolism waste filtered by kidneys. On GLP-1, this number trends UP for two reasons: 1. You're likely eating higher proportion of protein (as recommended) 2. Mild dehydration — this is THE most common culprit. GLP-1s reduce thirst drive and you're eating less water-containing food. BUN is very sensitive to hydration status. Creatinine (1.18): Kidney filtration marker. Yours is normal. This number is also affected by muscle mass — more muscle = higher creatinine, so don't panic if it's on the higher side and you're muscular. eGFR (78): Estimated glomerular filtration rate — how well your kidneys filter. 78 is fine but technically "mildly decreased" (90+ is "normal"). However, eGFR is calculated from creatinine and adjusted for age/sex/race. If you're muscular, the creatinine-based eGFR can underestimate true kidney function. If your doc isn't worried, don't be. GLP-1s are actually renoprotective — they protect kidneys.

Continuing the breakdown: SODIUM (141): Electrolyte balance. Normal. But watch this on GLP-1 because reduced food and fluid intake can push sodium around. If you ever see this drop below 134, that's hyponatremia and you need to talk to your doctor ASAP. POTASSIUM (3.6 — low-normal): Critical electrolyte for heart rhythm and muscle function. At 3.6, you're fine but on the low end. GLP-1 users eating 800-1200 cal/day often run low on potassium because you're eating less potassium-rich food (bananas, potatoes, avocados, beans). Consider: - Coconut water (high in potassium) - Lite Salt (potassium chloride blend) - Or a potassium-containing electrolyte supplement Low potassium can cause muscle cramps, fatigue, heart palpitations. Many people blame these symptoms on sema when it's actually potassium. CHLORIDE (103): Usually moves with sodium. Normal. Not much to worry about here. CO2 (24): Bicarbonate, measures acid-base balance. Normal. Vomiting frequently on GLP-1 can cause this to rise (metabolic alkalosis). If you're not vomiting, this will stay normal. CALCIUM (9.2): Bone health, muscle function, nerve signaling. Normal. This is the total calcium — albumin-corrected calcium is what really matters. Since your albumin is 3.8, your corrected calcium is approximately 9.5 (there's a correction formula). Still normal.

Final section: TOTAL PROTEIN (6.4 — low-normal): Sum of all proteins in your blood. Lower end likely reflects reduced food intake. Not alarming at 6.4 but if it drops below 6.0, your doctor should investigate. Make sure you're hitting at least 80-100g protein daily even on reduced calories. ALBUMIN (3.8): The most abundant blood protein. Reflects nutritional status and liver synthetic function. 3.8 is acceptable but I'd want to see 4.0+. Below 3.5 is clinically significant. This is a red flag for protein malnutrition if it drops further. Prioritize protein intake. BILIRUBIN (0.6): Breakdown product of red blood cells, processed by the liver. Normal. If this rises with ALT/AST, it suggests liver isn't processing properly. Isolated mild elevation (Gilbert syndrome) is benign and common. ALP (68): Alkaline phosphatase. Comes from liver and bone. Normal. This one we watch for cholestatic liver disease or bone disorders. Not typically affected by GLP-1s. ALT (28): The liver enzyme we watch most closely. This is your liver inflammation marker. 28 is great. If you had fatty liver before sema, this number will likely continue to improve. See the famous "ALT spike then crash" pattern people discuss. AST (22): Similar to ALT but less liver-specific (also comes from muscle, heart, red blood cells). Normal. ALT is more informative for liver-specific issues. Bottom line: Your CMP is genuinely fine. The two things I'd watch are BUN (hydrate more) and potassium/protein (eat more intentionally). Everything else is reassuring.

This is incredibly helpful. I never knew BUN was related to hydration — I definitely don't drink enough water. Some days on sema I realize at 3 PM that I've had maybe 8 oz of water all day. Going to set reminders. The potassium thing also explains a lot. I've been getting random muscle cramps, especially at night. Legs and feet. I thought it was just a sema side effect but maybe it's electrolytes?