Osmolality is a test that measures the concentration of all chemical particles found in the fluid part of blood.
Osmolality can also be measured with a urine test.
A blood sample is needed.
Follow any instructions from your health care provider about not eating before the test. Your provider may tell you to temporarily stop taking any medicines that may interfere with test results. Such medicines may include water pills (diuretics).
How the Test will Feel
When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.
Why the Test is Performed
This test helps check your body's water balance. Your doctor may order this test if you have signs of any of the following:
In healthy people, when osmolality in the blood becomes high, the body releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH).
This hormone causes the kidneys to reabsorb water. This results in more concentrated urine. The reabsorbed water dilutes the blood. This allows blood osmolality to fall back to normal.
Low blood osmolality suppresses ADH. This reduces how much water the kidneys reabsorb. Dilute urine is passed to get rid of the excess water, which increases blood osmolality back toward normal.
Normal values range from 275 to 295 mOsm/kg (275 to 295 mmol/kg).
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean
A higher than normal level may be due to:
Lower than normal levels may be due to:
- ADH oversecretion
- Adrenal gland not working normally
- Conditions linked to lung cancer
- Drinking too much water or fluid
- Low sodium level (hyponatremia)
- Underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism)
Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.
Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight but may include:
- Excessive bleeding
- Fainting or feeling lightheaded
- Hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
- Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
Chernecky CC, Berger BJ. Osmolality - serum. In: Chernecky CC, Berger BJ, eds. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures. 6th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2013:832-833.
Verbalis JG. Disorders of water balance. In: Skorecki K, Chertow GM, Marsden PA, Taal MW, Yu ASL, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 16.