Phosphate (phosphorus)
Phosphate, inorganic phosphorus, is a mineral that builds bones together with calcium and takes part in energy metabolism.
At a glance
- Sample
- Blood
- Units
- mg/dL (US), mmol/L (Europe)
- Often looked at with
- Calcium, Magnesium
Units: mg/dL and mmol/L
US labs usually print phosphate in mg/dL, most European labs in mmol/L. To convert, divide mg/dL by 3.0974.
mmol/L = mg/dL ÷ 3.0974 · molar mass 30.974 g/mol
This converter changes units only. It doesn’t tell you whether a number is in or out of any range: that depends on the range printed by your own lab, and on your doctor. Soma does not diagnose and is not medical advice.
Why lab ranges differ
Each lab sets its reference range for its own method and analyser, and many ranges differ by age and sex. Two labs can print different ranges for the same blood, so a result is read against the range on its own report, not against a number from another lab or a website.
Soma charts every phosphate result against the range printed by the lab that measured it.
Questions
How do I convert phosphate from mg/dL to mmol/L?
Divide mg/dL by 3.0974. For example, 3.5 mg/dL is 1.13 mmol/L.
Why does my lab’s phosphate range differ from another lab’s?
Each lab sets its range for its own method and equipment, and many ranges differ by age and sex. That’s why a result is best read against the range printed on the same report.
Related tests
Got a lab report with Phosphate?
Share it to Soma: it reads every row on your phone, with no account and no upload, and puts your phosphate on one chart with your earlier results, each against the range your lab printed.
Sources
- Phosphate in Blood — MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
- Units: PubChem: Phosphorus (phosphorus: labs measure phosphate as phosphorus), molar mass 30.974 g/mol, as the Soma app converts.
Mention of a source doesn’t mean it endorses Soma. This page explains the test; it doesn’t diagnose and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about what your results mean.