Lactic Acid
Optimal Result:
0.4 - 1.8 mmol/L.
This test measures the level of lactic acid (also known as lactate) in your blood. Lactic acid is the endproduct of the anaerobic metabolism of glucose. The blood lactic acid concentration is affected by its production in muscle cells and erythrocytes and its rate of metabolism in the liver.
Lactic acidosis:
If lactic acid levels get too high, it can lead to a life-threatening condition known as lactic acidosis. A lactic acid test can help diagnose lactic acidosis before it causes serious complications.
The test may also be used to:
- Help find out if enough oxygen is reaching the body's tissues
- Help diagnose sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to a bacterial infection
You may need a lactic acid test if you have symptoms of lactic acidosis. These include:
Nausea and vomiting
Muscle weakness
Sweating
Shortness of breath
Abdominal pain
Meningitis:
If meningitis is suspected, the test may also be used to help find out if it is caused by bacteria or a virus. Meningitis is a serious infection of the brain and spinal cord. A test for lactate in cerebrospinal fluid is used with a lactic acid blood test to figure out the type of infection.
You may need this test if you have symptoms of meningitis or sepsis.
Symptoms of meningitis include:
- Severe headache
- Fever
- Stiff neck
- Sensitivity to light
Symptoms of sepsis include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Rapid heart rate
- Rapid breathing
- Confusion
References:
Lab Results Explained and Tracked
What does it mean if your Lactic Acid result is too high?
A high lactic acid level means you likely have lactic acidosis. There are two types of lactic acidosis: type A and type B.
The cause of your lactic acidosis depends on which type you have.
Type A is the most common form of the disorder. Conditions that cause type A lactic acidosis include:
- Sepsis
- Shock
- Heart failure
- Lung disease
- Anemia
Type B lactic acidosis may be caused by one of the following conditions:
- Liver disease
- Leukemia
- Kidney disease
- Strenuous exercise
If you had a spinal tap to check for a meningitis infection, your results may show:
- High levels of lactic acid. This probably means you have bacterial meningitis.
- Normal or slightly high levels of lactic acid. This probably means you have a viral form of the infection.
If you have questions about your results, talk to your health care provider.
Note:
Certain medicines cause the body to make too much lactic acid. These include some treatments for HIV and a medicine for type 2 diabetes called metformin. If you are taking any of these medicines, you may be at a higher risk for lactic acidosis. Talk to your health care provider if you are concerned about any medicines you are taking.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Article Review & Sources
All our content is backed by peer-reviewed studies, academic research, and trusted medical sources. We're committed to accuracy and transparency — see our editorial policy for details.
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Anthony
Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.
