High carbon dioxide reading?

[trixie108]

I just had a blood test done and my doctor said everything looked normal. I had the info faxed to me, just out of curiosity, and it says my CO2 number is high (32), it should be between 21-29. I would like to know what would cause this number to be high, and what, if anything I can do about it? Obviously it's not a big deal if the doctor said it's okay, but I'd still like to get it in the "normal" range

 

[syzygy314]

Why not call your doctor and ask him about it?

 

[ellesan]

Hi, co2 levels reflect the acid/base balance of your body--co2 is the by-product of waste that your body exhales through the lungs. Lab values can be 5-10% off for various reasons, and also depends on how long the sample sat before it was actually tested. 32 is not a high number to be concerned with unless you have lung disease and it's trending upward--your doctor should let you know if he/she was concerned. What to do? Stay healthy, eat nutrient rich foods, exercise, destress and take time out to do deep breathing exercises.

 

[trixie108]

Thanks Sandra!!