Ammonia Levels in Humans
An imbalance in the ammonia levels in humans can be a sign of many health issues. This article will give you all the necessary information about the normal range of ammonia levels in the human body. Have a look!
Ammonia plays an important role in the biological system of the human body. It is the main source of nitrogen supply which helps in the synthesis of amino acids. Amino acids are considered to be the building blocks of protein in the body. The proteins are broken down by the intestinal bacteria and form ammonia, which in turn is converted into urea by the liver and finally excreted by the body in the form of urine through kidneys.
Liver dysfunction may cause elevated ammonia levels in humans which can be an indication of many health issues. The condition may also be caused due to kidney dysfunction due to which filtering of blood in kidneys is affected leading to elevated levels of ammonia in blood. The levels of ammonia in the human body can be detected through a blood test. Your doctor would advice you for the same if he/she finds symptoms of low or high levels of ammonia in your body. These symptoms usually include confusion, hand tremors, symptoms of liver disease, excessive sleepiness, and so on. The test procedure and results are explained as we proceed further with this article.
Test Procedure to Determine Ammonia Levels in Humans
It is preferable to conduct this test in the morning as the blood sample needs to be collected on an empty stomach. Your doctor would advise you to fast at least 8 hours before the test is conducted. Getting the blood test done early in the morning would allow the fasting period to be covered during your sleep. You should also refrain yourself from consumption of alcohol and nicotine as these elements may alter the test results. Also make sure that you don't perform any strenuous exercise before the blood test. You should inform your doctor about the medications that you are consuming as some medicines can influence the ammonia levels in the body. Accordingly, the doctor may advice you to stop taking those medicines for a few days until the blood sample is collected. Below mentioned are the steps to perform the blood test to determine ammonia levels in human body.
The health professional may collect the blood sample from the vein on the back of your hand or at the inner elbow.
A medicated cotton ball is used to clean the site from where the blood will be withdrawn in order to prevent infection.
A plastic band is wrapped around the upper arm so that the flow of the blood is increased towards the veins, which makes it easier for the medical professional to withdraw blood.
The health care provider then inserts a medicated needle attached with a vial, into the vein and withdraws the desired amount of blood required for the test.
Then the plastic band is removed from the upper arm and once the pressure is off, the needle is withdrawn.
A medicated cotton ball is placed on the punctured site and the site is pressed for sometime to prevent further bleeding and infection.
The blood sample is then sent to the laboratory to reveal the results with the help of the blood. Ammonia levels in humans help determine the causes behind the disturbing symptoms due to which the test is taken.
Ammonia Levels in the Human Body
Once the sample has been sent to the laboratory, the test results of the ammonia levels in humans are revealed within 12 hours. The normal ammonia
levels in blood usually ranges from 15-60 mcg/dL or 21-50 mcmol/L.
However, the test results vary from laboratory to laboratory. Therefore,
it is best to consult with your doctor regarding the same. Below
mentioned are the normal ammonia levels in humans categorized by their age.Normal ammonia range for newborns: 170-340 mcg/dL or 100-200 mcmol/L
Normal ammonia range for children: 70-135 mcg/dL or 41-80 mcmol/L
Normal ammonia range for adults: 15-60 mcg/dL or 21-50 mcmol/L
Low ammonia levels in humans can be a result of high blood pressure or consumption of certain medications. If the test results are higher than the normal ammonia range, then this may indicate some underlying health conditions and issues which has resulted in high ammonia levels in humans. These conditions may include
Cirrhosis of the Liver
Kidney Failure
Hepatitis
Heart Failure
Liver Diseases
Intestinal bleeding
Reye Syndrome
Internal bleeding in the stomach
I hope this article on ammonia levels in humans helped you gain some understanding of why the levels of ammonia should be within the normal range. Get in touch with your health care specialist for further doubts, as the results may vary from laboratory to laboratory. Have a safe tomorrow!
1 comments:
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c jagadish chandran said...
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Meenu, K 19 Yrs Blood Result at KIMS on 24th October, 2013 shows
higher level of Ammonia in the Blood. Result Ammonia (HEPARIN OR EDTA
PLASMA) (ENZYMATIC METHOD WITH GLDH)
IS 157 MICRO MOL/L REFERENCE RANGE IS ONLY 11 - 51.
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October 26, 2013 at 5:16 AM
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