Calcium
Total calcium is tightly distributed across adulthood, with only modest age- and sex-related shifts compared with most metabolic and liver analytes.
Unit: mg/dL · 12 slices · age and sex · 1 source
Filed under panels: Metabolic Panel , Electrolyte Panel · topics: Metabolic , Renal , Electrolytes
These pages use total serum calcium from the NHANES chemistry profile. Total calcium is heavily homeostatically regulated and therefore shows a much narrower population spread than most enzymes or metabolic markers. These percentiles describe the full US population rather than a screened healthy subgroup. Note: 1 mg/dL is approximately 0.2495 mmol/L.
Population Distribution
Browse by Demographic
| Age (years) | male (mg/dL) | female (mg/dL) |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 9–9.9 (9.4) | 8.7–9.8 (9.2) |
| 30-39 | 8.8–9.8 (9.4) | 8.6–9.6 (9.1) |
| 40-49 | 8.7–9.8 (9.3) | 8.6–9.7 (9.1) |
| 50-59 | 8.8–9.8 (9.2) | 8.7–9.9 (9.3) |
| 60-69 | 8.8–9.8 (9.2) | 8.8–10 (9.3) |
| 70+ | 8.7–9.9 (9.3) | 8.8–10.2 (9.3) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is calcium less variable than most other analytes?
Serum calcium is tightly regulated by parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, albumin binding, and renal handling. That homeostasis keeps the population distribution narrow.
Does this page show total or ionized calcium?
These NHANES pages use total calcium, not ionized calcium. Total calcium is influenced partly by albumin concentration because a portion of serum calcium is protein-bound.
How do I convert mg/dL to mmol/L?
Multiply by 0.2495. For example, 9.6 mg/dL is approximately 2.40 mmol/L.