Lab Unit Converter

Medical Unit Converter

Lab Unit Converter

Convert common medical laboratory values between different units, including mg/dL, mmol/L, µmol/L, mEq/L, and HbA1c units.

Blood Sugar Convert glucose between mg/dL and mmol/L for diabetes monitoring.
Lipids & Kidney Tests Convert cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, urea, and bilirubin values.
International Units Helpful when comparing lab reports from different countries or laboratories.

Convert Lab Units

Enter a value, select the lab test, choose the conversion direction, and get the converted result instantly.

Select Lab Test

Choose the laboratory measurement you want to convert.

Conversion Direction

Select the direction of conversion.

Converted Result 5.6 mmol/L

Glucose conversion from mg/dL to mmol/L.

Original Value 100 mg/dL Input value entered
Conversion Factor ÷ 18 Approximate standard factor
Health note: This converter is for educational and general reference use only. Laboratory values should always be interpreted with the lab reference range, patient history, symptoms, medications, and advice from a qualified healthcare professional.

Medical Unit Converter: mg/dL to mmol/L, mmol/L to mg/dL, and Common Lab Unit Conversions

A medical unit converter helps convert common laboratory values from one measurement system to another. This is especially useful when comparing lab reports from different countries, hospitals, clinics, or online medical resources.

For example, blood glucose may be reported as mg/dL in one country and mmol/L in another. Cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, bilirubin, calcium, HbA1c, urea, and electrolytes may also appear in different units depending on the laboratory system used.

This calculator is designed to make common lab unit conversions easier to understand, including:

🩸 Glucose: mg/dL ↔ mmol/L
🧈 Cholesterol: mg/dL ↔ mmol/L
🥩 Triglycerides: mg/dL ↔ mmol/L
🫘 Creatinine: mg/dL ↔ µmol/L
🟡 Bilirubin: mg/dL ↔ µmol/L
🧪 Urea and BUN conversions
🧬 HbA1c: % ↔ mmol/mol
🧂 Electrolytes: mEq/L ↔ mmol/L
🦴 Calcium: mg/dL ↔ mmol/L

🧪 Why Lab Units Are Different

Laboratory results may be reported in different units depending on the country, lab system, and medical convention used.

Two common systems are:

1. Conventional Units

These are commonly used in the United States and some other settings.

Examples include:

mg/dL — milligrams per deciliter
ng/mL — nanograms per milliliter
µg/dL — micrograms per deciliter

2. SI Units

SI units are commonly used in many parts of the world, including Europe, the UK, Canada, Australia, and many international laboratories.

Examples include:

mmol/L — millimoles per liter
µmol/L — micromoles per liter
mol/L — moles per liter

Mayo Clinic Laboratories explains that conventional units are converted to SI units using a conversion factor, and SI units can be converted back by dividing by that factor.

✅ What Is mg/dL?

mg/dL means milligrams per deciliter.

It describes how many milligrams of a substance are present in one deciliter of blood or serum.

For example:

Blood glucose = 100 mg/dL

This means there are 100 milligrams of glucose in each deciliter of blood.

mg/dL is commonly used for:

🩸 Blood glucose
🧈 Cholesterol
🥩 Triglycerides
🫘 Creatinine
🟡 Bilirubin
🦴 Calcium
🧪 Urea or BUN

✅ What Is mmol/L?

mmol/L means millimoles per liter.

Instead of measuring the mass of a substance, mmol/L measures the number of particles or molecules in a liter of blood.

This is why different substances need different conversion factors. For example, glucose and cholesterol do not have the same molecular weight, so their mg/dL to mmol/L conversions are different.

This is very important:

Glucose mg/dL to mmol/L is not the same as cholesterol mg/dL to mmol/L.

A correct medical unit converter must use the correct factor for each specific lab test.

🩸 Glucose Conversion: mg/dL to mmol/L

Blood glucose is one of the most common lab values that people convert between mg/dL and mmol/L.

Glucose Conversion Formula

Glucose mmol/L = Glucose mg/dL ÷ 18

Glucose mg/dL = Glucose mmol/L × 18

The MSD Manual clinical chemistry conversion table lists glucose conversion from mg/dL to mmol/L using a factor close to 0.055, which is equivalent to dividing by about 18.

Example

If your blood glucose is:

100 mg/dL

Then:

100 ÷ 18 = 5.6 mmol/L

So:

100 mg/dL ≈ 5.6 mmol/L

This conversion is useful for fasting blood sugar, random blood sugar, and diabetes monitoring.

🧈 Cholesterol Conversion: mg/dL to mmol/L

Cholesterol may be reported in mg/dL or mmol/L depending on the country. This includes:

🧈 Total cholesterol
🟡 LDL cholesterol
🟢 HDL cholesterol
🔵 Non-HDL cholesterol

Cholesterol Conversion Formula

Cholesterol mmol/L = Cholesterol mg/dL ÷ 38.67

Cholesterol mg/dL = Cholesterol mmol/L × 38.67

NCBI lists the cholesterol conversion factor as 38.67 when converting from mmol/L to mg/dL for total, HDL, and LDL cholesterol.

Example

If total cholesterol is:

200 mg/dL

Then:

200 ÷ 38.67 = 5.17 mmol/L

So:

200 mg/dL ≈ 5.17 mmol/L

🥩 Triglycerides Conversion: mg/dL to mmol/L

Triglycerides are another important lipid marker. They measure a type of fat in the blood and are often checked with a cholesterol/lipid profile.

Triglycerides Conversion Formula

Triglycerides mmol/L = Triglycerides mg/dL ÷ 88.57

Triglycerides mg/dL = Triglycerides mmol/L × 88.57

NCBI lists triglyceride conversion from mmol/L to mg/dL using the factor 88.57.

Example

If triglycerides are:

150 mg/dL

Then:

150 ÷ 88.57 = 1.69 mmol/L

So:

150 mg/dL ≈ 1.69 mmol/L

🫘 Creatinine Conversion: mg/dL to µmol/L

Creatinine is a kidney function marker. It is often used together with estimated GFR to assess kidney health.

Creatinine Conversion Formula

Creatinine µmol/L = Creatinine mg/dL × 88.4

Creatinine mg/dL = Creatinine µmol/L ÷ 88.4

Clinical chemistry conversion tables list creatinine conversion from mg/dL to µmol/L using a factor of 88.4.

Example

If creatinine is:

1.0 mg/dL

Then:

1.0 × 88.4 = 88.4 µmol/L

So:

1.0 mg/dL = 88.4 µmol/L

Creatinine interpretation depends on age, sex, muscle mass, hydration, medications, pregnancy, and kidney function. A single creatinine number should not be interpreted alone.

🟡 Bilirubin Conversion: mg/dL to µmol/L

Bilirubin is a yellow pigment that can rise in liver disease, bile duct obstruction, hemolysis, newborn jaundice, and other medical conditions.

Bilirubin Conversion Formula

Bilirubin µmol/L = Bilirubin mg/dL × 17.1

Bilirubin mg/dL = Bilirubin µmol/L ÷ 17.1

Lab conversion references commonly list bilirubin conversion from mg/dL to µmol/L using a factor close to 17.1.

Example

If bilirubin is:

1.2 mg/dL

Then:

1.2 × 17.1 = 20.5 µmol/L

So:

1.2 mg/dL ≈ 20.5 µmol/L

High bilirubin may cause yellow eyes, yellow skin, dark urine, pale stools, or itching. It should be interpreted with liver enzymes, blood count, symptoms, and clinical history.

🧪 Urea and BUN Conversion

Urea and BUN are related but not identical terms.

What Is Urea?

Urea is a waste product formed when the body breaks down protein. It is processed by the liver and removed by the kidneys.

What Is BUN?

BUN means Blood Urea Nitrogen. It measures only the nitrogen part of urea.

Because urea and BUN are not the same measurement, they have different conversion formulas.

Urea Conversion

Urea mmol/L = Urea mg/dL ÷ 6.006

Urea mg/dL = Urea mmol/L × 6.006

BUN Conversion

BUN mmol/L = BUN mg/dL × 0.357

BUN mg/dL = BUN mmol/L ÷ 0.357

BUN and urea may be affected by hydration status, protein intake, kidney function, liver disease, bleeding in the gut, medications, and catabolic illness.

🧬 HbA1c Conversion: % to mmol/mol

HbA1c is a diabetes-related blood test that reflects average blood sugar over approximately the past 2 to 3 months.

HbA1c may be reported as:

% — NGSP/DCCT format
mmol/mol — IFCC format

The NGSP states that IFCC HbA1c is expressed as mmol HbA1c/mol Hb, and provides the master relationship between NGSP % and IFCC mmol/mol.

HbA1c Conversion Formula

HbA1c mmol/mol = (HbA1c % × 10.93) − 23.5

HbA1c % = (HbA1c mmol/mol + 23.5) ÷ 10.93

Example

If HbA1c is:

7.0%

Then:

(7.0 × 10.93) − 23.5 = 53 mmol/mol

So:

7.0% ≈ 53 mmol/mol

NGSP’s conversion table also shows that 7.0% corresponds to approximately 53 mmol/mol.

🧂 Electrolyte Conversion: mEq/L to mmol/L

Electrolytes are minerals in the blood that help regulate nerve function, muscle contraction, hydration, and acid-base balance.

Common electrolytes include:

🧂 Sodium
🍌 Potassium
💧 Chloride
🫁 Bicarbonate

For many common monovalent electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, and chloride:

1 mEq/L = 1 mmol/L

LabCorp’s SI conversion table lists potassium conversion between mEq/L and mmol/L as 1:1.

Example

If sodium is:

140 mEq/L

Then:

140 mEq/L = 140 mmol/L

This 1:1 conversion applies to many common monovalent electrolytes, but not every mineral or ion follows the same relationship. For example, calcium and magnesium require different conversion logic.

🦴 Calcium Conversion: mg/dL to mmol/L

Calcium is important for bone health, muscle function, nerve signaling, and heart rhythm.

Calcium Conversion Formula

Calcium mmol/L = Calcium mg/dL ÷ 4

Calcium mg/dL = Calcium mmol/L × 4

Example

If total calcium is:

9.6 mg/dL

Then:

9.6 ÷ 4 = 2.4 mmol/L

So:

9.6 mg/dL ≈ 2.4 mmol/L

Calcium interpretation can be affected by albumin level, kidney disease, vitamin D status, parathyroid hormone, medications, dehydration, and lab method.

📊 Common Lab Unit Conversion Table

Lab TestCommon Conversion
Glucosemg/dL ÷ 18 = mmol/L
Glucosemmol/L × 18 = mg/dL
Cholesterolmg/dL ÷ 38.67 = mmol/L
Cholesterolmmol/L × 38.67 = mg/dL
Triglyceridesmg/dL ÷ 88.57 = mmol/L
Triglyceridesmmol/L × 88.57 = mg/dL
Creatininemg/dL × 88.4 = µmol/L
Creatinineµmol/L ÷ 88.4 = mg/dL
Bilirubinmg/dL × 17.1 = µmol/L
Bilirubinµmol/L ÷ 17.1 = mg/dL
Calciummg/dL ÷ 4 = mmol/L
Calciummmol/L × 4 = mg/dL
HbA1c(% × 10.93) − 23.5 = mmol/mol
HbA1c(mmol/mol + 23.5) ÷ 10.93 = %

⚠️ Why You Should Not Use One Formula for Everything

A common mistake is assuming that every mg/dL to mmol/L conversion uses the same formula. This is not correct.

Each substance has its own molecular weight, so each conversion factor is different.

For example:

🩸 Glucose uses 18
🧈 Cholesterol uses 38.67
🥩 Triglycerides use 88.57
🫘 Creatinine uses 88.4 to convert mg/dL to µmol/L
🟡 Bilirubin uses 17.1 to convert mg/dL to µmol/L

This is why a medical unit converter must ask which lab test you are converting, not only which units you want.

🌍 Why This Converter Is Useful for International Lab Reports

This tool can help when:

🌍 You are comparing lab results from different countries
📄 Your doctor uses one unit but an online resource uses another
🩸 You track blood sugar using mg/dL but your app uses mmol/L
🧈 Your cholesterol report uses mmol/L but your reference chart uses mg/dL
🫘 Your creatinine appears in µmol/L but an eGFR calculator asks for mg/dL
🧬 Your HbA1c is reported in mmol/mol but you are familiar with %

It is especially useful for people managing diabetes, cholesterol, kidney function, liver disease, or routine health checkups.

🧠 How to Interpret Converted Lab Values Safely

A converted result is only a unit change. It does not automatically tell you whether the result is normal or abnormal.

Lab interpretation depends on:

✅ The laboratory reference range
✅ Age and sex
✅ Pregnancy status
✅ Fasting or non-fasting sample
✅ Symptoms
✅ Medical history
✅ Current medications
✅ Kidney and liver function
✅ Hydration status
✅ Lab method and sample type

The International Association of Providers of AIDS Care notes that out-of-range results should be discussed with a healthcare provider.

🚨 When to Seek Medical Advice

Speak with a healthcare professional if your lab results show:

🚨 Very high or very low blood glucose
🚨 Very high cholesterol or triglycerides
🚨 Abnormal creatinine or reduced kidney function
🚨 High bilirubin with yellow eyes or yellow skin
🚨 Abnormal calcium with weakness, confusion, or heart symptoms
🚨 HbA1c in the diabetes range or worsening diabetes control
🚨 Electrolyte abnormalities such as very low sodium or high potassium
🚨 Any result marked critical, urgent, or significantly outside the lab reference range

Seek urgent medical care if abnormal lab results are associated with chest pain, fainting, severe weakness, confusion, severe dehydration, breathing difficulty, seizures, vomiting blood, severe abdominal pain, or altered consciousness.

✅ How to Use This Medical Unit Converter

To use this calculator:

  1. Enter the lab value you want to convert.
  2. Select the lab test, such as glucose, cholesterol, creatinine, bilirubin, HbA1c, or calcium.
  3. Choose the conversion direction.
  4. Review the converted result.
  5. Compare the result with the correct reference range from your laboratory report.

Always make sure you choose the correct test. For example, do not use the glucose conversion factor for cholesterol, and do not use the cholesterol conversion factor for triglycerides.

📌 Key Takeaway

Medical lab unit conversion is useful when comparing results across different countries, laboratories, apps, and health resources. However, each lab test has its own conversion factor. Glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, bilirubin, HbA1c, electrolytes, and calcium all require the correct formula.

This calculator helps convert common lab values quickly, but the converted number should always be interpreted with the lab reference range and clinical context.

⚕️ Medical Disclaimer

This Medical Unit Converter is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not diagnose disease, replace laboratory interpretation, or substitute for medical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. Always review lab results with your doctor, especially if values are abnormal, marked critical, or associated with symptoms.