Citrate, Serum Unit Converter

Serum citrate measures the concentration of citrate circulating in your blood. Citrate is a small organic molecule best known as the first intermediate of the citric acid (Krebs) cycle, the central energy-producing pathway in every cell.

In the bloodstream, citrate binds to calcium and other minerals, forming soluble complexes. This chelation plays an important role in calcium regulation, bone mineralization, and kidney stone prevention.

Normal serum citrate levels typically range from about 1.5 to 3.0 mg/dL (roughly 80–160 µmol/L), with women tending to have slightly higher levels than men.

All cells produce citrate through the Krebs cycle, but bone is the body's largest reservoir, holding roughly 90% of total citrate. Osteoblasts actively produce citrate during bone formation. The kidneys regulate blood citrate levels by filtering and reabsorbing it, while the liver metabolizes citrate under certain conditions such as surgical stress.