Chloride (Cl)

You get chloride through the food you eat. It is mainly found in salt. Your body gets rid of the extra chloride in your urine (pee). Chloride is the main negatively charged electrolyte found outside your cells, where it works alongside sodium to keep your body fluids electrically balanced. It makes up about two-thirds of the negatively charged particles in the fluid outside your cells, and it also plays an important role in keeping you properly hydrated and helps maintain healthy blood volume and blood pressure.

Many diseases and other factors can cause abnormal chloride levels. Chloride is often measured with other electrolytes to diagnose or monitor conditions such as kidney disease, heart failure, liver disease, and high blood pressure.

There are many reasons why your chloride levels may not be in the normal range.

If your chloride levels are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean you have a medical problem that needs treatment. Many things can affect your chloride levels, such as drinking too much fluid or losing fluid because of vomiting or diarrhea. Also, certain medicines, such as antacids, can cause abnormal results. To learn what your results mean, talk with your provider.