About

Medical standards for reporting blood analyte concentrations differ globally. The United States typically uses mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), while the UK, Canada, and many other countries use mmol/L (millimoles per liter). For patients managing diabetes or dyslipidemia, confusing these units causes dangerous errors in medication dosing. This tool bridges that gap by applying substance-specific molecular weight factors to ensure accuracy.

Unlike simple metric conversions, converting molarity to mass concentration requires the specific molar mass of the substance. For example, the conversion factor for glucose differs significantly from that of cholesterol or triglycerides. This calculator includes a built-in logic system that flags results falling outside typical target ranges for Fasting Blood Glucose, providing an immediate visual cue for potential hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia.

Formulas

The conversion depends on the Molar Mass (MW) of the substance. The general formula to convert from Molarity (mmol/L) to Mass Concentration (mg/dL) is:

C_mg/dL = C_mmol/L × MW ÷ 10

To convert back from mg/dL to mmol/L:

C_mmol/L = C_mg/dL × 10 ÷ MW

Reference Data

Substance	Factor (mmol/L → mg/dL)	Target Range (Fasting)
Blood Glucose	18.018	70 - 100 mg/dL
Cholesterol (Total)	38.67	< 200 mg/dL
HDL Cholesterol	38.67	> 40 mg/dL
LDL Cholesterol	38.67	< 100 mg/dL
Triglycerides	88.57	< 150 mg/dL
Urea (BUN)	6.006	7 - 20 mg/dL
Creatinine	0.0113	0.6 - 1.2 mg/dL

Frequently Asked Questions

Glucose has a molecular weight of approximately 180.16 g/mol. Since mmol is 1/1000 of a mole and dL is 1/10 of a liter, the mathematical derivation results in a factor of roughly 18.

No. Cholesterol molecules are much heavier than glucose molecules. Using the glucose factor (18) for cholesterol (which requires 38.67) would result in a value less than half of the true concentration, potentially masking a high-risk condition.

The tool uses color-coding to indicate standard clinical ranges for Fasting blood tests. Green indicates a value within the standard "Normal" range. Yellow or Red may indicate values that are historically associated with Hypoglycemia, Hyperglycemia, or high lipid risks. These are for reference only and not a diagnosis.

No. HbA1c is a percentage or mmol/mol measurement of glycated hemoglobin over 3 months. This tool converts instantaneous blood concentrations (like a finger-prick test).