Get tested with Superpower

If you’ve been postponing blood testing for years or feel frustrated by doctor appointments and limited lab panels, you are not alone. Standard healthcare is often reactive, focusing on testing only after symptoms appear or leaving patients in the dark.

Superpower flips that approach. We give you full insight into your body with over 100 biomarkers, personalized action plans, long-term tracking, and answers to your questions, so you can stay ahead of any health issues.

With physician-reviewed results, CLIA-certified labs, and the option for at-home blood draws, Superpower is designed for people who want clarity, convenience, and real accountability - all in one place.

Key benefits of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) testing

• Measures your blood's acid-base balance to flag breathing or metabolic problems.
• Spots early kidney dysfunction before you notice symptoms.
• Explains unexplained fatigue, confusion, or shortness of breath tied to pH shifts.
• Guides treatment for diabetes, lung disease, or electrolyte disorders.
• Tracks how well your body compensates during chronic illness or medication changes.
• Flags dehydration or overhydration that disrupts your body's chemical balance.
• Best interpreted with electrolytes, kidney function tests, and your symptoms.

What is Carbon Dioxide (CO2)?

Carbon dioxide is a waste gas produced continuously by every cell in your body as it burns fuel for energy. When cells break down glucose and fat through a process called cellular respiration, CO2 is the natural byproduct that must be eliminated. It travels from your tissues into your bloodstream, where most of it is converted into bicarbonate, a buffering compound that helps keep your blood pH stable.

Your lungs are the exit door for metabolic waste

CO2 is carried to your lungs and exhaled with every breath. The level of CO2 in your blood reflects the balance between how much your cells produce and how efficiently your lungs remove it. This balance is tightly controlled by your brainstem, which adjusts your breathing rate in response to rising or falling CO2 levels.

A window into breathing and metabolic balance

Measuring CO2 in blood reveals how well your respiratory system is working and whether your body's acid-base balance is in harmony. It's a core indicator of lung function and metabolic health.

Why is Carbon Dioxide (CO2) important?

Carbon dioxide measured in blood reflects how well your lungs, kidneys, and metabolic systems maintain acid-base balance. This biomarker tracks bicarbonate, the main buffer that keeps your blood pH stable. Normal values typically range from 23 to 29 mmol/L, with optimal levels sitting comfortably in the middle of that span.

Your body's pH control center

When CO2 drops below normal, it signals that your blood is becoming too alkaline, a state called metabolic alkalosis. This can arise from prolonged vomiting, diuretic use, or excessive antacid intake. Symptoms include muscle twitching, hand tingling, lightheadedness, and confusion as nerves become hyperexcitable.

What rising levels reveal

Elevated CO2 suggests your blood is shifting acidic, known as metabolic acidosis, or that your lungs are retaining carbon dioxide. Causes range from kidney disease and uncontrolled diabetes to chronic lung conditions like COPD. You may feel fatigued, short of breath, or mentally foggy as oxygen delivery falters.

The long view on balance

CO2 levels connect respiratory function, kidney health, and metabolic control into one snapshot. Persistent imbalances strain the heart, weaken bones through calcium loss, and impair cellular energy production. Monitoring this biomarker helps catch silent shifts in organ function before they cascade into larger complications, making it a cornerstone of preventive and diagnostic care.

What do my Carbon Dioxide (CO2) results mean?

Low carbon dioxide levels

Low values usually reflect excess acid in the blood or rapid breathing that blows off too much CO2. This pattern appears in metabolic acidosis from conditions like kidney dysfunction, uncontrolled diabetes, or severe diarrhea. It also occurs in respiratory alkalosis when hyperventilation is triggered by anxiety, pain, fever, or lung disease. The body loses buffering capacity, which can affect enzyme function and cellular metabolism.

Optimal carbon dioxide levels

Being in range suggests balanced acid-base status and effective coordination between your lungs, kidneys, and blood buffering systems. CO2 is tightly regulated because even small shifts affect pH, which influences nearly every biochemical reaction in the body. Optimal values typically sit in the mid to upper portion of the reference range, reflecting stable metabolic and respiratory function.

High carbon dioxide levels

High values usually reflect retention of CO2 due to slow or shallow breathing, or compensation for chronic acid loss. This occurs in respiratory acidosis from conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnea, or neuromuscular weakness. It also appears in metabolic alkalosis triggered by prolonged vomiting, diuretic use, or excess aldosterone. Elevated CO2 can signal inadequate ventilation or disrupted electrolyte balance.

Factors that influence carbon dioxide

CO2 is sensitive to sample handling, hydration status, and timing of the blood draw. Pregnancy typically lowers CO2 slightly due to increased ventilation. Chronic lung or kidney disease shifts baseline values as the body adapts to maintain pH stability.