Aldosterone — What It Means in Your Blood Test
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This hormone helps balance salt and water in the body and supports steady blood pressure.
Your Aldosterone result reflects how much of this hormone is helping steer salt, fluid, and pressure in your body. It is usually read together with related tests, not on its own.
Also known as: Serum aldosterone, Plasma aldosterone, Mineralocorticoid, Electrocortin
This isn't a case where higher or lower is better. Your body keeps it in a narrow band, and both directions can matter.
Last reviewed: 2026-08-16
What does Aldosterone do in your body?
This hormone tells the kidneys how much sodium to keep and how much potassium to let go, which sets your fluid volume and pressure. Too much can push pressure up and drop potassium. When pressure stays hard to steady despite medicines, this figure helps a clinician trace why [Endocrine Society, 2016].
Aldosterone is the body's salt-and-water dial for holding blood pressure steady.
What is Aldosterone?
Aldosterone is a hormone from the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It balances sodium and potassium and helps steady blood pressure.
Why is Aldosterone tested?
You may have this test, often with renin, to look into blood pressure that is hard to control. It also checks adrenal gland function.
What is a normal Aldosterone range?
- India
- No India-specific national reference interval is published for this parameter; your lab's printed range is the most reliable comparison.
- Global
- Upright position: 7–30 ng/dL; Supine position: 3–16 ng/dL (varies significantly with posture, salt intake, and lab)
Ranges vary by lab, method and equipment — the range printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result.
Source: [Endocrine Society, 2016]
What does your Aldosterone value mean?
There is no widely-accepted set of value bands for this parameter. Compare your result with the reference range printed on your own report, and discuss it with your doctor.
What does a high Aldosterone result mean?
A high result can link to adrenal glands making extra salt-balancing hormone. This affects how the body holds sodium and releases potassium, which your doctor can interpret.
What happens when your Aldosterone is high?
When aldosterone runs high, the kidneys hold on to more sodium and let go of more potassium. This raises fluid volume and can push blood pressure up [Endocrine Society, 2016].
What does a low Aldosterone result mean?
A low result can go with adrenal glands making too little of this hormone. This can shift your salt balance and is worth discussing with your doctor.
What happens when your Aldosterone is low?
When aldosterone runs low, the kidneys keep less sodium and hold on to more potassium. This can lower fluid volume and blood pressure [Endocrine Society, 2016].
What can affect your Aldosterone result?
- Body position at the draw (sitting up or lying down)
- How much salt you eat
- Potassium levels
- Some blood pressure and pain medicines
- Time of day
Questions to ask your doctor
About this result
- What does my Aldosterone result mean for me specifically, given my age and health?
- Is my Aldosterone in the range that is right for me, not just the lab's general range?
What to do next
- Could anything I eat, do, or take have affected my Salt-balance hormone level result?
- Is there anything I should do about my Aldosterone, or is it fine to leave as it is?
About retesting
- Does my Aldosterone need to be repeated, and if so, when?
- The typical range for Aldosterone can vary between labs — should I compare my result against my own lab's printed range?
The bigger picture
- Should my Aldosterone be looked at together with my Total Testosterone and Free Testosterone result?
- Does my Aldosterone connect to any condition I already have, or to anything I have noticed in how I feel?
Frequently asked questions
- What is Aldosterone?
- Aldosterone is a hormone from the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. It balances sodium and potassium and helps steady blood pressure. You may have this test, often with renin, to look into blood pressure that is hard to control. It also checks adrenal gland function.
- What is a normal Salt-balance hormone level range?
- A typical adult range is around Upright position: 7–30 ng/dL; Supine position: 3–16 ng/dL (varies significantly with posture, salt intake, and lab). No India-specific national reference interval is published for this parameter; your lab's printed range is the most reliable comparison. Ranges vary by lab, method and equipment — the range printed on your own report is the one that applies to your result.
- What does a high Aldosterone result mean?
- A high result can link to adrenal glands making extra salt-balancing hormone. This affects how the body holds sodium and releases potassium, which your doctor can interpret.
- What does a low Aldosterone result mean?
- A low result can go with adrenal glands making too little of this hormone. This can shift your salt balance and is worth discussing with your doctor.
- What can affect your Aldosterone result?
- Several everyday factors can influence it, including Body position at the draw (sitting up or lying down), How much salt you eat, Potassium levels, Some blood pressure and pain medicines, Time of day.
Sources
- Endocrine Society (2016) — The Management of Primary Aldosteronism: Case Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline
Part of the Hormones
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