--- title: Lithium Level (Serum) Test type: test id: lithium-serum url: "https://www.test-well.com/tests/lithium-level" price_usd: 29 lab_fee_usd: 6 all_in_usd: 35 cpt: 80178 category: General Health sample: Blood draw fasting_required: false results_in: "2–4 business days" labs: - Quest - Labcorp - BioReference orderable: true reviewed_at: 2026-09-14 order_url: "https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=lithium-level&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown" --- # Lithium Level (Serum) Test > Measures the level of lithium in your blood — used to monitor patients taking lithium for bipolar disorder or related mood conditions, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $29.00 plus a $6 lab fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 2–4 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp. ## Key facts | Fact | Value | | --- | --- | | Price | $29.00 + $6 lab processing fee per order ($35.00 all-in for this test alone) | | CPT code | 80178 | | Sample | Blood draw | | Fasting | Not required | | Results | 2–4 business days | | Labs | Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) | | Biomarkers measured | 1 | | Physician authorization | Included — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed | | Payment | Card, HSA or FSA; cash-pay only (no insurance billing) | ## What does the Lithium Level (Serum) test tell you? Measures the level of lithium in your blood — used to monitor patients taking lithium for bipolar disorder or related mood conditions. A lithium level test measures the concentration of lithium in your blood. It's primarily used for therapeutic drug monitoring in people taking lithium for bipolar disorder or other mood conditions. Because lithium has a narrow therapeutic window, regular monitoring helps confirm the dose is high enough to be effective without climbing into the toxic range that can affect the kidneys, thyroid, and nervous system. Results are most accurate when the sample is drawn as a trough — about 12 hours after the last dose. **Clinical use:** Measures the concentration of lithium in your blood to ensure levels stay within the narrow therapeutic range. Too little may mean inadequate mood stabilization; too much can cause toxicity. Used exclusively for monitoring patients already taking lithium — not a diagnostic test for lithium deficiency. ## Who should order it? Anyone currently prescribed lithium for bipolar disorder or related mood conditions who needs routine therapeutic drug monitoring, has recently had a dose change, is experiencing symptoms that could indicate toxicity (tremor, nausea, confusion), or whose prescriber has requested a trough-level check. ## Biomarkers measured - Lithium, Serum ## Price by lab | Lab | Test price | All-in (with $6 fee) | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Quest Diagnostics | $84.99 | $90.99 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) | | Labcorp | $29.00 | $35.00 | Choose at checkout; walk-in patient service centers nationwide (not NY/NJ) | | BioReference (NY & NJ) | $29.00 | $35.00 | New York and New Jersey orders route here automatically | Rhode Island is not served. Prices are identical online and in the lab; no draw fee or physician fee is added. ## How much does a Lithium Level (Serum) test cost? A Lithium Level (Serum) test costs $29.00 at TestWell — $35.00 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $120.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. | Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | TestWell (drawn at Quest or Labcorp) | $29.00 | $35.00 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order | | Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $120.00 | $120.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher | Lab test codes: Quest test code 613 · Labcorp test no. 007708 · BioReference code 0119-8. ## How do you prepare? No fasting required. For accurate monitoring, schedule your blood draw about 12 hours after your last lithium dose (a trough level), and tell the lab when you took your last dose. ## Related conditions - Bipolar disorder, current episode unspecified (F31.9) - Bipolar I disorder (F31.10) - Bipolar II disorder (F31.81) - Major depressive disorder, recurrent (F33.9) ## Is the Lithium Level (Serum) worth it? > Yes if you take lithium — this is not an optional wellness test but the standard safety monitoring for a medication with a narrow therapeutic window: the blood level where lithium works and the level where it becomes toxic are close together. That's why it's monitored with blood tests rather than by how you feel, and why WHEN the sample is drawn matters as much as the number that comes back. At $29 it's far cheaper than the $90-120 the same draw bills elsewhere — but it is not a substitute for the monitoring schedule your prescriber sets; it's the affordable way to keep up with it. ### Worth it if you… - People on lithium whose prescriber ordered periodic levels but whose lab benefit or copays make each draw expensive - People who lost insurance coverage mid-treatment and need to keep monitoring going - Travelers and seasonal residents who need a level away from their home health system ### You can probably wait if you… - You're not taking lithium — the level means nothing otherwise - Your prescriber wants the draw at a specific timing you can't hit that day: lithium levels are interpreted as a 12-hour trough (drawn about 12 hours after your last dose, before the next one), and a mistimed level can look perfectly reasonable while being wrong - You're trying to adjust your own dose from the result — dose decisions belong to your prescriber, full stop ### At home or in the lab? At-home collection is not recommended for this test. Not available at home, deliberately. Lithium levels are interpreted as a 12-hour trough with tight timing, and mobile phlebotomy arrival windows span hours — a mismatch that breaks the whole basis of interpretation. A patient service center with a fixed morning appointment preserves the timing at no real cost, since a morning draw is what the trough convention needs anyway (for a once-daily evening dose, about 12 hours later means morning). Record the exact date and time of your last dose and bring it to the draw. Ask your prescriber how they want the timing handled before you schedule — do not change or skip a dose to hit a window. ### How do you read the results? | Result | Typical adult range | What an out-of-range value can mean | | --- | --- | --- | | Lithium level | Commonly cited maintenance range: roughly 0.6-1.0 mmol/L (some references use 0.4-1.0; lower targets around 0.4-0.8 are often used in older adults, higher around 0.8-1.2 for acute treatment). Your target is set by your prescriber, not by the lab's reference interval. | Risk of toxicity rises meaningfully above about 1.5 mmol/L; above 2.0 is serious. A result 'in range' for the lab may not be right for you — prescribers deliberately target different levels for different people and situations. Toxicity can also occur at levels that look normal, more often in older adults, during dehydration or illness, with reduced kidney function, and with medications including NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and thiazide diuretics. | _This section medically reviewed; last reviewed 2026-08-04._ ## Common questions about the Lithium Level (Serum) test ### Can I get a lithium level test at LabCorp or Quest near me? Yes. TestWell uses CLIA-certified partner labs including Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp patient service centers. After you order on TestWell, you'll receive a digital requisition you can take to any participating walk-in location near you. ### How much does a lithium blood test cost without insurance? TestWell's lithium level test is $29.00. Quest's direct cash-pay price is $90, and hospital or clinic labs typically bill around $120 without insurance. You're getting the same CLIA-certified result — TestWell just removes the institutional markup. ### Can I do a lithium blood test at home? Not quite — lithium monitoring requires a venous blood draw, not a finger-prick home kit. However, TestWell makes it nearly as convenient: order online, walk into a nearby partner lab with no appointment needed, and get results in 2–4 business days without visiting a doctor's office first. ### Does lithium require regular blood monitoring? Yes. Lithium has one of the narrowest therapeutic windows of any psychiatric medication, so blood levels must be checked regularly — typically more often when starting or adjusting doses, and at least every few months once stable. Your prescriber will advise your specific schedule. ### Do I need to fast before a lithium blood test? No fasting is required. What matters most for accuracy is timing: schedule your draw approximately 12 hours after your last lithium dose to capture a trough level. Be prepared to tell the lab what time you took your last dose — this context is essential for interpreting results correctly. ### What is a trough lithium level and why does it matter? A trough level is the lowest concentration in your blood — measured just before your next dose (typically 12 hours after the previous one). It's the standardized reference point clinicians use to assess whether your dose is within the therapeutic range. Drawing at a different time can make levels appear artificially high or low. ### How long does it take to get lithium blood test results? Results are available in 2–4 business days after your blood draw. You'll receive them digitally through your TestWell account. Share the report with your prescribing provider, who can advise on any next steps. ### How is a lithium level test different from other bloodwork my doctor orders with lithium? The lithium serum test measures drug concentration only. Providers often also monitor kidney function and thyroid function alongside lithium therapy, since the medication can affect both over time. You can browse the [full test catalog](https://www.test-well.com/tests) to find those panels if your provider has recommended additional monitoring. ### When should I get my blood drawn relative to my last dose? Lithium levels are interpreted as a 12-hour trough — a sample drawn about 12 hours after your last dose, before the next one. For a once-daily evening dose, that generally means a morning draw. A sample drawn at any other point can read falsely high or falsely low, and a mistimed lithium level is worse than no lithium level, because it can look reasonable while being wrong. Record the exact date and time of your last dose and bring it to your draw, and ask your prescriber how they want the timing handled — do not change or skip a dose to hit a window. ### How often should lithium levels be checked? Testing frequency is set by your prescriber. As general reference: levels are checked frequently around starts and dose changes (lithium takes roughly 5 days to reach a steady level), then commonly every 3 to 6 months once stable — and usually rechecked sooner after anything that changes how your body handles lithium: a new medication, an illness with vomiting or diarrhea, dehydration, or a significant change in salt intake. This isn't a test to put on your own calendar; coordinate it with whoever prescribes it. ### What are the warning signs of lithium toxicity? Coarse hand tremor, vomiting or diarrhea, unsteadiness, slurred speech, confusion, or unusual drowsiness — seek medical care now rather than waiting for a lab result. Toxicity can occur at blood levels that look normal, especially in older adults, during dehydration or illness, with reduced kidney function, or alongside NSAIDs, ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and thiazide diuretics. ### What else gets monitored alongside lithium? Kidney function (creatinine/eGFR), thyroid (TSH), and calcium are typically monitored alongside lithium every 6 to 12 months, because long-term lithium can affect all three. A CMP covers the kidney piece and a TSH covers the thyroid piece if your prescriber wants them between visits. ### Can I use this test to adjust my own lithium dose? No. A lithium level only means something when interpreted against your timing, your history, and your target — which your prescriber sets. Bring the result to them; never change your dose based on a number alone. ## How to order 1. Add to cart: https://www.test-well.com/cart?add=lithium-level&utm_source=ai_agent&utm_medium=markdown 2. Create an account or sign in, confirm your state and preferred lab, pay by card, HSA or FSA. 3. A licensed physician authorizes the order (usually within minutes); the requisition arrives by email. 4. Walk into any Quest Diagnostics, Labcorp, BioReference (NY & NJ) patient service center — no appointment needed at most sites. 5. Results post to your TestWell portal in 2–4 business days with reference ranges and flags. ## Related - [ApoE Alzheimer's Risk](https://www.test-well.com/tests/apoe-alzheimers-risk) — $184.99 - [How Your Body Processes Medications Test](https://www.test-well.com/tests/pharmacogenomics-panel) — $1199.99 - [LDH (Lactate Dehydrogenase)](https://www.test-well.com/tests/ldh-test) — $19.99 - [MTHFR Gene Mutation Analysis](https://www.test-well.com/tests/mthfr-gene-mutation) — $95.99 - [Prealbumin](https://www.test-well.com/tests/prealbumin-test) — $29.99 - [All General Health tests](https://www.test-well.com/tests/category/general-health) - [Full test directory](https://www.test-well.com/tests/directory) --- Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD (Medical Reviewer, TestWell); last reviewed 2026-09-14. Review policy: https://www.test-well.com/reviewers/youmna-distefano-md Canonical page: https://www.test-well.com/tests/lithium-level Machine-readable catalog: https://www.test-well.com/api/catalog.json · MCP server: https://www.test-well.com/mcp · Overview for agents: https://www.test-well.com/llms.txt Prices are cash-pay, in USD, and include physician authorization; every order adds one flat $6 lab processing fee. Educational content is not a diagnosis — discuss results with a clinician.