Canadian lab units conversion: each marker has its own factor, from mmol/L to mg/dL and nmol/L to ng/dL
To convert a Canadian blood test result to US units, multiply or divide by that marker's own factor: glucose mmol/L × 18.0 = mg/dL, cholesterol mmol/L × 38.67 = mg/dL, testosterone nmol/L × 28.84 = ng/dL, and vitamin D nmol/L ÷ 2.496 = ng/mL.
No single factor fits every marker, because each depends on the molecule's weight. Canadian labs count molecules, in SI (international) units, while most US sources give their weight. Numia Health, a physician-ordered, at-home blood testing service in Greater Vancouver, reports in Canadian units too.
What's the formula to convert mmol/L to mg/dL?
Multiply by the molar mass (in g/mol) and divide by 10. Glucose weighs 180.16 g/mol, so its factor is 18.0, and 5.6 mmol/L becomes 101 mg/dL.
Canadian to US units, marker by marker
Factors: AMA Manual of Style. Examples are rounded; ranges still vary by lab.
| Marker | Canadian → US | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Glucose | mmol/L × 18.0 = mg/dL | 5.6 → 101 |
| HbA1c | % → mmol/mol: (% − 2.152) ÷ 0.09148 | 6.5% → 48 |
| Cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL) | mmol/L × 38.67 = mg/dL | 3.5 → 135 |
| Triglycerides | mmol/L × 88.5 = mg/dL | 1.7 → 150 |
| Apo B | g/L × 100 = mg/dL | 0.90 → 90 |
| hs-CRP | mg/L ÷ 10 = mg/dL | 2.0 → 0.20 |
| Lp(a) | No reliable conversion | , |
| Vitamin D | nmol/L ÷ 2.496 = ng/mL | 75 → 30 |
| Vitamin B12 | pmol/L ÷ 0.7378 = pg/mL | 150 → 203 |
| Folate | nmol/L ÷ 2.266 = ng/mL | 20 → 8.8 |
| Iron, TIBC | µmol/L ÷ 0.179 = µg/dL | 20 → 112 |
| Magnesium | mmol/L ÷ 0.4114 = mg/dL | 0.85 → 2.07 |
| Zinc | µmol/L ÷ 0.153 = µg/dL | 12 → 78 |
| Ferritin, prolactin | µg/L = ng/mL | 30 → 30 |
| TSH | mIU/L = µIU/mL | 2.5 → 2.5 |
| LH, FSH | IU/L = mIU/mL | 8 → 8 |
| Free T4 | pmol/L ÷ 12.87 = ng/dL | 15 → 1.17 |
| Free T3 | pmol/L ÷ 1.54 = pg/mL | 5.0 → 3.2 |
| Testosterone | nmol/L × 28.84 = ng/dL | 15 → 433 |
| Free testosterone | pmol/L × 0.2884 = pg/mL | 300 → 87 |
| Estradiol | pmol/L ÷ 3.671 = pg/mL | 200 → 54 |
| Progesterone | nmol/L ÷ 3.18 = ng/mL | 30 → 9.4 |
| Creatinine | µmol/L ÷ 88.4 = mg/dL | 90 → 1.02 |
| Urea to BUN | mmol/L ÷ 0.357 = mg/dL | 5.0 → 14 |
| Sodium, potassium, chloride | mmol/L = mEq/L | 140 → 140 |
| ALT, AST, ALP, GGT | U/L in both | , |
Does a converted number mean the same thing?
Not always: countries draw their cut-offs in different places. Diabetes Canada's prediabetes range starts at a fasting glucose of 6.1 mmol/L (110 mg/dL) or an HbA1c of 6.0%. The CDC's starts lower, at 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L) or 5.7%.
Here's the catch: a fasting glucose of 5.8 mmol/L converts to 104 mg/dL. That's prediabetes by the CDC's cut-offs but below Canada's range. Neither label is a diagnosis, but the number is worth watching: in a US survey, 84% of adults with prediabetes didn't know they had it (Wang et al., 2025). Numia's Fatigue Panel reports fasting glucose and HbA1c from one draw.
Where does Numia fit?
Numia Health keeps every step in one place: a licensed Canadian physician approves your requisition online in about 3 minutes, and a clinician comes to your home for a 10-minute morning draw. Results arrive in the Numia app in 7 days, explained in plain English in Canadian units, and the Numia Companion, an AI that has read them, answers questions. Out-of-range results are physician-reviewed with next steps, and an optional wellness consultation is available. Numia is an HSA-eligible service.
Frequently asked questions
How do you convert nmol/L to ng/dL using molar mass?
Multiply by the molar mass in g/mol, then divide by 10. Testosterone weighs 288.4 g/mol, so 15 nmol/L is about 433 ng/dL on a Numia Male Hormone Panel. See testosterone levels by age.
Is ferritin in µg/L the same as ng/mL?
Yes. One µg/L equals one ng/mL, so a ferritin of 30 µg/L is 30 ng/mL. Numia's Fatigue Panel includes ferritin and TSH.
Is HbA1c reported in % or mmol/mol in Canada?
In %, as Diabetes Canada uses. The mmol/mol unit is the IFCC standard some labs outside Canada use. By NGSP's equation, 5.7% is 39 mmol/mol and 6.5% is 48.
Sources11 references
- American Medical Association. (2020). Units of measure converter [Table 2: Selected laboratory tests and conversion factors]. In AMA manual of style: A guide for authors and editors (11th ed.). Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from View source
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, May 15). Diabetes testing. View source
- McQueen, M. J. (1986). Conversion to SI units: The Canadian experience. JAMA, 256(21), 3001–3002. View source
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Glucose (CID 5793) [PubChem compound properties: molecular weight]. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from View source
- National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Testosterone (CID 6013) [PubChem compound properties: molecular weight]. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from View source
- NGSP. (n.d.). IFCC standardization of HbA1c. Retrieved September 22, 2026, from View source
- Numia Health. (n.d.). Fatigue Panel. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from View source
- Numia Health. (n.d.). Home page. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from View source
- Numia Health. (n.d.). Male Hormone Panel. Retrieved September 25, 2026, from View source
- Punthakee, Z., Goldenberg, R., & Katz, P. (2018). Definition, classification and diagnosis of diabetes, prediabetes and metabolic syndrome. Canadian Journal of Diabetes, 42(Suppl. 1), S10–S15. View source
- Wang, L., Weng, X., Kraschnewski, J. L., & Pichardo-Lowden, A. R. (2025). Prediabetes awareness barriers and enablers: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011–2020. AJPM Focus, 4(5), 100378. View source
Last updated October 13, 2026
