Coproporphyrin I / Coproporphyrin III Ratio
Other names: Coproporphyrin I/Coproporphyrin III
The Coproporphyrin I/Coproporphyrin III ratio is a valuable indicator of how well the body is managing the final steps of porphyrin and heme metabolism. While both porphyrins are produced during late-stage heme synthesis, Coproporphyrin III is typically the dominant form in urine, with Coproporphyrin I appearing in smaller amounts. The balance between the two provides more nuanced information than either marker alone.
A shift in this ratio may reflect a bottleneck in porphyrin conversion, impaired detoxification capacity, or increased oxidative stress. Environmental exposures—particularly arsenic—are known to elevate Coproporphyrin I relative to Coproporphyrin III, often leading to a higher ratio. Mercury exposure may also alter this balance, although it more commonly raises Coproporphyrin III and pentacarboxylporphyrins.
Nutrient insufficiencies (B6, zinc, iron, glycine), liver stress, infections, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and organic solvent exposure can also influence the ratio. Because porphyrin metabolism is sensitive to many physiological stressors, the ratio is best interpreted alongside absolute porphyrin levels and the broader pattern.
Lab Results Explained and Tracked
What does it mean if your Coproporphyrin I / Coproporphyrin III Ratio result is too high?
An elevated Coproporphyrin I/Coproporphyrin III ratio suggests a shift in the balance of porphyrin excretion, often indicating increased Coproporphyrin I relative to Coproporphyrin III. This can occur with arsenic exposure, oxidative stress, inflammation, liver dysfunction, or impaired porphyrin conversion. A high ratio—especially when paired with elevations in uroporphyrins or other early porphyrins—may point toward toxicant burden or metabolic stress and should be interpreted in conjunction with the full porphyrin profile.
All Your Lab Results.
One Simple Dashboard.
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results Easily
Import, Track, and Share Your Lab Results
Import lab results from multiple providers, track changes over time, customize your reference ranges, and get clear explanations for each result. Everything is stored securely, exportable in one organized file, and shareable with your doctor—or anyone you choose.
Cancel or upgrade anytime
Article Review & Sources
All our content is backed by peer-reviewed studies, academic research, and trusted medical sources. We're committed to accuracy and transparency — see our editorial policy for details.
Laboratories
Bring All Your Lab Results Together — In One Place
We accept reports from any lab, so you can easily collect and organize all your health information in one secure spot.
Pricing Table
Gather Your Lab History — and Finally Make Sense of It
Finally, Your Lab Results Organized and Clear
Personal plans
$79/ year
Advanced Plan
Access your lab reports, explanations, and tracking tools.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 5 reports entered for you
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
$250/ once
Unlimited Account
Pay once, access everything—no monthly fees, no limits.
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track all results with visual tools
- Customize your reference ranges
- Export your full lab history anytime
- Share results securely with anyone
- Receive 10 reports entered for you
- No subscriptions. No extra fees.
$45/ month
Pro Monthly
Designed for professionals managing their clients' lab reports
- Import lab results from any provider
- Track lab results for multiple clients
- Customize reference ranges per client
- Export lab histories and reports
- Begin with first report entered by us
- Cancel or upgrade anytime
About membership
What's included in a Healthmatters membership
Import Lab Results from Any Source
See Your Health Timeline
Understand What Your Results Mean
Visualize Your Results
Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Securely Share With Anyone You Trust
Let Your Lab Results Tell the Full Story
Once your results are in one place, see the bigger picture — track trends over time, compare data side by side, export your full history, and share securely with anyone you trust.
Bring all your results together to compare, track progress, export your history, and share securely.
What Healthmatters Members Are Saying
We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.
At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.