Albumin

What is Albumin?

Albumin is the most abundant protein in blood plasma, produced exclusively by the liver. It serves multiple critical functions including maintaining fluid balance between blood vessels and tissues, transporting hormones and medications throughout the body, and serving as a reservoir for amino acids. Albumin levels reflect both liver synthetic function and overall nutritional status.

Why is it Tested?

Albumin is measured to assess liver function, nutritional status, and kidney health. It’s commonly ordered when evaluating unexplained swelling (edema), suspected liver disease, malnutrition, or chronic illness. Low albumin can help explain fluid retention and is an important marker in managing various chronic conditions and assessing surgical risk.

Normal Ranges

What do Abnormal Results Mean?

Abnormal results are not a diagnosis. Always discuss your results with a qualified healthcare provider before making any medical decisions.

Low Albumin

Low albumin (hypoalbuminemia) can indicate various conditions and may cause:

• Liver disease or reduced liver synthetic function
• Kidney disease with protein loss
• Malnutrition or protein deficiency
• Chronic inflammatory conditions
• Fluid retention and swelling
• Increased risk of infections

High Albumin

Elevated albumin is less common and may suggest:

• Dehydration (concentrated blood)
• High protein diet (mild elevation)
• Rarely, certain medical conditions

High albumin alone is typically not concerning unless extreme.

How to Track Over Time

Monitoring albumin trends helps evaluate liver function, nutritional status, and response to treatment over time. Since albumin has a relatively long half-life (about 20 days), changes occur gradually. Declining trends may indicate worsening liver function or developing malnutrition, while improving levels suggest recovery or better nutritional status.