Urine Protein (U-PROT)

What is Urine Protein?

Urine protein measures the total amount of protein present in your urine. Healthy kidneys filter waste while retaining proteins in the blood, so protein in urine often indicates kidney damage or disease affecting the kidney’s filtering ability.

Why is it Tested?

Doctors order urine protein tests to screen for kidney disease, monitor patients with diabetes or high blood pressure, and evaluate symptoms like foamy urine or unexplained swelling. It’s a key test for detecting kidney problems before they cause serious complications.

Normal Ranges

Normal urine protein levels:

Normal: Less than 150 mg/day or negative on dipstick
Trace: 15–30 mg/dL (may be normal)
1+: 30–100 mg/dL (mild proteinuria)
2+: 100–300 mg/dL (moderate proteinuria)
3+ or higher: Greater than 300 mg/dL (significant proteinuria)

Reference ranges vary by authority. Track yours across multiple standards with automatic unit conversions in LabsVault.

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.

Mild Proteinuria (30-100 mg/dL)

Low-level protein may indicate:

Early kidney damage
Temporary stress on kidneys
Dehydration effects
Intense physical exercise
Urinary tract infections

Moderate to High Proteinuria (>100 mg/dL)

Elevated protein levels suggest:

Diabetic nephropathy
Chronic kidney disease
Glomerulonephritis (kidney inflammation)
High blood pressure kidney damage
Autoimmune kidney disorders

How to Track Over Time

Monitoring urine protein over time helps detect kidney disease progression and evaluate treatment effectiveness. Rising protein levels indicate worsening kidney function, while stable or decreasing levels suggest good disease control or successful treatment interventions.

Urine Protein