Albumin Test

Proteins circulate in your body via blood to maintain fluid balance. Albumin is a protein that is synthesised by the liver. It is one of the proteins that are abundantly present in your blood. Albumin helps maintain fluid balance by preventing the fluid from leaking out of the blood vessels. It gives your body the necessary proteins for the growth and repair of cells and tissues.

This protein also helps in the transportation of vital hormones and nutrients. You are at a higher risk of developing abnormal albumin levels if you have an open wound or burn or just got out of surgery.

The Albumin Test is a simple blood test that measures the level of albumin in your blood. For example, when you undergo surgery, get burnt or have multiple open wounds, your body’s albumin levels drop. To ensure that your body has the right amount of albumin, your doctor will prescribe the Albumin Test.

If you have abnormal albumin levels that are not caused by any of the above reasons, it is a sign that your kidneys or liver are not functioning properly.

A healthy liver makes albumin from the protein consumed through food. If your liver stops functioning or is functioning incorrectly, this process stops or gets reduced. Albumin levels drop because of improper functioning of the liver or kidney. The Albumin Test is thus done to rule out conditions of the kidney, liver and pancreas.

The purpose of the Albumin Test is to evaluate the levels of albumin in your blood. If your albumin levels are too high or too low, it can indicate an underlying health condition.

Screening of any disease is done when you try to identify the health condition before any symptoms arise. While screening for albumin is not usually conducted, you may include the Albumin Test with a series of other tests in a comprehensive metabolic panel.

Your doctor will advise a Serum Albumin Test as a part of the entire metabolic panel required to check for kidney issues. This metabolic panel includes tests for levels of Creatinine, Prealbumin, Blood Urea Nitrogen, and Albumin.

Studies have shown that the Serum Albumin Test can be used as a prognostic marker for Covid-19 in India. In addition, the research stated that Covid-19 patients had lower albumin levels in their blood, which plays a vital role in their survival.

Other names of Albumin test

• ALB
• Serum Albumin Test

What does the Albumin Test detect/measure and who is this prescribed for?

The Albumin Test measures the level of albumin in your blood. Albumin is a protein that is essential for the proper functioning of your body. This protein maintains the fluid balance in your body and promotes cell growth and tissue repair. Albumin also carries hormones, enzymes and vitamins to all parts of your body via the bloodstream.

If your liver or kidneys stop functioning correctly, your albumin levels start fluctuating. The Albumin Test helps diagnose diseases of the liver and kidneys based on these signs.

The Albumin Test is prescribed for all age groups and genders. It helps identify the following health conditions:

1. Symptoms of liver disease 

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, your doctor may advise you to get the Albumin Test done:

• Jaundice, which presents with yellowish discolouration of your skin and eyes
• Fatigue
• Sudden and unexplained weight loss
• Decreased appetite
• Dark-coloured urine
• Pale-coloured stools

2. Symptoms of kidney disease

• Swelling around the face, thighs and abdomen
• Increased frequency of urination, especially at night
• Foamy, bloody or brown coffee-coloured urine
• Nausea and vomiting
• Itchy skin

The Albumin Test results are usually reported in grams per decilitre (g/dL). If you have gotten the entire metabolic panel of tests done, you will get the reports of all parameters.

The Albumin Test results give you a report of the abnormal levels of albumin in the blood. The ranges are:

Normal Albumin Test ranges may vary depending on the laboratory.

Low albumin levels may be caused due to:

• Kidney diseases
• Liver diseases, like hepatitis, cirrhosis, ascites

Low albumin levels are also observed when your body does not absorb enough nutrients or receive enough nutrients. The following conditions can cause decreased albumin levels:

• Post-surgery
• After a weight-loss surgery
• Low-protein diets
• Celiac disease, which involves damage to the lining of the small intestine due to gluten consumption
• Crohn’s disease, which is inflammation of the digestive tract
• Whipple disease, which is a failure of the small intestine to absorb all nutrients and pass them to the rest of the body
• Malnutrition
• Thyroid disorders
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Infections
• Pregnancy
• Shock
• Nephritic syndrome
• Nephrotic syndrome
• Hepatocellular necrosis

You may have low albumin levels if you are on oral birth control pills.

High albumin levels may be caused due to:

• Dehydration
• A protein-rich diet
• Having the tourniquet around your arm for a long time while giving a blood sample
• Severe diarrhoea

High levels of albumin are also caused due to the following medicines:

• Insulin
• Anabolic steroids
• Androgens
• Growth hormones

The Albumin Test is also performed to check for the following conditions:

• Burns that are widespread on the body
• Any open wounds or injuries causing fluid loss
• Wilson’s disease is a health condition that causes an increased copper level in the body

The Albumin Test results may be inaccurate in the following cases:

• Drinking too much water
• Receiving a large number of intravenous fluids

Based on your Albumin Test results, the doctor may require some other tests from the metabolic panel to confirm the clinical diagnosis.

The Albumin Test requires a sample of your blood. This test is usually combined with other regular tests.

Test Preparation

The Albumin Test involves drawing a sample of your blood for testing. It does not require any special preparation. However, if you are getting other blood tests done along with the Albumin Test, you may be asked not to eat or drink anything for 10-12 hours, based on the tests.

You must inform your physician about any medicines that you may be taking. Some medications like anabolic steroids, androgens, growth hormones and insulin can increase your blood albumin levels. You may need to stop these medicines temporarily after consulting your doctor.

The Albumin Test is a simple blood test that will get over in 5-10 minutes. You do not need to prepare for the test in any way.

There are no restrictions after the Albumin Test and you can resume your regular activities afterwards.

Test inclusions: What parameters are included?

The parameters included in the Albumin Test are the measures of the albumin levels in the blood. If you get the Albumin Test done as part of your liver function tests, it will consist of other values like liver enzymes, bilirubin and other proteins along with albumin levels.

How frequently should you take this test?

Based on your diagnosis and symptoms, your doctor may repeat the Albumin Test as follows:

• If you have a chronic condition like liver disease or kidney disease, the Albumin Test is repeated every 3-6 months.
• If you have an acute liver or kidney condition, the Albumin Test may need to be repeated every other day to keep track of your illness.

Regular monitoring and testing allow your doctor to check the prognosis of your disease and how you are responding to the treatment. In addition, follow-up tests to the Albumin Test help provide detailed information about the severity of the disease and how the disease has progressed over time.

Liver Disease, Kidney Disease, Thyroid Disease, Malnutrition, Infection, Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Liver Cirrhosis, Burns, Wilson Disease