Personal
Professional
Research
Personal Professional Research Sign Up Login Pro Login
Research Albumin, Serum
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Biomarkers, Benefits, and Results Explained

Albumin, Serum

Optimal Result: 3.8 - 4.8 g/dL, or 38.00 - 48.00 g/L.

What is a serum Albumin test?

You need a proper balance of albumin to keep fluid from leaking out of blood vessels (= oncotic pressure). It also carries vital nutrients and hormones. Albumin also gives your body the proteins it needs to keep growing and repairing tissue.

A serum albumin test is a simple blood test that measures the amount of albumin in your blood. Having surgery, getting burned, or having an open wound raises your chances of having a low albumin level.

What Is Albumin?

Albumin is the most common protein found in the blood. It represents half (~50%) of the total protein content (reference range: 3.8 g/dL to 4.8 g/dL) of plasma in healthy human patients.

Albumin is synthesized (= produced) by liver hepatocytes (= the major cells in the liver). Very little albumin is stored in the liver, and most of it gets rapidly excreted into the bloodstream.

Albumin has two main functions:

1. Maintenance (modulation) of appropriate oncotic pressure in the vascular system.

Albumin is responsible for much of the colloidal osmotic pressure of the blood, and hence is a very important factor in regulating the exchange of water between the plasma and the interstitial compartment, which is the space between the cells. Due to the hydrostatic pressure, water is forced through the walls of the capillaries in the tissue space. This flow of water is continuous until the osmotic pull of protein, in this case albumin molecules, causes it to stop. An abnormal deficiency of albumin can lead to water passing from the bloodstream into the tissues (edema).

2. Transporter of endogenous and exogenous (i.e. drugs) ligands. 

Albumin serves as a transport protein carrying large organic anions, those such as fatty acids, hormones (cortisol and thyroxine when their specific binding globulins are saturated), bilirubin and many drugs. Severe liver disease can result in hypoalbuminemia (hypo = below, beneath), which leads to fewer available binding sites for exogenous drugs. This results in larger amounts of unbound exogenous drugs, which can lead to increased drug sensitivity. This sensitivity manifests when patients have serum albumin concentrations lower than 2.5 g/dL.

Normal range for Albumin levels:

→ The normal range is 3.8 - 4.8 g/dL (38 to 48 g/L).

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples.

References:

Yuwen P, Chen W, Lv H, Feng C, Li Y, Zhang T, Hu P, Guo J, Tian Y, Liu L, Sun J, Zhang Y. Albumin and surgical site infection risk in orthopaedics: a meta-analysis. BMC Surg. 2017 Jan 16;17(1):7. doi: 10.1186/s12893-016-0186-6. PMID: 28093079; PMCID: PMC5238522.

Anderson CF, Wochos DN. The utility of serum albumin values in the nutritional assessment of hospitalized patients. Mayo Clin Proc. 1982 Mar;57(3):181-4. PMID: 6801397.

Shapiro M, Rhodes JB, Beyer PL. Malnutrition. Recognition and correction by enteral nutrition. J Kans Med Soc. 1983 Jun;84(6):341-5, 356. PMID: 6409975.

Martin Kroll, Tietz Textbook of Clinical Chemistry, Third Edition. Carl A. Burtis and Edward R. Ashwood, eds. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders, 1998, 1917 pp., ISBN 0-7216-5610-2., Clinical Chemistry, Volume 45, Issue 6, 1 June 1999, Pages 913–914, https://doi.org/10.1093/clinchem/45.6.913

Moman RN, Gupta N, Varacallo M. Physiology, Albumin. [Updated 2022 Dec 26]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459198/

What does it mean if your Albumin, Serum result is too high?

- Higher than normal albumin levels may be a sign of dehydration, which may be caused by severe diarrhea or other conditions. Also look for increase in hemoglobin, hematocrit.

- Higher albumin levels may be caused by acute infections, burns, and stress from surgery or a heart attack.

- Certain medicines can raise your albumin levels. These include insulin, steroids, and hormones.

Additional notes:

- If your albumin levels are not in the normal range, it doesn't always mean you have a medical condition that needs treatment. Certain medicines, including steroids, insulin, and hormones, can increase albumin levels.
- Many things may affect your lab test results. These include the method each lab uses to do the test. Even if your test results are different from the normal value, you may not have a problem.

What does it mean if your Albumin, Serum result is too low?

Conditions associated with low levels of albumin are as follows:

- Ascites (= a buildup of fluid in your abdomen. It often occurs as a result of cirrhosis, a liver disease.)

- Burns

- Glomerulonephritis (= inflammation and damage to the filtering part of the kidneys (glomerulus)).

- Liver disease (hepatitis or cirrhosis)

- Malabsorption syndromes (eg, Crohn disease, celiac disease, or Whipple disease)

- Malnutrition

Low albumin is found with use of I.V. fluids, rapid hydration, overhydration; cirrhosis, other liver disease, including chronic alcoholism; in pregnancy and with oral contraceptive use; many chronic diseases including the nephrotic syndromes, neoplasia, protein-losing enteropathies (including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis), peptic ulcer, thyroid disease, burns, severe skin disease, prolonged immobilization, heart failure, chronic inflammatory diseases such as the collagen diseases and other chronic catabolic states.

In the absence of I.V. fluid therapy and in patients without liver or renal disease, low albumin may be regarded as an indication of inadequate body protein reserves. It is described as the most common nutrition-related abnormality in patients with infection.

Serum albumin has a half-life of about 18 to 20 days. Its half-life is decreased in patients with catabolic states: infection and with protein loss through the kidneys (eg, nephrosis), gastrointestinal tract, and skin (eg, burns). Its prognostic application is most useful in patients with weight loss, anorexia, stress, surgical therapy, hemorrhage, and infection.

→ Total iron binding capacity (= TIBC) <240 μg/dL1 and/or low transferrin levels would support an impression of inadequate protein reserves.

→ Absolute lymphocyte counts <1500/mm3 may also be seen with protein malnutrition.

In severe malnutrition, albumin has been reported as <2.5 g/dL, total lymphocytes as <800/mm3 and TIBC as <150 μg/dL.

- Albumin levels ≤2.0−2.5 g/dL may be the cause of edema (eg, nephrotic syndrome, protein-losing enteropathies).

- Albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin are regarded as “negative” acute phase reactants (ie, these proteins decrease with acute inflammatory/infectious processes).

- Low albumin values are associated with longer hospital stay.

- A low albumin level in patients with hepatitis C can be a sign of cirrhosis (advanced liver disease). Albumin levels can go up and down slightly. Very low albumin levels can cause symptoms of edema, or fluid accumulation, in the abdomen (called ascites) or in the leg (called edema).

- A low albumin level can also come from kidney disease, malnutrition, or acute illness.

- A low albumin level causing fluid overload is often treated with diuretic medications, or "water pills."

Potential treatment options:

The best option for treating hypoalbuminemia is to address the underlying cause. So people may need to have a variety of tests to determine why there is not enough albumin in their blood.

Treatment may include:

- blood pressure medication for people with kidney disease or heart failure
- lifestyle changes, particularly avoiding alcohol in people with liver disease
- medications to manage chronic gastrointestinal disease or reduce inflammation in the body
- medications, such as antibiotics, if a person has hypoalbuminemia after a severe burn
- dietary changes to reduce the severity of heart or kidney disease

→ Critically ill patients may require intravenous albumin to raise their levels. It is currently unclear how intravenous administration may benefit other patients.

→ People experiencing hypoalbuminemia due to organ failure may need an organ transplant. People with kidney disease may need dialysis as they await a kidney transplant.

→ People with hypoalbuminemia may need to be hospitalized and monitored until the condition is corrected.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.

Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.

Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.

The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.

For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.

We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.

Yes, you can! Simply go to the "Invite Doctor" section, enter your doctor’s email address, and send the invitation. Your doctor will receive an email with secure access to view your results. You can revoke this access at any time. All shared information is securely encrypted and protected for your privacy.
Yes, you can! Go to the Graph view or Spreadsheet view. In the top-right corner, click "Export to Excel," and the file will be downloaded to your device.

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


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.

Navigate to Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP): Biomarkers, Benefits, and Results Explained

Popular search

Adjusted Calcium, Alanine-aminotransferase (ALT, SGPT), Albumin, Serum, Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate-aminotransferase (AST, SGOT), AST/ALT Ratio, Bilirubin Total, Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Bone Isoenzymes, BUN/Creatinine Ratio, Calcium, Serum, Calcium, Total (RBCs), Calcium/ Albumin Ratio, Calcium/Phosphorous Ratio, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), CHLORIDE, RANDOM URINE, Chloride, Serum, CHLORIDE/CREAT RATIO, Creatine Clearance, Creatinine, Serum, eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (African Am), eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (Non-African Am), eGFR / Cystatin C, Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), Globulin, Serum (aka Globulin, Total), Glucose, Glucose Non-Fasting, Intestinal Isoenzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase), Liver Isoenzymes, Macrohepatic Isoenzymes, Placental Isoenzymes, POTASSIUM, RANDOM URINE, Potassium, Serum (Kalium), POTASSIUM/CREAT RATIO, Selenium, RBC, SODIUM, RANDOM URINE, Sodium, Serum (Natrium), SODIUM/CREAT RATIO, Sodium/Potassium Ratio, Total Protein, Serum, Urea