Blood WorkAlbumin is the main protein in your blood. Your liver makes it, and it keeps fluid inside your blood vessels and carries hormones and medicines. It's part of a comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), and the typical range is about 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL. Low albumin most often comes from inflammation or illness, liver disease or kidney protein loss, and less often severe malnutrition; high albumin almost always means dehydration.
What does an albumin blood test measure?
Albumin makes up more than half the protein in your blood. Your liver produces it every day, so a low level can reflect how well the liver is working, how much protein you're losing (often through the kidneys) and how much inflammation is going on. It's reported with total protein in a metabolic panel.
Blood albumin isn't the same as urine albumin. The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio is a kidney test that looks for albumin leaking into urine; see the kidney function test guide.
What is a normal albumin level?
| Result | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Below about 3.4 g/dL | Low: inflammation or illness, liver disease, kidney protein loss, protein loss from the gut, or severe malnutrition. |
| About 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL | Typical adult range. |
| Above about 5.4 g/dL | High: almost always dehydration. |
Your lab's printed range applies.
What causes low albumin?
- Inflammation, infection or a recent illness or surgery, which lower albumin for a while.
- Liver disease, such as cirrhosis, where the liver makes less.
- Kidney protein loss, as in nephrotic syndrome; a urine albumin test shows it.
- Severe malnutrition or problems absorbing protein, such as celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Albumin alone isn't a good measure of how well you eat; inflammation lowers it more often.
- Extra fluid, from heart failure or pregnancy, which dilutes the blood.
Very low albumin can cause swelling in the legs or belly. Get care the same day if new swelling comes with shortness of breath. New swelling with foamy urine is worth a prompt visit.
What causes high albumin?
High albumin almost always means dehydration: less fluid makes the albumin more concentrated. A tourniquet left on too long during the draw can also raise it. Drinking normally and rechecking usually brings it back into range.
If your albumin is off at Passion Health
A Texas-licensed clinician reviews every result and calls you the same day about anything critical. One result outside the range is common and often harmless; we read it with the rest of your panel, your history and your medicines, and recheck when that's the sensible next step.
For low albumin we look at liver enzymes, kidney function and urine albumin, recent illness and diet. For high albumin we recheck when you're well hydrated.
Albumin test cost in Texas
Self-pay. Albumin comes with every comprehensive metabolic panel. In Essential Blood Work ($59) it's part of 33 results with the draw and a clinician's review included; on its own, the metabolic panel is $20 plus the $29 draw and review fee ($49).
With insurance. If we're in network with your plan, we bill it when the test is covered. You pay cash for a test only after we tell you the price in writing, and Medicare patients sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice first.
Albumin blood test questions
What is albumin in a blood test?
Albumin is the main protein in your blood, made by your liver. It keeps fluid in your blood vessels and carries hormones and medicines. It's part of a comprehensive metabolic panel.
What does low albumin mean?
It can mean inflammation or a recent illness, liver disease, protein loss through the kidneys, or, less often, severe malnutrition. Your clinician reads it with your liver and kidney tests.
What does high albumin mean?
Almost always dehydration, or sometimes how the blood was drawn. A repeat test after drinking normally is usually in range.
Is blood albumin the same as urine albumin?
No. Blood albumin is a protein level in your blood. Urine albumin, measured as a ratio with creatinine, checks whether your kidneys are leaking protein and is a kidney damage test.
What is a normal albumin level?
About 3.4 to 5.4 g/dL on many lab reports, though ranges vary by lab.