Albumin

Also Known As

ALB

Formal Name

Albumin, serum

This article was last reviewed on

24 April 2019.

This article waslast modified on 21 October 2020.

At a Glance

Why Get Tested?

To screen for liver or kidney disease especially in hospitalised patients

When To Get Tested?

If your doctor thinks you have symptoms of liver or kidney disease or prior to a planned surgery

Sample Required?

A blood sample is usually taken by a needle from a vein in the arm

Test Preparation Needed?

No test preparation is needed

On average it takes 7 working days for the blood test results to come back from the hospital, depending on the exact tests requested. Some specialist test results may take longer, if samples have to be sent to a reference (specialist) laboratory. The X-ray & scan results may take longer. If you are registered to use the online services of your local practice, you may be able to access your results online. Your GP practice will be able to provide specific details.

If the doctor wants to see you about the result(s), you will be offered an appointment. If you are concerned about your test results, you will need to arrange an appointment with your doctor so that all relevant information including age, ethnicity, health history, signs and symptoms, laboratory and other procedures (radiology, endoscopy, etc.), can be considered.

Lab Tests Online-UK is an educational website designed to provide patients and carers with information on laboratory tests used in medical care. We are not a laboratory and are unable to comment on an individual's health and treatment.

Reference ranges are dependent on many factors, including patient age, sex, sample population, and test method, and numeric test results can have different meanings in different laboratories.

For these reasons, you will not find reference ranges for the majority of tests described on this web site. The lab report containing your test results should include the relevant reference range for your test(s). Please consult your doctor or the laboratory that performed the test(s) to obtain the reference range if you do not have the lab report.

For more information on reference ranges, please read Reference Ranges and What They Mean.

What is being tested?

Albumin is made in the liver and it is the most abundant protein in the blood plasma. It keeps fluid from leaking out of blood vessels; nourishes tissues; and carries hormones, vitamins, drugs, and ions like calcium throughout the body. Albumin concentration in the blood is sensitive to liver damage. The concentration of albumin in the blood drops when the liver is severely damaged or with a type of kidney disease called 'nephrotic syndrome, or if a person experiences severe inflammation in the body, or with shock. The albumin concentration in the blood increases when a person is dehydrated.

Common Questions

How is it used?

Albumin testing is used in a variety of conditions to help diagnose disease, to monitor changes in health status with treatment or with disease progression, and as a screen that may serve as an indicator for other kinds of testing.
When is it requested?

A doctor requests a blood albumin test (usually along with several other tests) if a person seems to have symptoms of liver or kidney disease.

Doctors may also request a blood albumin test when someone has an infection or inflammation as its concentration may provide a marker of the severity of the condition.
What does the test result mean?

Low albumin concentrations in the blood can suggest liver disease. Liver function tests are requested to help determine which type of liver disease.

Low albumin concentrations in the blood can reflect diseases in which the kidneys cannot prevent albumin from leaking from the blood into the urine and being lost. In this case, the amount of albumin (or protein) in the urine also may be measured along with creatinine. This test is called a microalbumin test or urine albumin creatinine ratio test.

Low albumin concentrations in the blood can also be seen in severe inflammation or shock.

Low albumin concentrations in the blood may also suggest conditions in which your body does not properly absorb and digest protein such as Crohn’s disease or in which large volumes of protein are lost from the intestine.

High albumin concentrations in the blood usually reflect dehydration.
Is there anything else I should know?

Certain drugs increase albumin in your blood, including anabolic steroids, androgens, growth hormones, and insulin.

If you are receiving large amounts of intravenous fluids, the results of this test may be inaccurate.

Albumin concentrations can also be measured in the urine. Urine albumin can be mildly increased in inflammation and are significantly increased in people with nephrotic syndrome.
Is anyone at high risk for abnormal albumin concentrations?

Individuals who have chronic liver disease and kidney disorders are at highest risk for developing abnormal albumin concentrations in the bloodstream. In addition, individuals who have an inflammatory condition of any sort or who have prolonged diarrhoea can develop abnormal albumin concentrations.
What is the difference between albumin, prealbumin, and microalbumin tests?

Albumin testing is more often used to test for liver or kidney disease or to provide information on the severity of an inflammatory disorder. The prealbumin test measures a related protein that in part reflects your nutritional status and it can be useful to measure serum concentrations in individuals receiving nutritional support. The blood prealbumin level falls in response to malnutrition, making it of some value in detecting changes in nutritional status but like albumin its blood level also falls in individuals who have liver disease or inflammatory disorders. The microalbumin test seeks to measure very small levels of albumin in your urine as ani indication of your risk for developing kidney disease.

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