Vital laboratory package Sport Woman includes 31 values that indicate what changes you can make in your lifestyle habits to improve your fitness and endurance.
Albumin reflects the body’s fluid balance
Albumin is produced in the liver and has two important functions: regulating the body’s fluid levels and transporting essential nutrients to the body’s tissues. Reduced levels of albumin can be seen in conditions such as physical inactivity and malnutrition.
Brief about albumin
- Albumin tests reflect the body’s fluid balance, nutritional status, as well as liver and kidney function.
- During dehydration, albumin levels in the blood rise.
- In conditions of malnutrition, albumin levels in the blood decrease.
What is albumin?
Albumin is the most common protein in plasma. It is produced in the liver and has two important functions. Firstly, albumin plays a significant role in distributing water between plasma and body tissues. Similarly, albumin acts as a transporter for other substances such as fatty acids, calcium, copper, zinc, and many medications.
The amount of albumin in the blood is primarily regulated by protein intake and the composition of proteins in plasma.
What functions does albumin serve in the body?
Albumin has many important physiological functions and is used as a measure of various diseases.
- It prevents fluid leakage through blood vessels.
- It maintains the body’s fluid balance.
- It transports nutrients to the body’s tissues, such as hormones, fatty acids, vitamins, trace elements, and even certain medications.
- It is one of the body’s antioxidants. It binds to reactive metals and free radicals, preventing them from coming into contact with and damaging other parts of the body.
Why is albumin tested?
Albumin levels can be used to draw conclusions about the prognosis of acutely and chronically ill patients, making it an excellent measure of overall health.
Albumin analysis is used to gain an understanding of the body’s fluid balance, liver function, nutritional status, and some common diseases. The analysis is also used if a person experiences unintentional weight loss or fatigue.
One-third of the calcium in the blood is bound to albumin, making it always important to relate calcium levels to albumin levels in the blood.
What are the reference values for albumin?
The reference ranges for albumin vary depending on age group:
- 18-40 years: 36-48 g/l
- 41-70 years: 36-45 g/l
- ≥ 70 years: 34-45 g/l
Reference values may vary depending on where the analysis is performed, and which analysis method is used.
What does a high albumin value mean?
A high albumin value usually indicates dehydration. To further confirm suspected dehydration, one can examine the values for hemoglobin. During dehydration, hemoglobin and hematocrit (the proportion of red blood cells in the blood) values are elevated.
Some medications can also increase albumin levels, such as anabolic steroids, androgens, insulin, and corticosteroids.
What does a low albumin value mean?
Low levels of albumin in the blood cause the body to lose its ability to regulate its fluid balance, which can result in fluid accumulation in the body. This is called edema.
The most common cause of low albumin levels is exposure to some form of stress or disturbance, such as inflammation during an infection. During an infection, the body responds with what is called inflammation, increasing the production of several protective proteins in the body. One of these protective proteins is called C-reactive protein (CRP), which, in addition to protecting the body, also reduces the liver’s production of albumin.
Leaky blood vessels or direct kidney damage can also be the cause of low albumin levels.
Likewise, several other conditions can cause low albumin levels, such as:
- Malnutrition
- Prolonged physical inactivity
- Celiac disease
- Diabetes
- Bleeding
- Liver diseases, such as cirrhosis
- Various forms of cancer
- Post-surgical recovery
- Heart failure
- Thyroid diseases
- Kidney disease
- Shock
- Pregnancy
Vital laboratory package Sport Man includes 30 values that indicate what changes you can make in your lifestyle habits to improve your fitness and endurance.
Vital laboratory package Total Plus includes 37 values and is an even more comprehensive health check for those who seek a deeper insight into their body’s well-being and greater opportunities to make better choices to improve their health.
190 kr
Albumin is produced in the liver and has two important functions – to regulate the body’s fluid levels and to transport essential nutrients to the body’s tissues.
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Albumin reflects the body’s fluid balance
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Article updated:
15 May 2024