ALBUMIN TEST – INDICATOR FOR THE WELLNESS OF YOUR LIVER & KIDNEY…

Albumin is a protein made by your liver. Albumin supports to keep fluid in the bloodstream, so it doesn’t leak into other tissues. Its principal role is to maintain the osmotic pressure of the blood compartment, distributes nourishment of the tissues, carry transport hormones, vitamins, drugs, & other substances such as calcium throughout the body for proper functioning. Low albumin levels can indicate a disorder with your liver or kidneys.

Children, 04 days to -14 yrs 3.8 to 5.4 g/dL

Teenage, 14 -18 yrs 3.2 to 4.5 g/dL

Adult, 20 – 60 yrs 3.5 to 5.2 g/dL.

Adult, 60 -90 yrs 3.2 to 4.6 g/dL

Abnormal amount of albumin suggests a problem with liver or kidneys. It may also indicate that a person has a nutrient deficiency. Higher albumin levels may be caused by acute infections, burns, & stress from surgery or a heart attack.

Clinicians recommend this test when they suspect liver or kidney disease like jaundice, fatigue, undue weight loss, prolonged vomiting, dark urine or grey, pale stools, pain below the right ribs, including the stomach area, tenderness below your right ribs etc. Albuminuria or excess albumin in your urine, is most often caused by kidney damage including diabetes.

However, serum albumin level is influenced by several other factors like plasma volume expansion, albumin redistribution, exogenous loss & decreased synthesis. Decreased albumin synthesis is primarily responsible for hypoalbuminemia in haemodialysis patients. Higher values of Albumin indicate dehydration or severe diarrhoea also. Similarly, certain drugs, including steroids, insulin, hormones can elevate albumin levels.

Albumin infusions have been used in management of patients with cirrhosis & ascites (accumulation of fluid in peritoneal cavity, causing abdominal swelling) to reduce the formation of ascites & oedema by increasing microvascular oncotic pressure; and to improve circulatory, renal function by expanding total blood volume & to prevent shock following serious injury, bleeding, surgery, or burns by increasing the volume of blood plasma.

Egg whites are 100 percent albumin, the best quality protein you can eat. Two egg whites provide 7.2 grams of pure protein.