Albumin is a protein made by your liver it aids in the maintaining of fluid in your bloodstream, so it doesn’t leak into other tissues. Albumin carries various substances throughout your body, including hormones, vitamins, and enzymes. Low albumin levels can indicate a problem with your liver or kidneys.
If you have a low Albumin level, you could possibly be suffering from malnutrition or liver and/or kidney disease.
If you have a higher Albumin level you might have had an infection, high blood pressure or heart attack.
The condition Albuminuria is NOT classed as a disease, but it is a side effect of the likes of diabetes, and hypertension, but it could be an early sign of kidney disease.
Urine Test
Your doctor might send you or even give you a urine test to check if the protein is in your urine. Proteins should be in your blood, not your urine. When your kidneys are healthy, they keep things your body needs inside your blood, like protein. They also remove things your body doesn’t need, like waste products and extra water. If your kidneys are damaged, protein can “leak” out of the kidneys into your urine. Having protein in your urine is called “albuminuria” or “proteinuria.”
Early Signs of Kidney Disease
When you have the urine test and it may show signs of Albuminuria, your doctor will check you again to make sure it is not caused by something as simple as not drinking enough water. If your doctor suspects kidney disease, the urine test for albumin will be repeated. Three positive results over three months or more is a sign of kidney disease.
You might be given a blood test to estimate GFR. GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. Your GFR number tells you how well your kidneys are working.
Other tests like CT scans or even a kidney biopsy which will tell the doctor the extent of any kidney disease.
Those At Risk
Those at risk should have regular tests. Those of us who are on High Blood Pressure medication are one group, people with diabetes another. If your family has a history of Kidney failure or are over 65 years and those from many ethnic groups other than white European background.
When In Doubt
Always talk to your healthcare professional and get the blood or urine tests, or consult your Kidney specialists or Charity.
Sources:
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/proteinuriawyska
