albumin
Definition - what is albumin?
Albumin is a protein that occurs in the human body, among other things. It is one of the so-called plasma proteins and, at 60%, forms the largest part.
It is made in the liver and plays an important role in our water balance. It also serves as a transport protein for degradation products and enzymes. A change in the value can provide information about possible liver damage or dehydration.
What is the function of albumin?
Albumin is a transport protein in the blood and transports various enzymes and degradation products. This includes, for example, bilirubin, a breakdown product of hemoglobin, i.e. the red blood pigment of the red blood cells (erythrocytes).
Since bilirubin is initially insoluble in water, it is bound to albumin in order to transport it in the blood to the liver, where it is ultimately made water-soluble by attaching an acid.
Other water-insoluble substances that bind to albumin are fatty acids, trace elements, hormones, some vitamins, magnesium and calcium and even some drugs. These become water-soluble by binding to albumin and can thus be transported to their destination in the blood.
Another task of albumin is to maintain the so-called colloid osmotic pressure. 80% of the colloid osmotic pressure is formed by albumin.
The wall of our blood vessels is permeable to water. In order to prevent the water from flowing out of the blood vessels into the surrounding cells, the aforementioned colloid osmotic pressure is required, which is generated by various proteins.
Since water always flows to the place with the higher particle concentration according to the principle of osmosis in order to produce a concentration equalization, it is held in the vessels by the proteins in the blood.
If this were not the case, for example with a lack of albumin, water would accumulate in the body tissue outside the blood vessels, so-called edema.
A third function of albumin is to maintain and buffer the pH of the blood. Albumin is able to release or bind hydrogen ions and can therefore influence the pH value.
Would you like to read more about the pH of the blood? - Then read our article pH in the blood
Where is albumin produced?
Albumin is made in the liver. About 12g of albumin are produced there per day.
Deviations in the albumin value therefore provide information about the function of the liver. The liver has a central role in the metabolism and therefore, in addition to albumin, also produces components of the bile such as bile acids as well as some hormones and cholesterol.
Would you like to learn more about how the liver works? - Then read our article on Function of the liver
Standard values of albumin
The amount of albumin can be determined in the blood, for example.
The serum albumin determined in this way should be between 3.5 and 5.4 g / dl. Depending on the laboratory, the values are also given in other units such as mg / dl. In this unit, the albumin should be between 3500 mg / dl and 5400 mg / dl.
Furthermore, albumin can also be determined in the urine, since the body excretes a small proportion of the albumin in the urine every day. The albumin in the morning urine should be below 20 mg / l, while it should be below 30 mg in a 24-hour urine collection.
Deviations in the values then provide information about the function of the kidneys, which are responsible for the excretion of albumin.
What is the cause if the albumin is too low?
If the albumin level in the urine is too low, this can indicate inflammation of the kidneys or other kidney diseases.
Would you like to find out more about kidney diseases? - Then read our article about Kidney disease
If, on the other hand, the value in the blood is reduced, this indicates a reduced function of the liver, which is responsible for the production of albumin.
This can have different causes. This includes, for example, cirrhosis of the liver. However, a decrease in the albumin level in the blood can also indicate damage to the kidneys.
The clinical picture with lower albumin levels is called nephrotic syndrome.
In addition, malnutrition can lead to a reduction in albumin levels if too few proteins are supplied for the production of albumin.
Read all about one here Protein deficiency
Acute inflammation also leads to a decrease in albumin levels.
The albumin value alone is not enough to find out the exact cause of the lowered albumin values. A more precise statement on the underlying cause can then be made through a combination with other laboratory values or tests.
How do I increase my albumin level?
If you have no previous illnesses, you usually don't have to worry about increasing the albumin values, as our body produces enough albumin on its own.
However, if you have a liver disease or are dependent on dialysis, it can make sense to support the body in the production of albumin through a conscious diet.
A nutritionist can be consulted here, who can best cater to the individual eating habits and the daily routine and who can work with you to create a meal plan.
In general, however, it is advisable to consume a lot of protein and at the same time limit your potassium and phosphorus intake. A regular eating rhythm is also important.
What if the albumin is too high?
If the albumin level in the blood is too high, this can indicate dehydration, for example.
Due to the lack of water, the proportion of water in the blood also decreases and the proportion of albumin increases accordingly.
Would you like to know how to recognize a lack of water? Then read our article Dehydration - How Do You Know If You Are Dehydrated?
If the value in the urine is increased, it can be caused by high blood pressure or diabetes mellitus with kidney damage.
This disease is called hypertonic nephropathy in the case of high blood pressure and diabetic nephropathy in the case of diabetes mellitus.
Albumin can also be determined in nerve water.
If the value of albumin or the so-called liquor-serum quotient, i.e. the value compared to blood, is increased there, this can have various causes.
These include meningitis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, a cerebral infarction, a brain tumor or spinal cord tumor as well as a traumatic brain injury.
How do I lower my albumin level?
There is no direct measure to lower albumin levels. Rather, an attempt should be made to treat the underlying cause.
If the increased albumin values are due to high blood pressure, for example, one should try to lower the high blood pressure in order to also lower the albumin values.
This can be achieved through a healthy and balanced diet and lots of exercise. It is also advisable to refrain from smoking and excessive alcohol consumption and to avoid stress as much as possible.
Do you want to quit smoking? - Then read our article How to quit smoking
Getting enough and regular sleep also helps relieve stress and lower blood pressure.
If the increased albumin value is due to malnutrition, a balanced and protein-rich diet will help.
Read all about one here healthy eating
Especially if the increased albumin levels are caused by diabetes mellitus, it is important to check the blood sugar level regularly and keep it within the specified limits.
How is albumin related to creatinine?
The albumin value is often associated with the creatinine value when it comes to diseases of the kidneys.
The two values are z. B. compared with each other and conclusions are made about the kidney function.
For example, there is the albumin-creatinine quotient, in which the albumin concentration in the urine is not related to the total volume of the urine, but to the creatinine concentration of the urine.
The quotient is more meaningful than the pure albumin value because it is not subject to such high fluctuations. The quotient can then be used to infer the severity of renal insufficiency.
Why do I have albumin in my urine?
Albumin occurs naturally in urine, as part of the albumin present is excreted via the kidneys and thus the urine.
However, this proportion should not be too high, as this indicates damage to the kidneys.
If you have noticed an increased albumin level in your urine, you should first check whether this occurs regularly. Therefore, a new test should be carried out after six to eight weeks.
If the albumin values are also increased after a new test, the values should be measured two to three times a year from now on.
Furthermore, the cause of the kidney damage should be clarified. The cause of the kidney damage can, for example, be diabetes mellitus, the use of drugs that damage the kidneys or high blood pressure.
Kidney-damaging drugs include pain relievers such as ibuprofen or paracetamol, cancer drugs (chemotherapeutic agents) or contrast media containing iodine.
If the kidneys are damaged by taking such a drug, a doctor should clarify to what extent the drug can be replaced by another less kidney-damaging preparation or to what extent kidney damage must be accepted.
How does the albumin level change as a result of blood poisoning?
As a result of sepsis (blood poisoning), so-called endothelial cells die, causing fluid and other blood components such as albumin to escape from the blood vessels.
The fluid is deposited in the surrounding tissue and leads to so-called edema.
Albumin is therefore given in the event of blood poisoning (sepsis) and so-called septic shock to initially replace its deficiency in the bloodstream.
It also dampens inflammatory reactions. The albumin inhibits the accumulation of neutrophilic granulocytes on endothelial cells, which is increased in the course of an inflammatory reaction, whereby the inflammation is contained.
Since there is a lack of volume in blood poisoning (sepsis), albumin also helps to bring fluid into the blood vessels by increasing the colloid osmotic pressure.
