Plasma protein has several functions in the human body, making it an important component of the fluid that carries red blood cells, platelets and white blood cells. Proteins contribute to healthy skin and hair, help the body produce energy and assist in the production of hormones and enzymes. Several conditions cause low levels of protein in the blood plasma.
Kidney Disorders
Normal kidneys control the excretion and absorption of fluid and nutrients. When kidney disorders impair kidney function, the kidneys no longer carry out this task. Damage to the filtering units of the kidneys allows minerals and nutrients to leak out of the circulatory system and into the urine. The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse defines this symptom as proteinuria, or an abnormal amount of protein in the urine. In the beginning stages of kidney disease, the kidneys only leak substances that have small molecules. One of these substances is albumin, a plasma protein produced by the liver. As kidney disease progresses, the kidneys leak larger protein molecules.
Liver Disorders
The liver uses the protein from foods to produce albumin. Albumin helps maintain normal fluid volume and acts as an indicator of a person's health. Dr. Jeremy Kaslow, a physician certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and National Board of Medical Examiners, explains that reduced albumin levels indicate poor health. Kaslow further explains that liver disorders can cause low plasma protein levels because an impaired liver does not produce enough albumin.
Nutritional Deficiencies
Because the body needs dietary protein to produce plasma proteins, nutritional deficiencies contribute to cases of low plasma protein. In patients who follow low-protein diets for kidney disease or other disorders, the lack of protein intake results in reduced plasma protein production. Some medical conditions, such as malaria, make it difficult to eat and drink normally. Without proper nutrition, the body does not produce enough plasma protein.
Malabsorption
Some medical conditions make it difficult to properly absorb nutrients from foods and beverages. In people with these diseases, eating high-protein foods is sometimes not enough to maintain normal plasma protein levels. The causes of malabsorption include celiac disease, HIV/AIDS, Crohn's disease, parasitic infections, radical stomach surgery, cancer, biliary atresia, Whipple disease and tissue damage from radiation treatments, according to MedlinePlus. People with these conditions do not absorb protein properly, which leads to low plasma protein levels. Without treatment, malabsorption contributes to the development of kidney stones, anemia, osteoporosis and gallstones.
