Protein provides the structural and functional support of all of the cells in your body. Protein also helps maintain acid-base and fluid balance, acts as a transport mechanism and helps build various enzymes and hormones. Normally, the body is able to tightly control your protein levels. Certain medical conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure, may increase the amount of protein in your blood or urine.
High Blood Protein
Normally, your blood contains very small amounts of two types of proteins called albumin and globulin. Albumin helps keep the fluid inside of your blood vessels and globulins include over 500 different types of proteins, according to Lab Tests Online. In a healthy individual, the ratio of albumin and globulin is tightly controlled. Increased levels of albumin or globulins usually indicate some type of inflammatory disorder, such as hepatitis or bone marrow disease. Excess protein in your blood can also indicate liver damage and certain types of kidney disease.
Proteinuria
Proteinuria, also referred to as albuminuria, is a medical condition characterized by abnormally high levels of protein in the urine. Normally, when blood travels through the kidneys, waste products are filtered out and excreted through the urine and normal substances, like proteins, remain in the blood. When the glomeruli, which are the structures in the kidneys that are responsible for filtration, are damaged, protein is able to travel through the kidneys, where it leaks into the urine. The presence of excess amounts of protein in the urine usually signals chronic kidney disease, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Protein Testing
Protein levels are usually tested as part of Comprehensive Metabolic Panel, or CMP, which is often done as part of a routine health physical, according to Lab Tests Online. If initial protein tests are abnormal, further testing may be necessary to determine the specific cause of elevated protein levels.
Considerations
It is important to note that eating a high protein diet does not cause an increase in the levels of protein in your blood or urine. As a result, lowering your dietary protein intake will not correct any of the conditions that cause high protein levels. If your protein levels are high, it is usually necessary to seek medical treatment to determine the cause and figure out the best treatment plan for you.
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