Blood protein levels are important indicators of overall body health. Low levels of some proteins signal nutritional deficiencies or possibly serious disease. According to "Nursing Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests Demystified," the total serum protein test is a common lab test that examines levels of albumin, globulin and total protein in the blood. Routine tests for low blood protein, or hypoproteinemia, can spot serious conditions before they cause recognizable symptoms.
Edema
Low blood protein can lead to edema, or retention of water in body tissues. The main blood protein, albumin, is important in regulating the osmotic properties of blood. Your body has sufficient albumin fluids, which are drawn from tissues into the blood, according to W. Grant Thompson, author of "The Angry Gut." When albumin is low, fluid flows from the blood into tissues. This results in symptoms such as swelling in the ankles and lower legs.
Celiac Disease
As described in "Celiac Disease" by Peter Greene and Rory Jones, celiac disease develops in genetically predisposed individuals who cannot tolerate the gliadin fraction of wheat protein and chemically similar fractions of rye and barley protein. Their bodies develop an autoimmune reaction to these substances, and their intestinal lining becomes damaged and unable to absorb several nutrients, including protein.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. According to Thompson, these disorders are most common in Europe and North America and predominantly strike younger people rather than the elderly. The inflammation and ulceration associated with these conditions prevent the bowel from properly absorbing protein, resulting in low blood protein levels.
Kidney Disorders
The term "nephrotic syndrome" applies to a variety of kidney disorders that can cause the body to lose more than 3 g of protein per day through the urine. According to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, this causes high levels of protein in urine but low levels in blood. Nephrotic syndrome results from damage to the filtering units of the kidney, which are known as glomeruli. Causes include high blood pressure, immunological and hereditary diseases, infections, diabetes mellitus and chemical toxins. According to NKUDIC, glomeruli ordinarily do not filter protein from the blood, but protein can pass through damaged structures into urine.
Liver Disease
The liver is an important site of protein synthesis for the body. In addition to albumin, the liver produces globulins, prothrombin and the liver enzymes ALT and AST. These proteins are necessary for immune function, blood clotting, and metabolizing amino acids, respectively. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, blood protein levels can decrease when the liver becomes damaged due to conditions such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, fibrosis, hemochromatosis and Wilson's disease.
References
- "Nursing Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests Demystified"; James Keogh; 2009
- "The Angry Gut"; W. Grant Thompson; 1993
- "Celiac Disease"; Peter H.R. Green and Rory Jones; 2009
- "Nutrition and Diet Therapy"; Linda DeBruyne et al.; 2007
- National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse: Proteinuria
- "Basic Medical Laboratory Techniques"; Barbara H. Estridge, Anna P. Reynolds and Norma J. Walters; 2000
