Protein is not just found in the meat you eat and needed to maintain healthy muscle. The liver also produces blood proteins. Protein is used in your blood to transport smaller particles, including calcium, hormones and some medications. Without enough blood proteins, you experience a number of side effects and your body cannot function at its best.
Normal Ranges
If your physician suspects your protein concentration in your blood is low, he may recommend a blood test to check the levels of albumin, a protein in your blood. Although exact measurements may vary based on the lab where you are testing, normal blood protein levels are between 3.4 and 5.4 g/dL. Abnormally low levels would constitute anything below the 3.4 g/dL. If your physician finds your blood protein levels are abnormally low, you will likely undergo additional testing to pinpoint an exact cause.
Liver/Kidney Diseases
Low blood protein levels often are associated with an underlying medical condition. This includes liver diseases like hepatitis or cirrhosis. The liver is responsible for manufacturing albumin in the body, which means low protein levels indicate your liver may not be working well enough to produce proteins. Kidney disease is another condition that causes low protein concentrations because diseased kidneys are not able to properly filter blood proteins.
Absorption Disorders
Certain conditions affect your body's ability to absorb protein, such as celiac disease, which inhibits your ability to absorb the protein gluten. Inflammatory bowel disease also affects absorption because foods pass too quickly through the body too quickly. Abnormally low blood protein also can be a symptom of malnutrition, where you may not be getting enough protein in your daily diet. Also, if you have undergone weight-loss surgery, low blood protein levels can indicate that you are not supplementing your diet with enough protein.
Effects
Low protein levels can have dangerous effects on your body. The proteins in your blood are responsible for maintaining a fluid balance that affects your blood pressure. Without enough blood proteins, your blood pressure may drop severely low. Blood proteins also maintain fluid balance, meaning you may experience unusual swelling -- particularly in the feet and ankles as a result. Because protein is responsible for maintaining muscle mass, low protein can cause you to lose muscle mass. In children, low blood protein can lead to slow or impaired growth.
References
- Lab Tests Online; Total Protein and A/G Ratio: The Test; May 2009
- United States Department of Agriculture; Low Blood Protein May Mean Infection, Not Malnutrition; Jill Lee; December 1997
- Better Health Channel; Protein; June 2009
- MedlinePlus; Congenital Protein C or S Deficiency; March 2010
- MedlinePlus; Albumin - Serum; February 2011
