Every day, your body works to maintain balance -- and not just the kind that keeps you from falling over. From the amount of fluid in your body to the level of protein in your blood, balance is what keeps you healthy. Blood proteins like albumin and globulins circulate in your blood, each serving individual functions that help your body stay balanced. If you have too many proteins in your blood, this can indicate the presence of an underlying health condition.
Symptoms
Symptoms associated with high blood proteins include nausea, loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss and fever, according to the Mayo Clinic. You also may experience unexplained weight loss as a result of high blood protein levels. If you experience these symptoms, report them to your physician immediately.
Misconception
The proteins in your blood are not the same as the proteins you take in through animal and plant sources in your diet. A common misconception is that if you increase your dietary protein intake, you will get a false result, according to Lab Tests Online. Because blood proteins are a separate entity, the tests for blood proteins are not a measurement of your nutritional levels.
Protein Testing
If your physician suspects something may be abnormal with your health, he may recommend a test known as the A/G ratio. This simple blood test is used to determine the ratio of albumin, which is a protein used to maintain fluid balance, to globulins, which are proteins used in an immune response. If your blood protein levels are normal, your A/G ratio should be slightly more than 1. Your ratio becomes lower, however, if you have high levels of proteins in your blood because more globulins are produced when you have a condition that causes you to have high blood protein levels.
Underlying Conditions
High blood protein levels can indicate several different problems, mostly those that stem from chronic inflammation or infection. This includes multiple myeloma, a cancer of your plasma cells. These cells are responsible for making proteins and may multiply at a fast rate to create even more proteins. The HIV/AIDS virus also can cause you to develop high blood protein levels. Other conditions that can result in high blood protein include amyloidosis and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance.
