What is Albumin?

High and Low levels of Albumin

Low Albumin Levels

Lower levels of albumin in the body can indicate potential inflammation, liver damage, or kidney disease, causes of low albumin can vary and commonly include:

• Inflammation – Whether chronic or short-term, inflammation can cause lower albumin levels.
• Gut problems – Inflammatory bowel disease, which also includes Crohn’s disease, can cause inflammation in the gut leading to poor absorption of nutrients, resulting in malnutrition and a decrease in albumin levels.
• Malnutrition – As previously stated, malnutrition or an inability to absorb nutrients efficiently can lead to low albumin levels in the blood.
• Pregnancy – Albumin naturally lowers during pregnancy, due to an increase in the volume of plasma.
• Kidney Disease – Kidneys that are healthy can effectively stop albumin from building in urine, if the kidney gets damaged, the ability of the kidneys to disperse albumin weakens.
• Liver Disease – Because albumin is produced in the liver, if it is severely damaged from conditions like cirrhosis, it can cause levels to drop significantly.

High Albumin Levels

High albumin levels can be caused by three main factors, extreme dehydration due to burns or diarrhea, medications like steroids or insulin, and as a result of prolonged use of a tourniquet.