Albumin

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Albumin

Albumin is a serum protein, produced by the liver. Among it's functions are:

Maintaining water balance in the blood through osmotic pressure
Transportation of blood components

50-60% of total serum protein is albumin, and the rest is made, primarily, of globulins.

Increased albumin levels may be seen in:

Dehydration

Decreased albumin levels may be seen in:

Liver disease (decreased production)
Malnutrition (decreased production)
Diarrhea (increased loss)
Renal disease (increased loss)
Severe burns (increased loss)
Pregnancy (dilutional)

Normal Values*

Men-Women	3.8-5.0 g/dl
Pregnancy	1.9-4.0 g/dl

*These are general values taken from a variety of sources. The actual normal values may vary from lab to lab and from one type of testing protocol to another.

The information contained here is an abbreviated summary. For more detailed and complete information, consult the manufacturer's product information sheets or standard textbooks

Source: Operational Medicine 2001, Health Care in Military Settings, NAVMED P-5139, May 1, 2001, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Department of the Navy, 2300 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20372-5300

This information is provided by The Brookside Associates. The Brookside Associates, LLC. is a private organization, not affiliated with any governmental agency. The opinions presented here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Brookside Associates or the Department of Defense. The presence of any advertising on these pages does not constitute an endorsement of that product or service by either the US Department of Defense or the Brookside Associates. All material presented here is unclassified.

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