Liver health
Albumin
Serum albumin
Included in every MyHealthspan membership: Focus, Baseline, and Complete.
Compare membershipsMade by your liver, albumin keeps fluid in your bloodstream.
Albumin is the main protein in your blood, and your liver makes it. It helps keep fluid inside your blood vessels and carries hormones, vitamins, medications, and other substances around your body.
Albumin reflects more than your liver.
Because the liver makes albumin, a low level can be a sign of long-standing liver disease. It can also fall with kidney conditions that let protein leak into urine, with inflammation or illness, and with poor nutrition or absorption.
Hydration matters too. Being dehydrated can make albumin read higher. Albumin also changes slowly, so a shift usually reflects the past few weeks, although a significant illness can lower it sooner.
Questions
What does a low albumin result mean?
A low level may suggest the liver isn't making enough, protein is being lost through the kidneys, or inflammation or poor nutrition is playing a part. It's read with your liver and kidney results, your diet, and how you've been feeling.
Why is albumin grouped with liver health?
Your liver makes albumin, so it gives a rough sense of the liver's ability to build protein. ALT, AST, and GGT can signal that liver cells are irritated, while albumin reflects how well the liver is keeping up with its work over time.