Lab test glossary · Liver
Albumin: what it means
Also known as: serum albumin
Albumin is the main protein made by your liver; a low level is a broad signal that can point to the liver, kidneys, nutrition, or inflammation.
What it measures
Albumin is the most abundant protein in your blood. The liver makes it, and it does two big jobs: keeping fluid inside your blood vessels and ferrying hormones, vitamins, and medications around the body. Because so many systems feed into it, an abnormal albumin is usually a prompt to look at the bigger picture rather than a diagnosis by itself.
Typical range
Often roughly 3.5–5.0 g/dL.
Reference ranges differ between labs and are printed on your own report — always read your result against that range, not a general one.
What a high result can mean
- Usually just dehydration (which concentrates the blood); a truly high albumin is rarely meaningful
A high value is a starting point for a conversation, not a diagnosis — many causes are benign or temporary.
What a low result can mean
- Liver disease (less albumin made)
- Kidney disease that leaks protein into urine
- Poor nutrition or absorption
- Inflammation or acute illness (albumin drops as a 'negative' acute-phase reactant)
Why the trend matters
A slow decline in albumin over time can flag a developing liver, kidney, or nutritional problem before other numbers move.
When to talk to your doctor
A persistently low albumin is worth discussing with your doctor, especially alongside swelling or abnormal liver or kidney tests.
This page is general education about a common lab test — it isn’t medical advice and can’t interpret your specific result. What a value means depends on your history, symptoms, and the rest of your labs, which is a conversation for you and your clinician.