Low Levels of Protein in the Blood

Types

• There are two types of protein present in the blood: albumin and globulin.
  
  

Functions

• Proteins are responsible for transporting materials, such as iron, vitamins, and hormones, through the blood. They also help fight infection by delivering harmful materials in the bloodstream to the kidneys and liver for disposal.
  
  

Importance

• In a study published by the medical journal The Lancet in 1989, researchers found a strong correlation between decreased albumin levels and mortality rates from cancer, heart disease, and other aliments. Of 7,735 men who were tested, the mortality rate for those whose albumin blood levels were below 40 grams per liter was 23/1,000. The mortality rate for the men whose albumin blood levels were above 48 grams per liter was 4/1,000.
  
  

Causes

• Low values of protein in the blood often result from poor nutrition, according to Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS. Other causes include kidney and liver disease, diabetes, and heart failure.
  
  

Normal Levels

• According to Essig, optimal protein blood levels vary from lab to lab. A healthy total protein value is 5.5-9.0 grams per decaliter (g/dl). A healthy albumin value is between 3.5 and 5.5 g/dl, and an optimal globulin value is between 2.0 and 3.5.