Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
Biochemistry
A total protein test adds together the two main types of protein floating in your blood — albumin and globulin — into one number, giving your doctor a quick first read on nutrition, liver function, and kidney function all at once. Albumin, made by the liver, keeps fluid from leaking out of your blood vessels and carries various substances around your body, while globulins cover a mix of liver-made and immune-system-made proteins. Because the test combines two proteins with different jobs, an abnormal total doesn't say which one is off — that needs the albumin and globulin values broken out separately, usually reported alongside an albumin-to-globulin (A/G) ratio. MedlinePlus gives a normal adult range of 6.5 to 8.1 g/dL.
This test adds up the total amount of protein in the fluid part of your blood, combining albumin and globulin into a single number reported in g/dL. It doesn't distinguish between the two types on its own, so labs almost always report the albumin value alongside it, letting your doctor calculate the globulin amount and the A/G ratio from the same sample. The result is affected by hydration, liver function, kidney function, and nutritional status.
Albumin and globulin make up nearly all the protein in your blood, but they do very different jobs — albumin keeps fluid inside blood vessels and transports substances through your bloodstream, while globulins include the antibodies your immune system produces along with some liver-made proteins. A total protein test adds them together, so it's really a starting point rather than a complete answer.
Because both major organs and nutrition affect this number, total protein is commonly used to help pick up early signs of liver disease, kidney disease, or malnutrition. A result outside the expected range prompts your doctor to look at albumin and globulin separately, since a low total could come from either protein type being low, or occasionally both.
Total protein is measured as a concentration, so dehydration can make the number look artificially high by concentrating the protein already in your blood, while overhydration can dilute it and make the number look artificially low. Your doctor factors in your hydration status before deciding whether a borderline result needs follow-up.
An abnormal total protein result is rarely the end of the workup — it's usually followed by looking at the albumin and globulin values individually, the A/G ratio, and sometimes more detailed tests such as serum protein electrophoresis if a specific type of globulin needs identifying.
MedlinePlus gives a normal adult range of 6.5 to 8.1 g/dL. Ranges vary slightly by lab, so use the figure printed on your own report.
It can point to liver disease, kidney disease, or malnutrition, since all three can reduce the amount of protein circulating in your blood. Your doctor will usually check albumin and globulin separately to narrow down the cause.
A high result can reflect dehydration, which concentrates the protein already in your blood, or chronic inflammation and certain immune conditions that raise globulin levels. Your doctor reads it alongside your hydration status and other findings.
Total protein combines two different proteins into one number, so it can't show which one is actually abnormal on its own. Breaking it into albumin and globulin, and calculating the A/G ratio, gives a much clearer picture.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Yes. Because the test measures protein concentration, dehydration can make the number look higher than it really is, while overhydration can make it look lower. Your doctor takes this into account when interpreting a borderline result.
Requirements can vary depending on what else is being tested at the same time. Ask your doctor or the centre what's needed before your appointment.