Albumin

[gopo92]

Hello. I am 18 years ood and have been suffering from intestinal disease since 10 years. I had a test done showing my albumin levels are a little low than normal. Can this be dangerous?? If so in what ways??

[gopo92]

My albumin Levels is 3.3 g/dl . Is that too low or normal

[yellowbean]

Albumin is a protein produced by the liver and it forms an important part of the blood as it helps keep the water in the blood vessels and also helps carry many substances in the blood.

It is important to understand how lab values are derived.  A sample population is taken and then a normal range is defined, usually this range is based on statistics, most commonly 2 standard deviations above and below the mean...If you understand that great, if you don't have experience with statistics, basically all that means is that you take the average from the group and then decide how far away from that average value you will call normal.  

Just because a value is not exactly within that normal range does not necissarily mean that it is abnormal, it may be completely normal for you.  The more outside of the normal range a value is the more confident we are that it is abnormal.

Now to answer your question:  Albumin can be a little low if:
1) There is prolonged periods of inadequate nutrition
2) The liver is not functioning quite normally
3) Various kidney problems (look up nephrotic syndrome)
4) Blood vessel problems
5) just your normal.  

If your albumin were very low you then you would be increasingly worried that this value was representative of one of the diseases mentioned above.