Quick answer
The Serum Total Protein & Albumin Test costs ₹300 at Live Line Health Care. Measures the main proteins in your blood to reflect nutrition. No fasting is needed. It uses a blood sample and the report is usually ready the same day. Book home sample collection or visit any of our 45 centres.
Also known as: Serum Proteins, Total Protein, Serum Albumin, S. Albumin, Albumin, Albumin Globulin, A/G Ratio, Serum Globulin
What is the Total Protein & Albumin Test?
The Serum Total Protein and Albumin test measures the proteins carried in the liquid part of your blood. Albumin is the largest share. It is made in the liver, holds fluid inside blood vessels and carries hormones, medicines and calcium around the body. The rest is mostly globulins, a mixed group that includes the antibodies your immune system makes. Your report calculates globulin by subtracting albumin from total protein, then shows the two as an A/G ratio.
These four values are already part of a full Liver Function Test, so this smaller test suits people who only need protein levels followed, such as someone with swelling, weight loss, long-term illness or known protein loss through the kidneys. Do not confuse it with the Urine Albumin test: this one looks at how much protein remains in the blood, whereas the urine test looks for protein escaping through the kidneys. Because albumin lasts around three weeks in the blood, it changes slowly and reflects long-term health rather than what you ate yesterday.
What it measures: Total protein, albumin, calculated globulin and the albumin to globulin (A/G) ratio in the blood.
Parameters included (4)
- Total Protein
- Albumin
- Globulin
- Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio
Why is this test done?
- Looking into swelling of the legs, face or abdomen
- Checking how well the liver makes protein in long-standing liver disease
- Following protein loss in nephrotic syndrome or other kidney disease
- Assessing nutrition in weight loss, poor appetite, older age or long illness
- Investigating a high globulin level, which can point to long-lasting inflammation or a blood disorder
When should you get tested?
- Swollen feet, a puffy face or fluid in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss or muscle wasting
- Foamy urine along with swelling
- Long-lasting diarrhoea or poor absorption of food
- Persistent tiredness with bone pain or repeated infections
How to prepare for the Total Protein & Albumin Test
- 1No fasting is needed for this test.
- 2Drink your usual amount of water. Dehydration makes protein values look falsely high.
- 3Tell staff if you are pregnant, because normal pregnancy lowers albumin and total protein.
- 4Mention any recent drips or albumin infusions from a hospital stay, as they change the result.
Total Protein & Albumin Test normal range
| Parameter | Typical reference range |
|---|---|
| Total protein | 6.0–8.3 g/dL |
| Albumin | 3.5–5.0 g/dL |
| Globulin | 2.0–3.5 g/dL |
| A/G ratio | About 1.0–2.2 |
Globulin and the A/G ratio are calculated from the other two values, not measured separately. Ranges are typical adult values and vary between labs, age and sex. Always use the range printed on your report and discuss results with your doctor.
Understanding your results
- Low albumin can come from long-standing liver disease, protein loss through the kidneys or gut, severe inflammation or poor nutrition. Very low values can contribute to swelling.
- High total protein with high albumin usually reflects dehydration, because albumin does not truly climb above normal from diet.
- High globulin with a low A/G ratio can reflect long-lasting infection, autoimmune disease or liver disease. Less often it signals multiple myeloma, which doctors check with a further test called serum protein electrophoresis.
- Low albumin also makes total calcium look lower than it really is, so your doctor may use a corrected calcium value before acting on a calcium report.
Total Protein & Albumin Test – FAQs
What is the price of the Total Protein & Albumin Test?
The Serum Total Protein & Albumin Test costs ₹300 at Live Line Health Care, at all 45 centres and for home sample collection.
What does a low A/G ratio mean?
A low ratio means there is too little albumin, too much globulin, or both. Common reasons are long-standing liver disease, kidney protein loss, chronic infection and autoimmune illness. Rarely it reflects multiple myeloma. The ratio only points the direction, so your doctor will look at the individual numbers and may order further tests.
Can eating more protein raise my albumin?
Only if too little protein was the real cause. Most low albumin in adults comes from liver disease, kidney loss or inflammation, and these do not correct with diet alone. Albumin also stays in the blood for around three weeks, so changes show slowly. Ask a doctor or dietitian before using protein powders.
Is this the same as a liver function test?
No. These four protein values form part of a full LFT, but this test leaves out bilirubin and the liver enzymes SGOT, SGPT, ALP and GGT. Protein levels change late in liver disease, so they cannot replace an LFT when liver damage is the question. Book the LFT if your doctor wants a complete picture.
Does low albumin cause swelling?
It can. Albumin holds water inside blood vessels, so when it falls very low, fluid leaks into the tissues, especially the feet, face and abdomen. Swelling also has other common causes, including heart, kidney and vein problems and some BP tablets. Have it examined by a doctor instead of assuming one reason.
What is a normal total protein and albumin level?
Adults typically have a total protein of 6.0–8.3 g/dL and albumin of 3.5–5.0 g/dL, with globulin of about 2.0–3.5 g/dL. Pregnancy and older age can lower albumin slightly. Your report’s printed range takes priority, because different methods give slightly different limits.
Where can I get the Total Protein & Albumin Test done?
At any of our 45 Live Line Health Care centres in 40 cities across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, including Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Warangal, Kakinada and Nellore, or book home sample collection.
Medical disclaimer: This information is for general awareness only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult a qualified doctor to interpret your results and before starting or changing any treatment.