A patient seated in the chair before a blood draw
In person

Albumin

The main protein in your blood, measured from one standard draw.

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  • 2,000+ lab locations. Find one near you
  • Nothing due at the lab. FSA / HSA accepted
  • Ordered by a licensed clinician

At a glance

Collection
Blood draw
A standard blood draw at the lab.
Preparation
None
Nothing to do ahead of time. Water is fine.
Results
1 to 2 days
Typical turnaround after your visit.
Where
2,000+ lab locations
Nationwide, with nothing due at the lab.

About this test

Albumin is the main protein in your blood. Your liver makes it, and it helps keep fluid inside your blood vessels while carrying hormones, vitamins, and enzymes. It is usually read with your liver and kidney results rather than on its own. No fasting is needed.

For adults 18 and older. Test availability varies by lab location.

Who should take this test?

This test is for adults whose healthcare provider wants to follow an albumin result, or who want to check this protein alongside their liver and kidney results.

Ask about this test

Not sure this is the right test?

AI-generated. For information only, not medical advice. Call 911 for an emergency.

What does this test measure?

Your result shows how much albumin is in your blood, which can help you and a healthcare provider see how it fits with your liver, kidney, and other results.

Albumin
Albumin is the main protein your liver makes. It helps keep fluid inside your blood vessels and carries hormones, vitamins, medicines, and minerals such as calcium through your blood. Levels can change with liver or kidney conditions, hydration, and longer-term illness.
Why it’s measured: Reflects liver protein production and fluid balance in the blood.

How it works

  1. Step 1

    Order online

    Check out here. A licensed clinician in your state reviews your order and sends it to the lab.

  2. Step 2

    Visit a lab

    Bring a photo ID to any of 2,000+ lab locations. No fasting needed, and nothing is due at the lab.

  3. Step 3

    Get your results

    Results post to your account, usually in 1 to 2 days, each number next to the lab’s reference range.

Find a lab near you

Choose from 2,000+ lab locations nationwide. Your order works at any of them.

What your results tell you

Albumin is reported in grams per deciliter (g/dL) and compared with the lab’s reference range, which is shown on your report.

  • Your number next to the lab’s reference range
  • Explained in plain language
  • A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test.
  • A lab report you can download and share

A result outside the range has many possible causes, so talk with a healthcare provider about what it means alongside your other results.

Clinical-grade testing, from the comfort of home.

From the lab to your report, every step of our process meets the gold standard in medical testing.

  • CLIA-certified labs

    Every lab we partner with is certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, meeting both state and federal standards with regular independent inspections.

  • We protect your health data

    We protect your health data with encryption and do not sell it. Some results must be reported to public health authorities by law. See our Privacy Notice.

  • Rigorous quality assurance

    All partner labs run regular internal quality checks, participate in proficiency testing, and comply with federal and state lab regulations.

  • Clinician-reviewed reports

    Results are reviewed by an independent, licensed clinician.

Questions

Common questions.

Anything else, our care team answers by phone, text, or email.

Albumin is a protein made by your liver, and it makes up a large share of the protein in your blood. It helps keep fluid from leaking out of your blood vessels into nearby tissues, and it carries hormones, vitamins, and enzymes through the body.

Albumin can fall when the liver makes less of it or when the body loses it, for example into urine through the kidneys, through the gut, or through the skin. A high albumin result is usually linked to dehydration.

Because many things can move it, a healthcare provider reads albumin with your other results and history.

This test measures albumin in your blood. A urine albumin (microalbumin) test looks for small amounts of albumin passing into urine, which is a kidney question. The two tests answer different questions, and a healthcare provider may use one or both.

No. Albumin is one piece of information. It does not show which organ or condition is involved, and a result within the range does not by itself mean your liver and kidneys are healthy. That is why it is usually read with other results, such as a metabolic or liver panel.

Lab tests are informational and don’t diagnose conditions on their own. Available to adults 18 and older; test availability varies by lab location. A licensed clinician reviews your order and, if appropriate, orders the test. All testing is performed at CLIA-certified laboratories. Not for emergencies: if you think you may be having a medical emergency, call 911.