Low Protein in Blood (Hypoproteinemia): Causes & Treatments

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Low protein in blood (hypoproteinemia) means that a blood test shows you have abnormally low levels of protein in your blood. Many things may cause low protein in blood. Malnutrition is a common cause. But issues like some autoimmune diseases, liver disease or kidney disease may cause hypoproteinemia. Treatment varies depending on the underlying cause.

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Low protein in blood (hypoproteinemia) means the protein levels in your blood are below the normal range. Protein builds and maintains your immune system, muscles and organs. Tracking protein levels in blood is one of the many ways for healthcare providers to check on your overall health or diagnose illness.

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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

There are two main types of protein in your blood — albumin and globulin:

• Albumin. Albumin is a protein in your blood plasma. It keeps fluid from leaking from your bloodstream.
• Globulin. Globulin forms blood clots and keeps your liver and kidneys working like they should.

Blood tests may detect lower-than-normal levels of either or both types of protein. You may learn you have hypoproteinemia after a routine blood test. Or your provider may order a blood test because you have symptoms of hypoproteinemia. Many things may affect the level of proteins in your blood, and not all of them are serious medical issues.

Low protein in your blood may be linked to any different symptoms, including:

• Brittle hair, hair loss and loss of hair pigment
• Dry skin, rashes and sores
• Edema (fluid buildup) in the stomach or lower limbs
• Fatigue
• Frequent infections
• Itchy skin (pruritus)
• Jaundice

Several conditions and diseases can affect the amount of protein in your blood. Some common causes of hypoproteinemia are:

• Autoimmune disease. Diseases like celiac disease and Crohn’s disease can cause malabsorption.
• Infection or inflammation. Your body needs more protein when you have an infection or a condition that causes inflammation.
• Increased metabolism. Illness or activity can speed up your metabolism, so your body needs more protein than usual.
• Kidney disease. Nephrotic syndrome and other kidney diseases may cause low protein levels in your blood.
• Liver disease. Diseases like cirrhosis and hepatitis can affect your liver’s ability to make and use albumin.
• Malnutrition. This is when your body doesn’t get the nutrients that it needs.
• Pregnancy. You may develop hypoproteinemia during pregnancy and breastfeeding. In pregnancy, you need more protein to support fetal development. You still need more protein if you’re breastfeeding your newborn.

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Not getting enough protein from the food you eat can also cause hypoproteinemia.

Hypoproteinemia may be a sign of serious medical conditions like kidney disease or liver disease. Without treatment, these diseases may be life-threatening. Severe hypoproteinemia may lead to kwashiorkor. This is a type of malnutrition that happens in severe protein deficiency.

A healthcare provider will do specific blood tests to diagnose low protein in blood. Tests may include:

In this case, blood tests measure levels by grams per deciliter (g/dL). Normal ranges are:

• Total proteins: 6.3 to 8.0 g/dL
• Albumin: 3.9 to 4.9 g/dL
• Globulin: 2.0 to 3.5 g/dL

A total protein test also shows the ratio of albumin to globulin or A/G ratio. The A/G ratio is a measure of the amount of albumin proteins in blood compared to globulins. Typically, your body has slightly more albumin than globulins. A normal A/G ratio is slightly more than 1.

Your healthcare provider will explain what the test results mean in your case. For example, if they think you may have kidney or liver disease, they’ll order additional tests to learn more.

Your treatment will depend on the underlying cause. For example, if your protein levels are low due to pregnancy or malnutrition, your healthcare provider may recommend the best ways to boost your protein intake. If you have an eating disorder, liver disease or kidney disease, boosting protein intake may be just one part of your treatment.

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What you can expect depends on the underlying cause. Since several things may cause the condition, your healthcare provider is your best resource for information on what having low protein in your blood means in your situation.

In some cases, eating well can help to keep your protein levels on an even keel. But there are conditions, like liver and kidney disease that can cause low protein in blood. You may not be able to prevent those.

Protein helps your body to form muscle, transport nutrients and build and repair tissue. Getting enough protein is an important part of eating well. You can take care of yourself by making sure you’re eating a wide range of protein-filled foods.

But hypoproteinemia may be a sign of an underlying condition that requires different kinds of treatment. In that case, a provider will recommend ways you can take care of yourself, like managing treatment side effects.

That depends on the reason why you have low protein in your blood. Your healthcare provider will explain when you should contact them. For example, they’ll explain symptoms that could be signs your condition is getting worse.

You may find out you have low protein in your blood (hypoproteinemia) after a routine blood test — or after your healthcare provider orders blood protein tests because you have certain symptoms and signs that low protein may cause. Either way, you’ll probably have questions about test results that show low protein in your blood. There are several reasons why your protein levels are lower than normal. Don’t hesitate to ask your provider what your test results mean. They’ll be glad to explain the results and any next steps.

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Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability and up-to-date clinical standards.

Cleveland Clinic’s health articles are based on evidence-backed information and review by medical professionals to ensure accuracy, reliability and up-to-date clinical standards.

• National Health Service (U.K.) Total protein test (https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/total-protein-test/). Updated 10/18/2017. Accessed 11/20/2024.
• U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 (https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf). 9th ed. December 2020. Accessed 11/20/2024.
• Wang QR, Long J, Wang CC, et.al. Case report of atypical undernutrition of hypoproteinemia type (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10693009/). Open Life Sci. 2023 Nov 29;18(1):20220766. Accessed 11/20/2024.
• Watford M, Wu G. Protein (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30060014/). Adv Nutr. 2018 Sep 1;9(5):651-653. Accessed 11/20/2024.

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