Total protein blood test
In short
A typical adult total protein result is 6.3 to 7.9 g/dL. A mildly high total protein is often from not drinking enough, which concentrates the blood. A rise that lasts is usually from extra globulins, so the globulin result matters most. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
All the protein in the liquid part of blood.
Total protein adds up the two main groups of protein in blood: albumin and globulins. Albumin is made by the liver, and globulins include the antibodies that fight infection. Doctors read it with albumin and globulin to see which group is changing.
Is my Total protein high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | 6.3–7.9 | g/dL |
| Adults | 63–79 | g/L |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your Total protein is high
A mildly high total protein is often from not drinking enough, which concentrates the blood. A rise that lasts is usually from extra globulins, so the globulin result matters most.
Common reasons
- Not drinking enough fluid, or losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea
- The arm band (tourniquet) left on too long during the blood draw
- Long-lasting inflammation or infection, which raises antibody levels
- Less often: a blood cancer that makes one abnormal protein, such as myeloma
If your Total protein is low
A slightly low total protein often reflects a low albumin, such as during an illness. The albumin and globulin results show which part is low.
Common reasons
- A recent illness or inflammation, which lowers albumin
- Pregnancy, when extra fluid in the blood dilutes proteins
- Lying down during the blood draw, or long bed rest
- Not eating enough protein, or poor absorption from the gut
- Less often: protein loss through the kidneys or gut
- Less often: liver disease or a weak immune system that makes few antibodies
What can throw it off
Not drinking enough and the arm band (tourniquet) left on too long raise it; lying down lowers it.
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1Is it my albumin or my globulin that is off?
- 2Could not drinking enough have affected this?
- 3Do I need a test that sorts my blood proteins by type?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read Total protein alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the total protein blood test?
Total protein: All the protein in the liquid part of blood. Total protein adds up the two main groups of protein in blood: albumin and globulins. Albumin is made by the liver, and globulins include the antibodies that fight infection. Doctors read it with albumin and globulin to see which group is changing.
What is a normal total protein level?
For most adults, total protein is typically 6.3 to 7.9 g/dL. Some countries print it in g/L, so check the unit first. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a high total protein mean?
A mildly high total protein is often from not drinking enough, which concentrates the blood. A rise that lasts is usually from extra globulins, so the globulin result matters most. Common reasons include not drinking enough fluid, or losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea; the arm band (tourniquet) left on too long during the blood draw; long-lasting inflammation or infection, which raises antibody levels; and less often: a blood cancer that makes one abnormal protein, such as myeloma. A doctor reads it together with your other results and how you feel.
What does a low total protein mean?
A slightly low total protein often reflects a low albumin, such as during an illness. The albumin and globulin results show which part is low. Common reasons include a recent illness or inflammation, which lowers albumin; pregnancy, when extra fluid in the blood dilutes proteins; lying down during the blood draw, or long bed rest; and not eating enough protein, or poor absorption from the gut.
What can affect my total protein result?
Not drinking enough and the arm band (tourniquet) left on too long raise it; lying down lowers it.
What should I ask my doctor about my total protein?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: Is it my albumin or my globulin that is off? Could not drinking enough have affected this? Do I need a test that sorts my blood proteins by type?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
Vita: Health Coach on the App StoreSources
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories — Protein, Total, Serum
- MedlinePlus — Total protein
- University of Rochester Medical Center — Total protein and A/G ratio
Stuck on a word? See the medical words. How we choose our sources. More about Vita Health Coach.