# Total protein: Albumin plus globulins, in one number

> Total protein is albumin plus globulins. Check your result, work out your globulin, and see what a high or low total protein usually means.

- Also called Protein, total and Serum total protein
- Often on a standard checkup
- Fast for 12 hours
- Web page: https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/total-protein

## The short answer

Total protein is all the protein in your blood. That’s albumin, which your liver makes, plus globulins, which include your antibodies. Labcorp’s range is 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL, and the number means more once you split it into those two parts.[1][2][3]

- **A good result:** 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL.[2]
- **If yours is high:** Often you were a little dehydrated. If your globulin is high, the usual causes are inflammation, liver disease or an infection such as HIV or hepatitis C.[1][3][6]
- **Should you test?** It comes with most checkup blood tests, alongside albumin. Read the two together.[1]

## What is a normal total protein level?

Labcorp’s range for total protein is 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL.[2] On its own, it says little. What helps is splitting it into albumin and globulin:[1][2]

| Result (g/dL) | What it means |
| --- | --- |
| Under 4.0 | Very low: see a clinician soon |
| 4.0 to 5.9 | Low: check your albumin |
| 6.0 to 8.5 | In the normal range |
| 8.6 or more | High: check your globulin |

### Very low: see a clinician soon

**Range:** Under 4.0 g/dL.

Total protein this low, with a low albumin, causes swelling.[1] Causes include protein lost through the kidneys or gut, and serious liver disease.[1]

**How worried to be:** See a clinician within a few days.

**What to do next:**

1. Take this result to a clinician, with a urine test for protein.[1]

[Test urine albumin, $10.50](https://app.picardo.health/labs/order?tests=140285&ref=guide-total-protein)

### Low: check your albumin

**Range:** 4.0 to 5.9 g/dL.

Start with the albumin on the same report. Common causes of a low total protein are pregnancy, IV fluids, liver or kidney disease, gut diseases that lose protein and long illness.[1] Lying down for a long time before the blood draw, as in hospital, lowers it by 5% to 10%.[1]

**How worried to be:** Not urgent. Worth finding the cause over the next few weeks.

**What to do next:**

1. Work out your globulin: total protein minus albumin. Labcorp’s range for it is 1.5 to 4.5 g/dL.[2]
2. If your albumin is low, that’s the part to explain.[1]
3. If albumin is normal but globulin is 2.0 or less, ask whether your antibody levels should be checked, especially if you get frequent infections.[6]

[Test urine albumin, $10.50](https://app.picardo.health/labs/order?tests=140285&ref=guide-total-protein)

### In the normal range

**Range:** 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL.

Your total protein is within Labcorp’s range.[2]

**How worried to be:** Nothing to worry about.

**What to do next:**

1. Glance at your globulin too, which is total protein minus albumin. Labcorp’s range is 1.5 to 4.5 g/dL.[2] If yours is 2.0 or less and you get frequent or severe infections, ask whether your antibody levels should be checked.[6]

### High: check your globulin

**Range:** 8.6 g/dL or more.

A common reason is dehydration.[1] If your albumin is normal, the extra protein is globulin. That can come from long-term inflammation, liver disease or an infection such as HIV or hepatitis C, and less often from an abnormal antibody, as in MGUS or myeloma.[1][3][6]

**How worried to be:** Not urgent. Worth one follow-up.

**What to do next:**

1. Work out your globulin, which is total protein minus albumin. A gap of more than 4 g/dL makes HIV and hepatitis C more likely, so test for them if you haven’t been tested before.[3]
2. A high globulin on its own doesn’t call for myeloma tests. Clinicians add those when there are other signs, such as anemia, bone pain, kidney problems, high calcium, frequent infections or unexplained weight loss.[3][4]

[Test HIV and hepatitis C, $21.00](https://app.picardo.health/labs/order?tests=083935,144050&ref=guide-total-protein)

## What is total protein?

> Think of total protein as the weight of a bag of groceries. To know what’s going on, you have to look inside: how much is albumin, and how much is globulin.

Your report usually shows four related numbers:[2]

| On your report | Labcorp’s range | What it is |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Total protein | 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL | All the protein in your blood |
| Albumin | Depends on age and sex | The main protein, made by your liver |
| Globulin | 1.5 to 4.5 g/dL | Total protein minus albumin. It includes your antibodies. |
| A/G ratio | 1.2 to 2.2 | Albumin divided by globulin |

Ranges from Labcorp’s reports and test menu.[2][7]

Labs suggest splitting total protein into its parts, with a test called protein electrophoresis, when there’s a clinical reason to.[1]

## What does a high globulin mean?

Globulin rises with long-term inflammation and infection, with liver disease such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, and with autoimmune conditions such as lupus.[1][6] In a study of hospital patients with a very high globulin, liver disease was the most common cause.[6] Less often, globulin comes from an abnormal antibody made by a single family of plasma cells, as in MGUS or myeloma.[3]

On its own, a high globulin is a weak clue for myeloma. In a large US study, a gap of more than 4 g/dL between total protein and albumin picked up only 15% of people with MGUS, a condition in which plasma cells make an abnormal antibody that usually stays harmless. The same gap was a stronger sign of HIV and hepatitis C, and the authors suggest it may justify testing for those instead.[3]

When myeloma is a real question, clinicians use three tests together: serum protein electrophoresis, immunofixation and free light chains. Combined, they find more than 97% of people with an abnormal antibody.[4]

## Should you be screened for MGUS?

Not routinely. MGUS affects 3% of people over 50 and 5% over 70, and it turns into myeloma or a related cancer in 0.5% to 1% of people a year.[4] There’s no evidence yet to support screening the general population, and guidelines don’t recommend it.[4]

The first large trial of screening reported in July 2026. In Iceland, more than 75,000 adults aged 40 and over were tested, and those with MGUS were randomly assigned to different levels of follow-up, including none. Follow-up found 27 times more early, smoldering myeloma and diagnosed myeloma about a year sooner, but it didn’t change how many people developed active myeloma. Whether screening saves lives isn’t known yet.[5]

## What lowers total protein?

- Pregnancy and IV fluids[1]
- Liver disease, including cirrhosis[1]
- Kidney disease that leaks protein into your urine[1]
- Gut diseases that lose protein, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis[1]
- Malnutrition or poor absorption of food[1]
- Burns and severe skin disease[1]

## Who should get a total protein test?

Total protein comes on the comprehensive metabolic panel, so most people get it with routine blood work. There’s rarely a reason to test it on its own. It’s most useful read alongside albumin, especially if you have swelling, or kidney or liver disease.[1]

## How to get a total protein test, and what it costs

It comes from the comprehensive metabolic panel, which costs $4.00 through Picardo.

- [Comprehensive metabolic panel, $4.00](https://app.picardo.health/labs/order?tests=322000&ref=guide-total-protein). The test this number comes from. Labcorp 322000, fast for 12 hours.

Every order comes with:

- Results in 2 to 3 days, in the app
- Physician follow-up if you want one
- Free Labcorp draw, or $75 at home
- No other fees. HSA and FSA eligible.

It’s also part of the [Base Core Annual – Men](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/base-core-men), [Base Core Annual – Women](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/base-core-women), [Heart Health](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/heart-health), [Brain Health Screening](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/brain-health), [Pregnancy](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/pregnancy), [Postpartum](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/postpartum), [Fertility](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/fertility), [Thyroid & Autoimmunity](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/thyroid-autoimmunity) and [Celiac / GI](https://picardo.health/labs/panels/celiac-gi) panels, if you’d rather test more at once.

Already have a result? [Ask Picardo about it](https://app.picardo.health/auth).

## Questions people ask

### What is the A/G ratio?

Your albumin divided by your globulin. Labcorp’s range is 1.2 to 2.2.[2] A low ratio means your globulin is high, your albumin is low or both.

### Can dehydration raise total protein?

Yes, it’s a common reason for a high result. Being short of water concentrates your blood.[1]

### Is a high total protein a sign of cancer?

Usually not. Dehydration, inflammation, infection and liver disease are common causes.[1][6] An abnormal antibody, as in MGUS, becomes more common with age, but MGUS turns into myeloma or a related cancer in only 0.5% to 1% of people a year.[4]

### What does a low globulin mean?

It can be a sign of too few antibodies. In a study of hospital patients, most of those with a globulin of 2.0 g/dL or less had low antibody levels when tested.[6]

## Often checked alongside

- [Albumin](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/albumin.md): The main protein the liver makes
- [ALT](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/alt.md): The enzyme most specific to liver damage
- [hs-CRP](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/hs-crp.md): Low-grade inflammation linked to heart risk
- [Hemoglobin](https://picardo.health/guides/biomarkers/hemoglobin.md): Carries oxygen; low levels mean anemia

## Test details

- **Labcorp test:** Metabolic Panel (14), Comprehensive, 322000
- **LOINC:** 2885-2
- **Sample:** Blood
- **Fasting:** Not needed for total protein itself. The metabolic panel it comes on asks for 12 hours, for its glucose result.
- **Typical lab range:** 6.0 to 8.5 g/dL[2]
- **Globulin (calculated):** 1.5 to 4.5 g/dL[2]
- **Units:** g/dL in the US. For g/L, multiply by 10.

## Sources

1. Labcorp. Protein, total, test 001073. Labcorp test menu. Accessed October 28, 2026. https://www.labcorp.com/tests/001073/protein-total
2. Labcorp. Comprehensive metabolic panel (14), test 322000: sample report. Labcorp test menu. Accessed October 28, 2026. https://files.labcorp.com/testmenu-d8/sample_reports/322000.pdf
3. Liu GY, Tang O, Brotman DJ, et al. Gamma gap thresholds and HIV, hepatitis C, and monoclonal gammopathy. PLoS One. 2020;15(1):e0224977. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0224977
4. Liu Y, Parks AL. Diagnosis and management of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance: a review. JAMA Intern Med. 2025;185(4):450–456. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.8124
5. Rögnvaldsson S, Thorsteinsdóttir S, Eythorsson E, et al. Clinical and psychological outcomes after monoclonal gammopathy screening: a population-based screening study and subsequent randomized trial of follow-up. J Clin Oncol. 2026;44(29):2781–2786. https://doi.org/10.1200/JCO-25-02771
6. Hoo T, Lim EM, John M, et al. Calculated globulin as a screening tool for hypogammaglobulinaemia or paraproteins in hospitalized patients. Ann Clin Biochem. 2021;58(3):236–243. https://doi.org/10.1177/0004563221989737
7. Labcorp. Albumin, test 001081. Labcorp test menu. Accessed October 28, 2026. https://www.labcorp.com/tests/001081/albumin

Updated 2026-10-28. This is general health information, not medical advice: talk to your clinician about your results and before changing any treatment.