Low Albumin/total Protein

[trents]

Have any of you experienced moderately depressed albumin/total protein levels in your celiac experience? Mine began to drop about 10 years ago. At the same time my liver ezymes became mildly elevalated. This phenomenon continued without any answers from my family doctor who tested me for all the hepatitis strains which were all negative. Finally, a gastroenteroligist diagnosed me with Celiac's disease and when I went on a gluten free diet (about 2 1/2 years ago) the liver enzymes and iron levels were back to normal within three or four months. However, the albumin/total protein had not shown much improvement. I would have thought their would be enough healing by now for that to normalize, expecially when the other labs showed that the gluten free diet was working.

[lonewolf]

Do you also have edema? Have you had any kidney tests done? A simple urine test can show if you are "spilling" protein through your urine, which would result in slightly low levels of albumin and total protein. This (along with elevated liver enzymes) can be a symptom of something called Nephrotic Syndrome. (High cholesterol is often a symptom too.) I have a form of Nephrotic Syndrome that I have controlled well with a gluten-free diet, even though the doctor said it wouldn't have any effect. I haven't had any tests done in the past year and a half (I'm in remission) but the last time I was tested my albumin/total protein was at the very low end of normal. You might want to ask your doctor to do urine test to check for protein.