Latest Labs, Albumin dropped a tad again

I have upped my protein by 80 grams more a day fro the last 2 monthsish hoping to get my albumin up but it dropped from 3.6 to 3.5. I also had an iron infusion and started taking a some liver detox herbs which brought my liver enzymes back down significantly. I think everything is looking good except for the albumin. MajorMom, you are my guru. Please let me know what you think!

 

11/24/2015 14:24

WBC

8.20 thous/uL

(4.00 - 11.00)

11/24/2015 14:24

RBC

3.98 mil/uL

(3.80 - 5.50)

11/24/2015 14:24

Hgb

12.5 g/dL

(11.6 - 15.6)

11/24/2015 14:24

Hct

36.3 %

(36.0 - 48.0)

11/24/2015 14:24

MCV

91 fL

(80 - 100)

11/24/2015 14:24

MCH

31.4 pg

(26.0 - 34.0)

11/24/2015 14:24

MCHC

34.4 g/dL

(30.0 - 36.0)

11/24/2015 14:24

RDW-CV

13.9 %

(11.7 - 14.3)

11/24/2015 14:24

RDW-SD

46.5 fL

(36.0 - 48.5)

11/24/2015 14:24

Platelet

231 thous/uL

(130 - 400)

11/24/2015 14:24

MPV

10.5 fL

(9.5 - 10.5)

11/24/2015 14:24

Glucose Level

80 mg/dL

(60 - 99)

11/24/2015 14:24

BUN

16 mg/dL

(8 - 20)

11/24/2015 14:24

Creatinine

0.7 mg/dL

(0.3 - 1.5)

11/24/2015 14:24

Sodium

139 mmol/L

(137 - 147)

11/24/2015 14:24

K Plasma

4.10 mmol/L

(3.40 - 4.80)

11/24/2015 14:24

Chloride

107 mmol/L

(98 - 110)

11/24/2015 14:24

CO2

26 mmol/L

(24 - 32)

11/24/2015 14:24

AGAP

6

(5 - 20)

11/24/2015 14:24

AST (SGOT)

26 Unit/L

(10 - 37)

11/24/2015 14:24

TBil

0.7 mg/dL

(0.1 - 1.1)

11/24/2015 14:24

ALT (SGPT)

66 Unit/L

(12 - 78)

11/24/2015 14:24

Alk Phos

64 Unit/L

(45 - 117)

11/24/2015 14:24

Calcium

8.6 mg/dL

(8.5 - 10.1)

11/24/2015 14:24

T. Protein

6.8 g/dL

(6.0 - 8.4)

11/24/2015 14:24

Albumin

3.5 g/dL

(3.2 - 4.7)

11/24/2015 14:24

Iron

72 mcg/dL

(50 - 170)

11/24/2015 14:24

Ferritin

74.0 ng/mL

(8.0 - 252.0)

11/24/2015 14:24

TSH

1.140 microInternatl.Unit/mL

(0.358 - 3.740)

11/24/2015 14:24

T4, Free

1.0 ng/dL

(0.9 - 1.8)

11/24/2015 14:24

GFR MDRD

>60.0 mL/min/1.73m2

Forgot to add that I started more calcium but it only came up a little, it was 8.5. The doctor forgot to order PTH so I'll have to get that drawn soon.

Good catch.

I did get my PTH (24) and new calcium (9) So looking good there!

Hmm...the albumin should have come up some with that kind of increase in protein. So, the most absorbable proteins are whey protein isolate, eggs, dairy, and lastly meat. Whey protein because it's already pre-digested and includes all the Amino acids. You might have to push the protein shakes up to 120 grams or more to bring the albumin up. Have one every hour or so, sort of like taking medicine.

--gina

I have been drinking the whey isolate. There's no point than doing more than about 30 grams of protein at a time, right? I am thinking about buying some powdered egg whites and adding them to everything that I can. Do you think trying to add BCAA amino acids could help? I think I might try it. I will try to push more protein, it will be hard! I might have to resort to some ready made shakes.

I agree with the 30 grams at a time, sort of like taking medicine throughout the day. It sounds you're doing the right things. Perhaps try what you've suggested and retest in a couple of months.

This is giving me some anxiety. The other angle I'm going to try and maybe I'm crazy, is when my albumin dropped is when I switched labs. I'm going to try the old lab and see what my results are. I'll wait around a month or so. I also stopped the liver detox so I'll see if my enzymes stay low. Ugh, I hate this!

Worth a shot, not all labs are the same. Keep us posted.

--gina

FWIW, I don't buy the 30 g of protein at a time thing.

 

The study it was based upon was done with red meat on normal healthy individuals.  They tested if eating a larger piece of meat at a meal would increase the amount of protein uptake and it did not.  OK, good to know. 

 

But, we know protein uptake is different for different foods and we also know that bodies that are protein deficient will have a different uptake profile.  So, while the original is study is interesting, it doesn't speak anything to what would  happen if you drank 50g of whey isolate 4 times a day .vs. four 30g ones. 

 

Also, digestion is a function of input foods and amounts and time.   So, perhaps slamming a 25 g whey isolate shot would be the same as shooting a 50 g one, but in the real world, you probably sip on a several oz drink over an hour (or two???) and probably have some food running through you as well.   I know when I'm having to drink lots of protein shakes, it starts taking me longer and longer and longer to get through them.  Also, American Bariatric Surgeons say that keeping your carbs above 100 will really help your body absorb more protein, although I haven't seen where they got their data to base this opinion upon. 

 

Bottom line, there is no agreed upon scientific rule of protein ingestion.  

 

I don't know where that leaves you, but at least you know it is not as simple as a limit at 30 g at once.

 

Good luck!!!