Albumin - NOT a marker of malnutrition

 Albumin

- Half life 20 days


- Strong Negative acute phase reactant


- Causes of hypoalbuminemia
   a) Inflammation - reduced production by liver / increased catabolism
   b) Increased losses - Urine / Gut


- Note: Albumin is NOT a marker of nutritional status in general


- low albumin is a/w poor outcomes in general for above reasons


A systematic review assessed the role of albumin and prealbumin in otherwise healthy subjects who were severely nutrient- deprived due to poor access to food or unwillingness to eat, mostly due to anorexia nervosa [40]. The study showed that serum albumin and prealbumin levels were maintained even in the presence of distinct weight loss, and they were lowered only during extreme starvation (BMI < 11 kg/m2). 


Serum Albumin and Prealbumin in Calorically Restricted, Nondiseased Individuals: A&nbsp;Systematic Review | Elsevier Enhanced Reader - is my fav paper really debunking the age-old myth of albumin and nutrition, once and for all.

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