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What is a protein in urine test and what do the results mean?
Detecting higher levels of protein in urine can help doctors diagnose a variety of health conditions. Find out more about what protein in urine is.
If you hear the term “protein in urine,” it may sound alarming at first. But it’s natural to have a little protein in your urine. It’s only an issue when levels creep higher than normal. When that happens, it could signal a kidney problem or another health issue.
“When high protein levels are detected in the urine, it can be a sign of kidney disease,” says Kirk Campbell, MD. He is a nephrologist and professor of medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City and president-elect of the National Kidney Foundation. “High protein levels in urine can be from a variety of underlying causes, including genetic conditions, diabetes, or inflammatory diseases.”
Protein in urine is also known as proteinuria. It can also be called albuminuria, for a protein known as albumin that can be a sign of chronic kidney disease that specifically affects the kidney filtering units, glomeruli.
Find out more about the causes and signs of high levels of protein in your urine and how the condition is treated.
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What does protein in urine mean?
If the kidneys are letting too much protein into your urine, it means that something is likely off with their filtration system. A small amount of protein is considered less than 150 milligrams (mg) per day. If levels are higher than that, it’s considered proteinuria.
Healthy kidneys remove (filter) waste products, fluids, and toxins from blood to make urine. They don’t remove proteins and other essential nutrients your body needs. If your kidneys are damaged, they may allow protein to seep into your urine.
When those proteins end up in the urine when you use the bathroom, your body may have a more limited chance to fight infection, repair damaged tissues, build muscles and bones, and regulate fluid levels in your blood, according to Cleveland Clinic.
What causes protein in urine?
Underlying health problems can cause long-lasting high levels of protein in urine. These medical issues may be the cause of it, according to the American Kidney Fund:
- Kidney disease
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Family history of kidney disease
- Pregnancy
- Preeclampsia, which is a type of high blood pressure that happens during pregnancy
Higher levels of protein in the urine don’t always mean that there’s a serious underlying condition though. There can also be simple, short-term explanations for the symptoms. Factors such as dehydration, stress, and intense exercise can lead to proteinuria, as can conditions like low blood pressure, kidney stones, and inflammation.
Signs you may have protein in your urine
“The primary symptom is frothy or foamy urine, “says Dr. Campbell. But that doesn’t always mean that you have proteinuria.
“Sometimes the foam can have other causes, such as different dietary intakes,” says Dr. Campbell. “Conversely, sometimes you can have the presence of protein without having foamy urine as a symptom.”
Other symptoms of protein in urine include:
- Swelling in your hands, feet, abdomen, or face
- Urinating more frequently
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps at night
How doctors and Matrix clinicians test for protein in urine
The urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) is an important test to identify kidney damage, according to the National Kidney Foundation. It measures the amount of the protein albumin and creatinine (a waste product that’s removed from the body through the kidneys) in your urine
The test is conducted with a urine sample, where you’ll be asked to urinate in a specimen cup. A lower number is better for this test. Ideally, it should be below 30. A number higher than that may be a sign that you have kidney disease.
Your Matrix Medical Network in-home health assessment may include this urine test to screen for chronic kidney disease.
Recommended reading: The screening tests that can help catch chronic kidney disease
What to do if you have high protein levels in your urine
There are many reasons why you may have protein in your urine and many ways to treat it too. What your health care provider recommends will depend on the underlying cause of the problem.
If you have diabetes, your doctor will help create a treatment plan that may include checking your blood sugar often, taking medications, eating a healthy diet, and being active most days of the week.
If you have high blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe medications to lower it and slow down damage to the kidneys. If your blood pressure is low, you should schedule annual urine tests and blood pressure checks.
“If dietary changes are recommended, you’ll need to pay attention to your sodium intake,” says Patricia Wells, FNP, a family nurse practitioner with Matrix Medical Network in Detroit. The daily recommended amount of sodium is 2,300 mg a day for adults, but people with kidney problems are often advised to eat less than that. (Learn more about 7 easy ways to cut back on salt (and why it matters).)
Pay attention to the serving size when looking at labels, and try to limit sodium-laden foods like frozen dinners and canned foods. “One ounce of Parmesan cheese has 454 mg of sodium, so it’s easy to see how sodium intake can creep up throughout the day when you’re not paying attention,” Wells adds.
Recommended reading: How to eat when you have kidney disease
See our sources:
Causes of protein in urine: Cleveland Clinic and American Kidney Fund
Testing for protein in urine: National Kidney Foundation
Sodium in your diet: U.S. Food and Drug Administration
