Total Protein
Abbreviation: TP
Panel: Metabolic, Kidney & Electrolytes · All metabolic & kidney tests
Typical adult reference range
| Conventional units | 6.0–8.3 g/dL |
| SI units | 60–83 g/L |
Ranges vary between laboratories and methods — compare your result with the range printed on your own report.
What a high or low result can mean
High total protein: high values can be seen in dehydration and some plasma cell or chronic inflammatory disorders.
Low total protein: low values may occur with malnutrition, liver disease, or protein loss.
These are associations, not a diagnosis: the same result can have several causes, and your clinician interprets it with the rest of your results and history.
Good to know
Includes albumin and globulins.
Related tests — Metabolic, Kidney & Electrolytes
Please note: Reference ranges vary between laboratories, and between the methods and instruments they use — the range printed on your own report is the one your result should be compared with. A result outside the range is not by itself a diagnosis, and a result inside it does not rule out illness. These pages are an educational summary, not medical advice: always discuss your results with the clinician who ordered them, who can interpret them in the context of your health and history.