What does it mean if your protein is high on a blood test?

January 3, 2026 •

4 min read

According to the Cleveland Clinic, high blood protein levels—a condition also known as hyperproteinemia—do not cause symptoms themselves but may indicate that you have an underlying disease. Your total protein blood test, which measures albumin and globulin, can be a first indicator, but further investigation is often necessary to understand what does it mean if your protein is high on a blood test.

Quick Summary

An elevated protein level on a blood test is a finding that warrants further investigation, as it can be caused by dehydration, chronic inflammation, infection, or more serious conditions like blood disorders. Additional tests are needed to determine the specific cause.

Key Points

Not a Disease: A high protein level (hyperproteinemia) is a lab result, not a disease itself; it indicates an underlying condition.
Common Causes: The most frequent cause is simple dehydration, which concentrates proteins in the blood due to reduced fluid volume.
Inflammation and Infection: Chronic infections like hepatitis or inflammatory diseases like lupus can raise globulin levels as the body produces more antibodies.
Serious Conditions: Blood disorders like multiple myeloma cause an overproduction of specific abnormal proteins and are a more serious cause of high protein.
Further Testing: Additional tests, such as Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP) and checking the A/G ratio, are needed to identify the exact cause.
Context is Key: Your doctor will interpret the results based on your overall health, symptoms, and hydration status.
Treatment Focus: The approach to treatment always targets the root cause of the elevated protein, not the high protein level itself.

Understanding the Total Protein Test

Your blood plasma contains two main types of protein: albumin and globulins. The total protein test measures the total amount of these proteins circulating in your bloodstream.

Albumin: Produced by the liver, albumin is the most abundant protein and helps maintain fluid balance, transport nutrients, and regulate blood pressure.
Globulins: This group of proteins, which includes antibodies (immunoglobulins), is crucial for fighting infections and transporting hormones and enzymes.

High total protein can be caused by an increase in either albumin or globulins, or a combination of both.

Common Causes of High Blood Protein (Hyperproteinemia)

The causes for a high protein reading on a blood test can range from temporary and harmless to signs of a more serious, chronic condition.

Dehydration

The most frequent cause of elevated total protein is dehydration. When your body loses fluid due to low intake, sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, your blood volume decreases. The protein content, however, remains constant, causing it to become more concentrated. This effect, known as hemoconcentration, leads to a falsely high protein reading on the test. Correcting hydration levels typically resolves this issue and brings protein levels back to normal.

Chronic Inflammation and Infection

Long-term (chronic) inflammation or ongoing infections can trigger your immune system to produce more antibodies, which are a type of globulin. This increased globulin production can lead to a sustained high total protein count. Examples of conditions that can cause this include:

Chronic viral infections such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, or HIV/AIDS
Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or inflammatory bowel disease
Chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis
Severe, long-standing inflammatory diseases

Blood and Bone Marrow Disorders

Some conditions affecting the bone marrow and plasma cells can cause an overproduction of certain proteins, specifically immunoglobulins. This is a more serious cause of hyperproteinemia.

Multiple Myeloma: A cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow, this condition is a significant cause of high protein levels. It leads to the production of excessive amounts of abnormal, or monoclonal, proteins (M-proteins).
Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS): This is a non-cancerous condition where the body produces an abnormal protein. MGUS can sometimes progress to multiple myeloma.
Waldenström's Macroglobulinemia: This is a rare type of blood cancer that causes an overproduction of an immunoglobulin called IgM.

Liver or Kidney Disease

While certain liver and kidney conditions can cause high protein, others can cause low protein, making the interpretation complex. For example, certain liver conditions that cause active inflammation can increase globulin production. The kidneys are responsible for filtering waste, so impaired kidney function can also affect how proteins are processed, leading to imbalances.

Next Steps: What to Do After an Elevated Result

Your doctor will likely order additional tests to get more information about what is causing your high protein level. A single test is not enough for a diagnosis. Your hydration status and recent health can impact results.

Diagnostic Tools

Serum Protein Electrophoresis (SPEP): This test separates the blood proteins into five fractions (albumin, alpha-1, alpha-2, beta, and gamma) to help pinpoint which specific protein is elevated. This is crucial for diagnosing plasma cell disorders like multiple myeloma.
Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio: The ratio of albumin to globulin can provide further diagnostic clues. An abnormal ratio, particularly a low one, can point towards liver disease or an autoimmune disorder.
Urine Analysis: A urine test may be used to check for protein in the urine (proteinuria), which can indicate a kidney issue.
Imaging Tests: Scans like X-rays, CTs, or MRIs may be ordered to check for organ or bone involvement if a serious condition is suspected.

Treatment and Management

Treatment is always aimed at the underlying cause of the hyperproteinemia, not the high protein level itself.

For Dehydration: Simply increasing fluid intake is the primary treatment.
For Infections: Antibiotics or antiviral medications will be used to treat the underlying infection.
For Inflammatory/Autoimmune Conditions: Treatment may involve anti-inflammatory drugs or immunosuppressants to manage the immune response.
For Blood Disorders: These conditions require specialized treatment, which can include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or other advanced interventions depending on the specific diagnosis.

Comparison of High Protein Causes


Condition	Main Cause	Protein Involved	Common Symptoms	Associated Factors
Dehydration	Decreased blood plasma volume	Concentration of albumin and globulins increases	Thirst, dark urine, fatigue, dry mouth	Can be temporary, resolves with rehydration
Chronic Infection	Immune system over-activity	Increased globulins (antibodies)	Persistent fatigue, recurring fevers, unexplained weight loss	Long-term viral infections (e.g., Hepatitis)
Multiple Myeloma	Cancer of plasma cells	Excess monoclonal proteins (M-proteins)	Bone pain, unexplained fractures, fatigue, frequent infections	Requires specialized diagnosis via SPEP
Autoimmune Disease	Immune system attacking healthy cells	Elevated globulins	Joint pain, fatigue, swelling, depending on specific disease	Diseases like lupus or rheumatoid arthritis
Liver Disease	Impaired liver function	Abnormal protein production, especially globulins	Jaundice, fatigue, swelling in abdomen or legs	Chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis

Conclusion

An elevated protein level on a blood test is a diagnostic finding, not a diagnosis in itself. It is a signpost pointing toward an underlying condition that requires further investigation. While the cause can be as simple as dehydration, a thorough medical evaluation is necessary to rule out more serious issues such as blood disorders or chronic inflammatory diseases. Working closely with your healthcare provider for proper diagnosis through follow-up tests like serum protein electrophoresis and addressing the root cause is the correct course of action to manage your health effectively.

For more information on the diagnostic tools used, you can refer to the Cleveland Clinic website.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, a high blood protein level is not always serious. Often, it's caused by a benign and easily treatable issue like dehydration. However, it can also be a sign of more significant health problems, which is why follow-up testing is essential.

Your doctor will consider other test results, such as your hematocrit, and will likely recommend rehydration followed by a re-test. If your protein levels return to normal after you've rehydrated, it was likely due to temporary dehydration.

Albumin is a single protein primarily made in the liver that maintains fluid balance, while globulins are a group of proteins, including antibodies, that help fight infection and transport substances. The total protein test measures the sum of both.

The SPEP is a more detailed test performed after a high total protein result. It separates the proteins into different fractions to detect abnormal proteins, which is crucial for diagnosing plasma cell disorders like multiple myeloma.

Dietary protein intake does not typically cause elevated protein levels in the blood. The body regulates protein production based on physiological needs, not simply on intake. However, severe dehydration from inadequate fluid intake can cause a temporary, concentrated reading.

You should be concerned and seek medical attention if high protein levels are accompanied by symptoms such as unexplained fatigue, weight loss, bone pain, recurring infections, or swelling. These can point toward more serious underlying issues.

High blood protein is not treated directly. Instead, treatment focuses on resolving the underlying condition, whether that's rehydrating for dehydration, managing an infection with medication, or addressing a more serious disorder.