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Amylase is an enzyme that helps you digest carbohydrates. A high level can point to a condition of the pancreas or the salivary glands. A low level is not common and can point to damage to the cells that make amylase.[1]
On this page you can read what amylase is, what the guidelines say about a low or high level, what affects your level and which other levels are best read alongside it.
Also known as: Amy test, serum amylase, urine amylase. At the lab: AMY.
Amylase is an enzyme. That is a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in your body. Amylase helps you digest carbohydrates.[1]
Most of the amylase in your body comes from your pancreas and your salivary glands. A small amount in your blood and urine is normal.[1]
The test measures how much amylase is in your blood or urine. Changes show up in your blood sooner than in your urine.[1]
Doctors mainly use the test to detect problems with the pancreas, such as inflammation of the pancreas. They also use it to monitor long-term inflammation of the pancreas.[1]
Your healthcare provider may order the test if you have symptoms that fit a condition of the pancreas. Think of pain in your upper abdomen that can spread to your back, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting or fever.[1]
The test also helps to follow how a level develops during care for other conditions. Think of problems with the salivary glands or certain digestive conditions.[1]
An international group of specialists revised the classification of sudden inflammation of the pancreas. Their conclusions were published in 2012.[2]
Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with, uses a range of 28 to 100 u/l for amylase (AMY). The lab calls a level between those limits normal.[3]
| Value | What the lab says | Applies to |
|---|---|---|
| 28 to 100 u/l[3] | Normal according to the lab | Amylase (AMY) measurements at Labplusarts |
Source: Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with. The range applies to the amylase test (AMY) at this lab.[3]
A low amylase level in blood or urine is not common. It can point to long-term inflammation of the pancreas that has permanently damaged the cells that make amylase. It can also point to a condition of the kidneys or the liver, or to a form of high blood pressure if you are pregnant.[1]
A high amylase level in blood or urine can point to a sudden inflammation of the pancreas. It can also point to a blockage in one of the small ducts of the pancreas, or to a growth in the pancreas.[1]
BioProfile is working on its own zones for each value, from risk to optimal. A doctor reviews those zones before they appear in your result.
Do not drink alcohol in the 24 hours before an amylase test on blood or urine.[1]
For a blood test, your healthcare provider may ask you not to eat or drink for two hours before the test. Your healthcare provider will tell you if there are any other instructions.[1]
Prescription medicines and over-the-counter products can affect your result. Tell your healthcare provider what you take. Do not stop a medicine unless your healthcare provider tells you to.[1]
The amount of amylase in urine can vary over the day. That is why your healthcare provider sometimes asks you to collect all your urine over 24 hours.[1]
Amylase is included in BioProfile 121 and 150.[4]
The BioProfile editorial team wrote this page on 10 October 2026 from the sources below, which we read on 10 October 2026. Every number on this page appears in one of those sources, with that source's number next to it. An expert has yet to check this page; after that check, the expert's name and the date of the check will appear at the top. This page offers explanation, not a diagnosis. Discuss a value outside the range with your GP.
