Home › Biomarkers › Microalbumin, urine
If you are over 50, your chance of a kidney condition is higher, MedlinePlus writes. Albumin in your urine can be an early sign of one.[1]
On this page you can read what microalbumin, urine is, what the guidelines say about a low or high value, what affects your value and which values are best to look at alongside it.
Also known as: albumin in urine, albumin-creatinine ratio, ACR, UACR. At the lab: ALBTU.
Your kidneys filter waste products and extra water out of your blood. These leave your body in your urine. Albumin is not a waste product. It is a common protein in your blood. So little or none of it should end up in your urine.[1]
With healthy kidneys, at most a trace of albumin passes through the filters. That trace is called microalbumin. If your kidneys are damaged, a lot of albumin can end up in your urine.[1]
Albumin is often compared with creatinine in the same urine. Creatinine is a waste product from the everyday use of your muscles. Your kidneys usually clear it at a steady rate. The ratio therefore shows whether your body is losing albumin faster.[1]
A kidney condition usually causes no symptoms in its early stages. The test looks for early signs in people who have a higher chance of one but no symptoms yet.[1]
That chance is higher if you have a blood sugar condition, blood pressure problems, a heart condition or severe overweight, if you smoke, if you are over 50, or if such conditions run in your family.[1]
A higher or rising amount of albumin can point to a more serious kidney condition that may get worse more quickly. It can also point to a higher chance of problems with your heart and blood vessels.[1]
If you have a known kidney condition, the test can also show how your value changes during your care.[1]
Labplusarts, the lab BioProfile works with, uses a reference value of 0 to 20 mg/L for microalbumin, urine. The lab calls a value within those limits normal.[2]
| Value | What it can mean | Who it is for |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 20 mg/L[2] | The lab calls this normal | Anyone for whom the lab measures this test (ALBTU) |
Source: Labplusarts reference value for microalbumin, urine, list dated 24 September 2026.[2]
MedlinePlus does not describe a problem with a low value. With healthy kidneys, little or no albumin ends up in your urine, at most a trace.[1]
An abnormal result is usually measured twice more, within three to six months. This is because albumin can rise temporarily due to exercise, some medicines, fever and inflammation. If two of the three results are abnormal, this can point to an early kidney condition.[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.
Hard exercise can briefly raise the amount of albumin in your urine. That is why you may be asked to avoid intense exertion before the test.[1]
Meat can affect your creatine levels. You may be asked not to eat meat for a day before the test.[1]
Some medicines can raise albumin temporarily. Ask your doctor whether anything you take could affect your result.[1]
Fever and inflammation in your body can temporarily raise the amount of albumin in your urine.[1]
Microalbumin in urine is included in BioProfile 87, 121 and 150.[3]
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.
