Why does protein spill into urine

Protein in your urine is called proteinuria or albuminuria. It is a sign that your kidneys are damaged. Protein is normally found in your blood. The main protein in your blood is called albumin. Proteins have many important jobs in your body. For example, they help build your bones and muscles, prevent infection and control the amount of fluid in your blood.

Healthy kidneys remove extra fluid and waste from your blood and transform it into urine. Healthy kidneys do not remove proteins and other important nutrients, which pass through and return to your blood.

But when your kidneys are damaged, they may let this protein leak into your urine. This causes high levels of protein in your urine.

It may be an early sign of kidney disease, but your doctor will check you again to make sure albuminuria is not caused by something else, like not drinking enough water. If your doctor suspects that you have kidney disease, the urine test for albumin will be repeated. Three positive results over three months or more is a sign of kidney disease. You will also be given a simple blood test to estimate GFR.

GFR stands for glomerular filtration rate. Your GFR number tells you how well your kidneys are working. Imaging tests. An ultrasound or CT scan. This produces a picture of your kidneys and urinary tract. It can show whether your kidneys have kidney stones or other problems. A kidney biopsy. This can help find out what caused your kidney disease and how much damage to the kidneys has happened.

People who are at increased risk for kidney disease should have this test as part of routine checkups by a healthcare provider.

Those at increased risk include:. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication that usually begins after 20 weeks. The main sign is high blood pressure that may cause acute kidney injury. People with diabetes or high blood pressure have a higher risk of developing proteinuria, the peer-reviewed journal Kidney International confirms. The journal also reports that people who are African American, Native American, Hispanic, or Pacific Islander are more likely than people of European ancestry to develop proteinuria.

Additional risk factors include:. A person with early stage kidney damage may have no symptoms. As the condition progresses, the person may have:. Healthcare professionals test for proteinuria by analyzing a urine sample. This often involves using a plastic tool called a dipstick. It has a coating of chemicals that changes color according to the protein levels in the urine sample. Dipstick tests are not highly accurate , however, so the doctor may send the urine sample to a laboratory for more precise testing.

Another test involves collecting urine over 24 hours to compare levels of the protein albumin with those of the waste product creatinine. A healthcare professional may also use a glomeruli filtration rate, or GFR, blood test to determine how well the kidneys filter blood.

The best approach depends on the issue causing proteinuria, its severity, and whether it is temporary or chronic. Proteinuria is high levels of protein in the urine. It shows that the kidneys are not filtering blood as they should. Causes of proteinuria can be temporary, such as dehydration, or chronic, such as an autoimmune disease.

People with diabetes or high blood pressure have the highest risk of proteinuria. Healthcare professionals treat proteinuria by addressing the underlying cause. They may also suggest a special diet to help improve kidney function. Diabetes is a disorder where the body does not produce insulin or does not use it efficiently.

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