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Contents
  • What Exactly is Proteinuria?
  • Types of Proteinuria
  • How is Proteinuria Detected?

What's the Big Deal About Protein in Your Pee?

What's the Big Deal About Protein in Your Pee?

Why It Matters

Protein in your urine could be a sign of kidney problems. Understanding proteinuria can help catch issues early.
Contents
  • What Exactly is Proteinuria?
  • Types of Proteinuria
  • How is Proteinuria Detected?

What Exactly is Proteinuria?

Proteinuria means there's too much protein in your urine. Normally, you should have less than 150 mg of protein in your pee per day. Think of your kidneys like a coffee filter - they usually keep protein in your blood. When protein leaks into your urine, it may signal that your kidney 'filter' isn't working properly.

Types of Proteinuria

There are four main types of proteinuria. Glomerular proteinuria is when the kidney's filters are damaged. Tubular proteinuria happens when the kidney tubes can't reabsorb protein properly. Overflow proteinuria occurs when there's too much protein in your blood. Postrenal proteinuria is caused by issues in your urinary tract after the kidneys.
Proteinuria is a condition characterized by the presence of an abnormal amount of protein in the urine, indicating potential kidney issues.

How is Proteinuria Detected?

Doctors often use a simple dipstick test to check for protein in your urine. This test is great for spotting albumin, the most common protein in urine. For a more accurate measure, you might need to collect your pee for 24 hours. Some doctors use a quicker method called the protein-to-creatinine ratio from a single urine sample.

FAQs

Is all proteinuria serious?

Not always - some causes are benign, but it's important to investigate.

Can exercise cause proteinuria?

Yes, intense exercise can temporarily increase protein in urine.

How much protein in urine is concerning?

Generally, more than 150 mg per day warrants further testing.

The Bottom Line

While not always serious, protein in your urine shouldn't be ignored - it could be an early warning sign of kidney issues.
Concerned about protein in your urine? Talk to Doctronic about your symptoms and risk factors for a personalized assessment.
Additional References
  1. Carter JL, et al. Does urinary tract infection cause proteinuria or microalbuminuria? A systematic review. Nephrol Dial Transplant 2006; 21:3031.
  2. Ginsberg JM, et al. Use of single voided urine samples to estimate quantitative proteinuria. N Engl J Med 1983; 309:1543.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy by one of the licensed medical doctors working for Doctronic.