Microalbumin, or albumin is an important protein produced in the liver. Excessive amounts of albumin in the urine can be an indicator of kidney damage and increase the risk of heart disease. The content of microalbumin of 30-300 mg is a danger sign that indicates your kidneys are not able to filter protein properly. However, there are several ways to reduce excessive amounts of microalbumin. See Step 1 below to start modifying your lifestyle as much as you can, as well as making sure your microalbumin is at a normal level.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Focus your diet on slow carb, low protein and low sugar foods
Damaged kidneys cannot process protein normally. Therefore, take time for your kidneys to rest by reducing protein intake. You need to eat a diet consisting of slow carbohydrates (which don't spike glucose levels), and foods that are low in protein, fat, sodium and sugar. Here are some healthy options:
- Slow carbohydrate foods: oatmeal, beans, brown rice, pasta and lentils.
- Low-protein foods: breads and cereals, pasta, lettuce, celery, sprouts, cucumbers, parsley, tofu, fish and lean meats.
- Foods low in fat and sodium: eat foods that are not fried (use olive oil if you can) and avoid salt. Avoid canned soups, vegetables, and pasta sauces.
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Low-sugar foods: eggs, kidney beans, tofu, walnuts, cottage cheese, olives, spinach, radishes, asparagus, and barley.
In addition, avoid eating one meal with large portions of food, but try to eat often with small portions of food. This will help your kidneys not work too hard and struggle to filter out all the waste products
Step 2. Avoid alcohol
Test results with abnormal microalbumin levels indicate poor kidney function. Affected kidneys can no longer efficiently filter ethanol from alcohol, increasing the risk of prolonged high levels of microalbumin. To overcome this, stop consuming alcohol and replace it with water, tea, and juices without sugar.
An occasional glass of red wine is the best option, if you need to mingle at your next gathering. Anything other than that should be avoided
Step 3. Quit smoking
It is better to stop smoking gradually than to stop smoking immediately. You may experience the same withdrawal symptoms as when you avoid alcohol if you avoid it immediately. However, regardless of the struggle, it would be better if you can control yourself by avoiding these two bad things.
Chronic smokers have a greater risk of developing high blood pressure (smoking constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to pump harder). The nicotine in cigarettes can also increase your blood pressure by up to 10 mmHg. If you smoke all day, your blood pressure will always be high
Step 4. Lower blood pressure
Having high blood pressure can be a triggering factor for high albumin levels. Normal blood pressure ranges from below 120/80 (mmHg) to 130/80. Blood pressure equal to or more than 140 (mmHg) is considered high. In order to lower blood pressure, you should limit or avoid foods high in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.
Furthermore, exercising regularly (3 to 4 times a week) for about 30 minutes at a time can greatly reduce your high blood pressure. In addition, it is also important to maintain an ideal body weight and avoid being overweight or obese. Visiting a healthcare provider regularly to have your blood pressure checked to make sure you are in good health is also very beneficial
Step 5. Drink more water
Drinking 8-12 glasses of water every day is highly recommended to reduce the albumin content in the body. You'll even have to add more if you sweat a lot and work out a lot. This is to prevent dehydration; the more often you are dehydrated, the higher your albumin level will be.
Fatty and salty foods not only contribute to high blood pressure, they also absorb water in your system. Therefore, the best course of action is to avoid both for these two reasons
Step 6. Constantly monitor your blood glucose levels
Reducing high-sugar foods from your diet to manage glucose levels, avoid diabetes, obesity, and monitor microalbumin is very important. Normal glucose levels range from 70 to 100 mg/dl.
- If you currently have diabetes, albumin levels in the body will increase. 180 mg/dl is the average kidney limit for diabetics. That is why if the levels of albumin and glucose in your system are high, they will affect kidney function and subsequently cause kidney damage.
- It will be very helpful if you also keep an eye on your weight. A healthy diet and exercise will go a long way in lowering blood pressure and glucose, but lowering blood pressure and glucose can also affect your weight.
Method 2 of 2: Obtaining Medical Treatment
Step 1. Check albumin levels
Tracking and monitoring the level of microalbumin in your system is essential. This examination will show if the lifestyle that has been lived has a bad effect on kidney and liver function. The microalbumin test will check the level of albumin in your urine. Detecting the problem as early as possible can lead to significant changes to reduce kidney damage. Talk to your doctor for continued management.
To test your albumin level, your doctor will give you either a randomized test or a timed collection test. The first is to collect urine in a cup at the doctor's office as usual. The second is to collect all urine discharges in a day, record the time, and use all of them as samples
Step 2. Knowing the meaning of the test results
Once the urine collection is properly carried out, the sample will be examined and interpreted by a medical technician. Microalbumin test results are measured by the level of protein leakage in milligrams (mg) over 24 hours. The result can be interpreted as follows:
- The normal result is less than 30 mg
- 30 to 300 mg is indicative of early stage kidney disease
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More than 300 mg is an indication of more severe kidney disease
Adequate discussion with your doctor about test results is necessary to design appropriate treatment and management. If the microalbumin level is higher than normal, a repeat test may be recommended by your healthcare provider to further confirm the results
Step 3. Consider using an angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor
This drug blocks the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which causes your blood vessels to widen. Dilation of blood vessels will reduce the strain on blood vessels and blood volume - in other words, lower your blood pressure. ACE inhibitors have been shown to reduce the leakage of proteins in the urine such as microalbumin, thereby lowering microalbumin levels.
The ACE inhibitors most often prescribed by doctors are Captopril, Perindopril, Ramipril, Enalapril and Lisinopril. The doctor will know what is best for you
Step 4. Discuss statin treatment with your doctor
This drug lowers cholesterol in the body by inhibiting the action of HMG-CoA "reductase", which is an enzyme needed to produce cholesterol in the liver. Lower cholesterol means easier work of the heart, blood vessels, and kidneys.
The most common statins prescribed by doctors are Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Pitavastatin, Pravastatin, Rosuvastatin and Simvastatin
Step 5. If needed, taking insulin can also help
Insulin is a hormone that helps transport blood sugar or glucose into cells as an energy source. Without enough insulin, blood sugar cannot be transported inside the cells, so it stays in the bloodstream. A daily insulin injection on the advice of a doctor is essential to maintain normal blood glucose levels.
