Microalbumin, or simply albumin, is a protein that is produced only in the liver. If too much albumin is found in the urine it could be an indicator of kidney damage resulting in an increased risk of heart disease. A microalbumin level of 30-300 mg is an alarm signal that the kidneys are unable to filter the protein properly. However, there are several ways to reduce their excessive presence. Read on to start making lifestyle changes to make sure your microalbumin levels are normal.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Focus your diet on low-carb, low-protein, low-sugar foods
Damaged kidneys cannot process protein normally, so you need to give them time to recover by reducing their protein intake. You should eat foods with the right balance of "slow" carbohydrates (where glucose levels don't peak too high), low amounts of protein, fat, sodium and sugar. Here are some healthy choices:
- Foods rich in slow carbohydrates: oat flakes, beans, rice and pasta, lentils.
- Low-protein foods: breads and cereals, pasta, lettuce, celery, sprouts, cucumbers, parsley, tofu, fish and lean meats.
- Low-fat, low-sodium foods: no fried (use olive oil if needed) and no salt. Avoid canned products like soups, vegetables, and gravies.
-
Foods low in sugar: eggs, beans, tofu, nuts, ricotta, olives, spinach, turnips, asparagus, barley.
Also, avoid overdoing the meal and eat small, frequent meals instead. This helps the kidneys not to work too hard and not to strain during their action of filtering waste components
Step 2. Avoid alcohol
Having abnormal levels of microalbuminuria in the test results indicates poor kidney function. The affected kidneys are no longer able to efficiently filter ethanol from alcohol, increasing the risk of raising microalbumin levels for a long time. To avoid this, eliminate alcohol entirely and replace it with unsweetened water, tea, and fruit juices.
A glass of red wine every now and then is fine if you have to attend a social event. Other drinks should instead be avoided
Step 3. Stop smoking
It is recommended that you stop gradually, rather than abruptly, as you may have the same withdrawal symptoms as if you were trying not to drink alcohol suddenly. However, regardless of the difficulty, it is best if you can control yourself to avoid these two vices.
Chronic smokers have a higher risk of suffering from hypertension (smoking constricts blood vessels, forcing the heart to pump with greater difficulty). Nicotine from cigarettes can raise blood pressure to 10mmHg and if you smoke all day your blood pressure remains consistently high
Step 4. Lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure can be a risk factor because albumin levels are high. Normal blood pressure ranges from less than 120/80 (mmHg) to 130/80. On the other hand, when it is equal to or greater than 140 (mmHg) it is considered high. To reduce it, you should limit or avoid foods high in fat, cholesterol and sodium.
Exercising regularly (3-4 times a week) for about 30 minutes can also significantly reduce high blood pressure. It is important to maintain your ideal weight and not to be overweight or obese. You should also see your doctor regularly to check your blood pressure and make sure you are maintaining a normal level
Step 5. Drink lots of water
Drinking the recommended amount of 8-12 glasses of water each day helps eliminate some albumin in the urine. You should drink more if you sweat a lot and exercise routine to avoid dehydration; in fact, the more dehydrated you are, the more albumin levels increase.
Fatty and salty foods not only contribute to increasing blood pressure, but also absorb water from the body. It is best to avoid them for both reasons
Step 6. Keep your blood glucose levels monitored as well
It is important to reduce sugar-rich foods from the diet to control glucose levels, avoid diabetes, obesity, and control microalbuminuria. The normal glucose level ranges from 70 to 100 mg / dl.
- If you have diabetes, the albumin levels in the body are high. 180 mg / dl is the mean kidney threshold for diabetics. This is why if there are excessive amounts of albumin and glucose in the body, renal function is impaired, causing further damage.
- This will help you keep an eye on your weight as well. A healthy diet and exercise can help lower blood pressure and blood sugar, which in turn also have a positive effect on weight.
Part 2 of 2: Medical Treatments
Step 1. Keep your albumin levels checked
It is important to keep track of them and monitor their levels. This way you know if your lifestyle is bad for your kidneys and liver. The microalbumin test checks its level in the urine. Early diagnosis of the problem can lead to significant changes that reduce kidney damage. Talk to your doctor for further treatments.
To test your levels, your doctor has you do both a general urine test and a collection time urinalysis. In the first, you have to pee normally in a container at the doctor's office. In the second test, all urine of the day is collected, time is recorded, and the entire lot is used as a sample for analysis
Step 2. Evaluate the results
After proper urine collection, the sample is examined and interpreted by a medical technician. The results are measured in terms of milligrams (mg) of protein dispersion over 24 hours and can be interpreted as follows:
- The result to be normal must be less than 30 mg.
- 30 to 300 mg is indicative of early kidney disease.
-
More than 300 mg is indicative of more advanced kidney disease.
You must speak appropriately with your doctor about the test result, to get timely treatment. If the level of microalbuminuria is higher than normal, it may be appropriate to repeat the test to be sure of the outcome
Step 3. Consider taking angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors)
These drugs inhibit the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II. This results in a widening of the blood vessels, thus reducing their tension and blood volume; in other words, blood pressure is lowered. ACE inhibitors have been shown to reduce the loss of proteins in the urine such as microalbumin, thereby lowering its levels.
The most common ACE inhibitors that are prescribed are Captopril, Perindopril, Ramipril, Enalapril and Lisinopril. Your doctor will be able to tell you which one is best for you
Step 4. Talk to your doctor about statins
These drugs lower cholesterol by hindering the action of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase (or HMG-CoA reductase), which is an enzyme necessary for the production of cholesterol in the liver. Lowering cholesterol means facilitating the work of the heart, blood vessels and kidneys.
The most common statins that are prescribed are Atorvastatin, Fluvastatin, Lovastatin, Pitavastatin, Pravastatin, Rosuvastatin and Simvastatin
Step 5. If necessary, know that taking insulin can help
Insulin is a hormone that helps transport blood sugar or glucose into cells as an energy source. If this is not enough, the blood sugar is not transported to the cells and remains in the circulation. An injection of insulin per day, on the advice of a doctor, can be important for maintaining normal glucose levels.
