Other names: Alb/Creat Ratio, Urine Albumin/Urine Creatinine Ratio
Optimal Result:
0 - 30 mg/g creat.
Test is useful for:
- Calculating the albumin concentration per creatinine.
- Assessing the potential for early onset of nephropathy in diabetics using random urine specimens
What is being tested?
The Albumin/Creatinine Ratio helps identify kidney disease, a complication that arises with diabetes.
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that routine urinalysis be performed annually on adults with diabetes.
What are the two components being tested?
This test has the two components tested.
Albumin is a protein that is present in high concentrations in the blood. Virtually no albumin is present in the urine when the kidneys are functioning normally. Albumin may be detected even in the very early stages of kidney disease, which makes it a very reliable test.
Creatinine is normally released into urine at a constant rate and its level in the urine is an indication of the urine concentration. This allows creatinine to be measured correctly in this test.
Besides kidney disease, what else is being screened for?
The Albumin/Creatinine Ratio is used to screen people with chronic conditions such as:
- diabetes
- high blood pressure, which puts these people at an increased risk of developing kidney disease.
By doing this test, an individual in the very early stages of kidney disease can be identified. This is useful for the doctor or healthcare provider to adjust treatment accordingly.
Why is that screening important?
Controlling diabetes and hypertension by maintaining tight glycemic control and reducing blood pressure helps in delaying or preventing the progression of kidney disease.
The prognostic value of consistently elevated albumin levels is particularly well established in diabetic patients.
More on proteins in plasma and urine and the kidney:
Albumin accounts for approximately 50% of the protein in plasma.
The kidney works to prevent the loss of albumin into the urine through active resorption, but a small amount of albumin can be measured in urine of individuals with normal renal function.
What is renal disease?
Renal disease is a common microvascular complication of diabetes. Without specific interventions, 80% of type I diabetics with repeatedly elevated albumin levels will go on to end-stage renal disease. Twenty percent to 40% of type II diabetics with sustained albuminuria will progress to overt nephropathy.
Note on testing intervals:
According to the American Diabetes Association and National Kidney Foundation, everyone with type 1 diabetes should get tested starting 5 years after onset of the disease and then annually, and all those with type 2 diabetes should get tested starting at the time of diagnosis and then annually. If albumin in the urine (= albuminuria) is detected, it should be confirmed by retesting twice within a 3-6 month period. People with hypertension may be tested at regular intervals, with the frequency determined by their healthcare practitioner.
More on Albuminuria:
Albuminuria, as a marker of kidney damage, provides a more specific and sensitive measurement of glomerular permeability than does proteinuria. An Albumin/Creatinine Ratio measured from a spot urine sample acquired in the early morning is preferred for initial evaluation of albuminuria. This test can also be used to confirm a positive reagent strip urinalysis result. A moderately increased Albumin/Creatinine Ratio (≥30 mg/g) for more than 3 months is diagnostic of CKD. The severity of albuminuria is also used for staging and prognosis of CKD.
Albuminuria generally appears before the reduction of glomerular filtration rate in people with diabetic glomerulosclerosis but may appear later in people with hypertensive nephrosclerosis. Albuminuria is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events and mortality. In individuals with diabetes and/or hypertension, early identification of albuminuria that prompts blood pressure and glycemic control may subsequently reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and CKD progressing to end-stage renal disease. Referral to specialist kidney care services is recommended in individuals with a consistent finding of severely increased Albumin/Creatinine Ratio (≥300 mg/g).
Factors that affect urinary Albumin/Creatinine Ratio include menstrual blood contamination, symptomatic urinary tract infections, exercise, upright posture (orthostatic proteinuria), and other conditions that increase vascular permeability (eg, septicemia). Given the pathological and physiological causes of transient albuminuria, repeating Albumin/Creatinine Ratio tests twice with early morning urine samples in the next 2 months is recommended. Albumin/Creatinine Ratio from a timed urine sample can provide a more accurate estimate of albuminuria.
The results of this test should be interpreted in the context of pertinent clinical and family history and physical examination findings.
REFERENCES:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7810516/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7708068/
The albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) test checks for small amounts of protein (albumin) in your urine, which can be an early sign of kidney damage.
In random urine samples:
Normal ACR is below 17 mg/g for males and below 25 mg/g for females.
Microalbuminuria (early kidney damage) is indicated by values between 17–299 mg/g for males and 25–299 mg/g for females.
Values of 300 mg/g or higher suggest overt proteinuria, or more advanced kidney damage.
Because urine protein levels can vary naturally, a positive result is usually confirmed with a second test—preferably a first-morning or 24-hour urine sample. If results are inconsistent, a third test may be needed. If two out of three tests fall in the microalbuminuria range, this points to early kidney disease (incipient nephropathy) and may require steps to protect kidney function. This may include tight blood sugar control, blood pressure management, and medications like ACE inhibitors if suitable.
Protein in the urine can result from:
Diabetes
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Kidney inflammation (glomerulonephritis)
Urinary tract infections, dehydration, intense exercise, or certain medications
Mild elevation: May indicate early-stage kidney disease, especially in people with diabetes or hypertension.
High elevation: May signal significant kidney damage or even kidney failure.
Normal result: Indicates no current sign of albumin in the urine.
However, the presence of albumin in your urine does not always mean you have kidney disease. Temporary factors like infections or heavy exercise can also affect your results.
If your test shows elevated albumin:
Your provider may retest to confirm.
If confirmed, they may recommend steps to protect your kidneys: blood pressure and glucose control, lifestyle changes, and potentially medication.
Good control of diabetes and blood pressure can help stop or even reverse early kidney damage.
Quit smoking, if applicable, as it can worsen kidney function.
Even in people without diabetes or high blood pressure, elevated urinary albumin has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. That’s why early detection and management are important—even if you feel fine.
If you have questions about your test results, talk with your healthcare provider to understand what they mean for your health and what steps you can take to protect your kidneys and heart.
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Every lab result is automatically organized on a chronological timeline, giving you a complete picture of your health journey.
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Whether it's a blood test, GI panel, urinalysis, or something else, lab reports measure numerous biomarkers that reveal what's happening inside your body. Our extensive database covers over 10,000 biomarkers, providing clear, simple explanations of what each result means and how you can take action—no matter your membership level. Say goodbye to confusion and get the insights you need to better understand your health.
Our database covers over 10,000 biomarkers with clear, simple explanations—so you can finally understand your results and what to do next.
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Enter Your Lab Reports — Always Free
If you'd like to handle inputting your health data into your account, you can do so with our easy-to-use data entry forms. Our user-friendly form is designed to guide you through the quick and easy submission process, making it simple to keep track of your health metrics. This is available to both Complete plan and Unlimited plan members.
Our user-friendly form guides you through a quick, simple submission process, making it easy to enter your health metrics.
Add your results anytime with our easy entry form. It's quick, guided, and helps you stay organized — free for all members.
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View your lab data through easy-to-read graphs and tables. Quickly spot patterns, track changes, and compare results across different dates — all without digging through multiple reports. You can also select and compare graphs of specific biomarkers side-by-side to better understand how they relate and change over time.
See your lab reports in clear graphs and tables. Spot patterns, track changes, and compare results over time — all in one place.
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Export Your Complete Lab History
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file. Choose from PDF, Excel, or CSV formats to easily review, share, or get a second opinion—no more juggling multiple reports.
After collecting lab results from different providers, you can download your entire history combined into a single file.
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Data Entry Service for Your Reports
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest. Complete plan members receive one report entered for free, then $15 per report after that. Unlimited plan members receive ten report entries for free, then $15 per report after that.
Our inclusive service handles the data entry for your lab reports. Just submit your information and we'll take care of the rest.
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Whether you're working with a doctor, nutritionist, caregiver, or wellness coach, you can securely share your complete lab history by sending an invite link to anyone you trust. You have full control over who sees your information and for how long, ensuring your privacy and peace of mind at every step.
Share your full lab history with your doctor, nutritionist, or coach using a secure invite link.
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I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
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As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
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Healthmatters is a personal health dashboard that helps you organize and understand your lab results. It collects and displays your medical test data from any lab in one secure, easy-to-use platform.
With a Healthmatters account, you can:
Professionals can also analyze client data more efficiently and save time managing lab reports.
Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:
You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.
If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.
While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.
It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.
If you're on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.
The Complete Plan ($15/month) is perfect for individuals who want ongoing access to their health data. It includes unlimited lab imports, visual tracking, custom ranges, result explanations, full account exports, and secure sharing — all with a simple monthly subscription. You can cancel anytime and restart your plan whenever you're ready — your data will still be there waiting for you. You can also upgrade to the Unlimited Plan at any time, with the cost prorated based on what you've already paid.
The Unlimited Plan ($250 one-time) is also designed for individuals but offers lifetime access with no ongoing subscription. You'll get all the same features as the Complete Plan, plus a larger initial data entry allowance (10 reports), making it a great choice if you prefer a one-time payment and long-term use without monthly fees.
In short:
There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."
Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.
For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.
We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.
Our Data Entry Service is for when you don't want to manually type in your lab results yourself. You simply upload your report (PDF, image, or screenshot), and our trained team enters the information into your Healthmatters account for you — accurately and neatly organized, ready to view in graphs, tables, and timelines.
The $15 per report covers the time and care it takes for a real person to review your file, make sure each result is entered correctly, and double-check for accuracy. This ensures your health data is precise and easy to work with — without you having to spend the time doing it yourself.
Prefer to do it yourself? You can always use our free self-entry tool to add results manually — it just takes a bit more time and attention.
For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.
Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.
Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.
All professional accounts allow you to import and onboard an unlimited number of clients and their lab results. The distinction between professional plans lies solely in the data entry service.
The Pro Monthly Plus plan is priced at $75 per month and includes a data entry service for five reports each month. Additional reports can be self-entered at no extra cost or, if preferred, you can use our data entry service for an additional fee of $15 per report.
The Pro Monthly plan is priced at $45 per month and does not include a data entry service. Self-entry is free for an unlimited number of reports, and you can opt for the data entry service at a fee of $15 per report.
You also have the option to upgrade to higher monthly or to annual plans, which come with substantial discounts. All upgrades can be done directly from your account.
Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.
Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.
We've crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.
1. Graph View:Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.
2. All Tests ViewExplore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.
3. Table View:For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.
Yes, you can download your information anytime. We offer two easy ways to export your lab data:
This makes it simple to save, back up, or share your health data whenever you need.
Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.
Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.
Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.
A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.
The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.
To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.
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