A very wide range of medical conditions can cause intense fatigue — diabetes, depression, anemia, and cancer included. Low globulin levels are not among the most obvious causes of extreme tiredness, but they, too, lead to this symptom. What do you need to know if your blood test has just made it clear that you have abnormally low globulin levels and you have been fatigued?
What are globulins?
Globulins are a type of protein found in the blood, which along with albumin and fibrinogen, makes up the majority of blood proteins. Their name comes from the fact that they are globular (round) in shape.
Albumin accounts for about 55 percent of the total proteins found in the blood. Globulins make up around 35 percent, while fibrinogen constitutes around 6.5 percent.
Globulins are primarily produced by the liver and the immune system.
Why are globulins important?
As globulins play an important role in the transportation of important nutrients throughout the body, patients who have a deficiency can expected severe changes in functions like the clotting of blood and the body's ability to fight off infections.
What are the normal globulin levels?
The average levels of globulins in the blood serum of a healthy individual would be defined as 2 to 3.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL), or 20 to 35 grams per liter (g/L).
How are low globulin levels responsible for fatigue?
What causes low globulin levels in the body?
Usually, unusually low globulin levels — which are known clinically as hypoproteinemia — are associated with some sort of liver disorder, wherein the liver is unable to produce normal levels of globular proteins.
Other notable causes of low globulin levels include:
- Kidney diseases
- Malnutrition
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Acute anemia
- Burns
- Certain cancers
Sometimes, it may so happen that the amount of globulins is reduced as a percentage of total proteins, vis-a-vis albumin. This may point towards some sort of genetic deficiency or disorder, or leukemia, malnutrition, or loss of proteins via urine due to nephrotic syndrome.
What are the symptoms of low globulin levels?
Low levels of globulins in the body can cause symptoms that may range from mild to severe. Besides fatigue and a general loss of energy, the possible symptoms associated with reduced globulin levels include:
- Repeated infections from which it takes long to recover
- Thinning hair and hair that falls out
- Brittle nails and dry skin
- Irritability
Symptoms of reduced liver function like jaundice (a yellowing of the eyes and skin), nausea, vomiting, and fluid build-up in soft tissues (edema) are also often found in patients who have low globulin levels.
What is chronic fatigue syndrome, and how is it connected to low globulin levels?
Chronic fatigue syndrome is a condition that affects more than a million people in the USA, more commonly women. It is characterized by debilitating fatigue, which is not relieved by resting, along with flu-like symptoms, enlarged lymph nodes, sore throat, and a "constantly fogged brain".
Recent research studies have linked a variety of proteins with the syndrome, including low levels of globulins. Although there is no cure for chronic fatigue syndrome, further studies are being carried out to gain possible insights into the condition.
While there is no known cause for this syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome is thought to be triggered by factors like genetic predisposition, viral infections, immunocompromised status, and hormonal imbalances. All these factors can affect the production of cytokines and globulins in the body.
Fibromyalgia as a cause of fatigue and low globulin levels?
Fibromyalgia is a condition characterized by generalized pain across the body, accompanied by fatigue, excessive sleep, mood swings, and "brain fog" (cognitive difficulties due to constant tiredness). This condition has no known cause, but fibromyalgia believed to be triggered by sudden adverse events like physical trauma, surgery, or a psychologically traumatic or stressful event.
In some cases, fibromyalgia has no identifiable trigger, but the symptoms develop and build up over time. Females are more likely to be affected by this condition.
Symptoms of fibromyalgia include widespread and dull constant pain affecting the entire body, lasting for more than three months. Patients often wake up tired even after adequate sleep hours, feeling fatigued the entire day.
Recent research has found an unexpectedly high prevalence of globulin deficiency in patients suffering from fibromyalgia.
Corticosteroid-binding globulin deficiency
Also known as CBG deficiency or transcortin deficiency, corticosteroid-binding globulin deficiency is a genetic condition caused by the deficiency of a protein known as CBG, a kind of globulin in the body.
This protein transports cortisol, the hormone responsible for reducing inflammation, controlling blood sugar, and controlling stress in the body, to various parts of the body.
Corticosteroid-binding globulin deficiency is a genetic condition caused by a mutation in the gene responsible for the formation of CBG protein, made primarily by the liver.
CBG deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms like extreme fatigue and tiredness, especially after any type of physical exertion. Some patients may experience decreased blood pressure. Some patients may be completely asymptomatic, while some may exhibit signs of fatty liver, or suffer from chronic pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
It is advisable to see a physician if you suffer from persistent, excessive, and unexplained fatigue, in order to diagnose the disease or deficiency.
Conclusion
Blood proteins, and in particular globulins, have a myriad of functions, including fighting off infections and helping with everyday metabolic processes. Their deficiency can point towards a variety of medical conditions, either as a primary disease or a manifestation of an underlying cause.
Carrying out tests to determine protein levels provides the physician with a valuable tool to correlate with the clinical symptoms in order to arrive at a definitive diagnosis.