Alpha-1 Globulin optimal range and reference range
Compiled by Alina Radu, founder of Sera, from the published sources below · Last reviewed November 9, 2026
Sera's bands for Alpha-1 Globulin:
- Optimal 0.2 – 0.4 g/dL (2 – 4 g/L); out of range below 0.2 or above 0.4 g/dL.
Evidence grade: Published reference interval. A band that primarily reflects a published adult laboratory or population reference interval. It is not necessarily applicable to every assay or laboratory.
All units
| Unit | Optimal | Sufficient | Out of range |
|---|---|---|---|
| g/dL | 0.2 – 0.4 | — | below 0.2 or above 0.4 |
| g/L | 2 – 4 | — | below 2 or above 4 |
No separate Sufficient band is currently defined for this marker.
What the evidence says
An acute-phase fraction, so a raised value is non-specific and rarely the point. The finding worth chasing is a conspicuously low alpha-1, which raises alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency: a diagnosis rather than a pattern, and one worth confirming directly. The band of 0.2 to 0.4 g/dL (2 to 4 g/L) is the MedlinePlus interval, in line with ARUP (0.19 to 0.46) and the University of Michigan (0.21 to 0.44). Fractions depend on the electrophoresis method, with one laboratory reporting 0.3 to 0.6, so the range printed on the report takes precedence.
Assay: Results differ meaningfully between platforms and methods. Compare against the interval printed by the issuing laboratory before acting on a borderline value.
Sources
- Protein electrophoresis - serum — MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, US National Library of Medicine, 2026 · Government / public-health guidanceNormal alpha-1 globulin is 0.2 to 0.4 g/dL (2 to 4 g/L). Sera's band of 0.1 to 0.3 is one step lower at both ends. Reviewed 1/29/2026.
- Protein Electrophoresis, Serum (test 001487) sample report — Labcorp, 2016 · Laboratory / reference-interval sourceLabcorp's sample report prints alpha-1 globulin 0.0 to 0.4 g/dL. Supports an upper limit of 0.4, not Sera's 0.3. Report dated 2016.
- Protein Electrophoresis, Serum (0050640) — ARUP Laboratories, 2026 · Laboratory / reference-interval sourceAlpha-1 globulin 0.19 to 0.46 g/dL. Supports a lower limit of about 0.2 and an upper limit above 0.4. The page is undated; opened October 2026.
- Protein Electrophoresis, Serum — Michigan Medicine Laboratories (MLabs), University of Michigan, 2026 · Laboratory / reference-interval sourceAlpha-1 globulin 0.21 to 0.44 g/dL. Supports 0.2 to 0.4. The page is undated; opened October 2026.
- Protein Electrophoresis (Serum) — University of Iowa Health Care, Laboratory Services Handbook, 2023 · Laboratory / reference-interval sourceAlpha-1 0.3 to 0.6 g/dL, higher than the other laboratories, showing how far the fraction moves with method. Capillary electrophoresis; the page says its reference ranges changed on 10/17/2023.
What Alpha-1 Globulin measures
The alpha-1 fraction from serum protein electrophoresis, chiefly alpha-1 antitrypsin and alpha-1 acid glycoprotein.
An acute-phase fraction: it rises with inflammation of almost any cause, which makes a raised value non-specific. The finding worth chasing is the opposite one — a conspicuously LOW alpha-1 raises alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which is a diagnosis rather than a pattern.