$57.00
Priced per marker, with baseline labs included. You’ll see your total before you pay.
Metabolism & organs
Alpha-1 antitrypsin test
Protein that protects lungs and liver from enzyme damage; deficiency can cause early lung and liver disease.
At a glance
In about 5 days
Most results are ready in about 5 days. Some specialty markers can take up to 21 days.
Check before your draw
This marker has no preparation tag, but it can still need preparation. Contact us before your draw if you’re not sure.
Walk in at Quest
Your lab order arrives by email. Most Quest locations take walk-ins, so bring it with a photo ID.
What it measures
Your liver makes this protein to shield your lungs from damage. Some people inherit genes that leave them with too little, which can affect the lungs and liver over time.
Why it matters for women
Pregnancy, estrogen birth control and inflammation can all raise this protein, which can hide a mild shortage, so results are read with those in mind. The inherited shortage is often missed for years because its breathing symptoms can look like asthma. Since it runs in families, your result can matter for relatives and future children too.
You might check it if…
- your asthma or wheezing doesn’t improve as expected
- lung or liver disease started at a young age
- a relative had early lung disease or this inherited shortage
What your result may mean
High Alpha-1 antitrypsin: what it may mean
High alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) may mean your body is responding to inflammation or infection, since this protein can rise as part of the acute-phase response. Pregnancy and hormonal birth control with estrogen can also raise it. A high level may cause no symptoms on its own, and any symptoms may come from whatever set it off. A rise can also hide a mild shortage, so a clinician may retest after an illness or order a genetic test when there is a family history.
Low Alpha-1 antitrypsin: what it may mean
Low alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT) may point to alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency, an inherited condition and a genetic risk factor for early emphysema and liver disease. Breathing symptoms such as wheezing or shortness of breath can look like asthma, so this condition can go unnoticed for years. Smoking can speed up lung damage, and severe liver disease can also lower AAT, since the liver makes it. Because the inherited form runs in families, a low result can matter for relatives and future children, and a clinician may order genetic testing to learn more.
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These notes provide context and do not diagnose a condition. Not yet available in NY, NJ, RI, HI, ND, SD or WV.