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Serum Globulin Electrophoresis Test – Indications, Procedures, Results

Last updated: February 8, 2026 Medically reviewed by: RxHarun Orthopedic Specialist Doctor Reading time: 7 min read

A serum protein electrophoresis test measures the levels of the different types of globulins and other proteins in your blood. Your provider may order this test to diagnose disorders related to your immune system, including Allergies. Autoimmune diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.

The serum globulin electrophoresis test measures the levels of proteins called globulins in the fluid part of a blood sample. This fluid is called serum.

How the Test is Performed

A blood sample is needed.

In the lab, the technician places the blood sample on special paper and applies an electric current. The proteins move on the paper and form bands that show the amount of each protein.

How to Prepare for the Test

You may be asked not to eat or drink (fast) for 4 hours before this test.

Certain medicines may affect the results of this test. Your health care provider will tell you if you need to stop taking any medicines. Do not stop any medicine before talking to your provider.

Medicines that can affect the test results include:

  • Chlorpromazine
  • Corticosteroids
  • Phenacemide
  • Salicylates
  • Some kinds of antibiotics
  • Tolbutamide

How the Test will Feel

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain. Others feel only a prick or stinging. Afterward, there may be some throbbing or a slight bruise. This soon goes away.

Why the Test is Performed

This test is done to look at globulin proteins in the blood. Identifying the types of globulins can help diagnose certain medical problems.

Globulins are roughly divided into 3 groups: alpha, beta, and gamma globulins. Gamma globulins include various types of antibodies such as immunoglobulins (Ig) M, G, and A.

Certain diseases are associated with producing too many immunoglobulins. For example, Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia is a cancer of certain white blood cells. It is linked with producing too many IgM antibodies.

Normal Results

Normal value ranges are:

  • Serum globulin: 2.0 to 3.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or 20 to 35 grams per liter (g/L)
  • IgM component: 75 to 300 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) or 750 to 3000 milligrams per liter (mg/L)
  • IgG component: 650 to 1850 mg/dL or 6.5 to 18.50 g/L
  • IgA component: 90 to 350 mg/dL or 900 to 3500 mg/L

Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your provider about the meaning of your specific test results.

What Abnormal Results Mean

Increased gamma globulin proteins may indicate:

  • Acute infection
  • Bone marrow cancer called multiple myeloma
  • Chronic inflammatory disease (for example, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus )
  • Overactive immune system ( hyperimmunization )
  • Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia

Risks

There is very little risk involved with having your blood taken. Veins and arteries vary in size from 1 person to another, and from 1 side of the body to the other. Taking blood from some people may be more difficult than from others.

Other risks associated with having blood drawn are slight, but may include:

  • Excessive bleeding
  • Fainting or feeling lightheaded
  • Hematoma (blood buildup under the skin)
  • Infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)

FAQ

What does serum globulin indicate?

  • Healthcare providers use globulin blood tests to measure protein levels in your blood. Your liver makes globulin, a protein. High levels may indicate autoimmune disease, infections, or cancer. A low globulin reading may be a sign of liver or kidney disease.

What does serum electrophoresis test for?

  • Serum protein electrophoresis is used to identify patients with multiple myeloma and other serum protein disorders. Electrophoresis separates proteins based on their physical properties, and the subsets of these proteins are used in interpreting the results.

What diseases do electrophoresis test for?

  • Hemoglobin electrophoresis measures hemoglobin levels and looks for abnormal types of hemoglobin. It’s most often used to help diagnose anemia, sickle cell disease, and other hemoglobin disorders.

What is a normal serum globulin level?

  • The normal range of globulin is around 2.0-3.9 g/dL or 20-39 g/L. Some lab-to-lab variability occurs due to differences in equipment, techniques, and chemicals used. Globulin in the normal range usually implies a normal balance of carrier proteins, enzymes, and antibodies that are needed for many biological processes.

Can stress cause high globulin?

  • After the first exposure to stress, a relative alpha1-globulin increase was observed. After 10 stress exposures, the hitherto neutral stimulus alone produced a conditioned increase in the alpha1-globulin fraction.

What happens if globulin is high?

  • High globulin levels may be a sign of
  • Certain types of blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma, Hodgkin’s disease, or leukemia. Hemolytic anemia. An autoimmune disease, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. Tuberculosis.

What does it mean when your alpha 1 globulin is high?

  • Increased alpha-1 globulin proteins may be due to: Acute inflammatory disease. Cancer. Chronic inflammatory disease (for example, rheumatoid arthritis, SLE)

What causes abnormal protein electrophoresis?

  • The protein electrophoresis test is often used to find abnormal substances called M proteins. The presence of M proteins can be a sign of a type of cancer called myeloma, or multiple myeloma. Myeloma affects white blood cells called plasma cells in the bone marrow.

How do you read Hb electrophoresis results?

  • Hemoglobin electrophoresis is used as a screening test to identify normal and abnormal hemoglobins and assess their quantity.
Adult/elderly: Percentage of total Hb :
  • HbA 1: 95-98%
  • HbA 2: 2-3%
  • HbF: 0.8-2%
  • HbS: 0%
  • HbC: 0%
  • HbE: 0%

What is a high globulin number?

  • High globulin levels may be a sign of Infection. Inflammatory disease. Immune disorders. Certain cancers, such as multiple myeloma, Hodgkin lymphoma (also called Hodgkin disease), or malignant lymphoma

What is the treatment for high protein in blood?

  • How is high blood protein treated? Treatment for high blood protein depends on the underlying cause. For example, if you have hyperproteinemia because of mild dehydration, your doctor may recommend that you drink more liquids and then recheck your blood.

What are the symptoms of too much protein in your blood?

Side effects of too much protein
  • intestinal discomfort and indigestion.
  • dehydration.
  • unexplained exhaustion.
  • nausea.
  • irritability.
  • headache.
  • diarrhea.

What is electrophoresis used for?

  • Electrophoresis is a laboratory technique used to separate DNA, RNA, or protein molecules based on their size and electrical charge. An electric current is used to move molecules to be separated through a gel. Pores in the gel work like a sieve, allowing smaller molecules to move faster than larger molecules.

Why is gel electrophoresis important?

  • Electrophoresis enables you to distinguish DNA fragments of different lengths. DNA is negatively charged, therefore, when an electric current is applied to the gel, DNA will migrate towards the positively charged electrode.

What causes electrophoresis?

  • Electrophoresis is due to the charge on colloidal particles, the charged particles move towards one of the electrodes in an electric field.

What are the basic principles of electrophoresis?

  • Principles. Electrophoresis is a general term that describes the migration and separation of charged particles (ions) under the influence of an electric field. An electrophoretic system consists of two electrodes of opposite charge (anode, cathode), connected by a conducting medium called an electrolyte.

Can all abnormal hemoglobin be diagnosed by electrophoresis?

  • Patients should be screened with hemoglobin electrophoresis which is able to detect not only the abnormal hemoglobin S of sickle cell anemia but also other abnormal hemoglobin variants which may cause disease.

What are the two main types of electrophoresis?

  • The entire electrophoresis procedure has two varieties; they are capillary electrophoresis and slab electrophoresis. Proteins, if negatively charged, will move towards the anode and the cathode if they have a positive charge.

What is electrophoresis PPT?

  • Electrophoresis may be defined as the migration of the charged particle through a solution under the influence of an external electrical field. Ions that are suspended between two electrodes tend to travel towards the electrodes that bear opposite charges.

What are the disadvantages of electrophoresis?

The Disadvantages of Gel Electrophoresis
  • Electrophoresis Has Limited Sample Analysis. Electrophoresis is specific to whatever tissue you’ve sampled.
  • Electrophoresis Measurements Are Not Precise.
  • A substantial Starting Sample is Required

Why is the electrophoresis test done?

  • Hemoglobin electrophoresis measures hemoglobin levels and looks for abnormal types of hemoglobin. It’s most often used to help diagnose anemia, sickle cell disease, and other hemoglobin disorders.

What diseases do a serum protein electrophoresis test for?

  • Serum protein electrophoresis is used to identify patients with multiple myeloma and other serum protein disorders. Electrophoresis separates proteins based on their physical properties, and the subsets of these proteins are used in interpreting the results.

What is a normal globulin level for a woman?

  • Serum globulin: 2.0 to 3.5 grams per deciliter (g/dL) or 20 to 35 grams per liter (g/L)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this article a replacement for a doctor?

No. It is educational content only. Patients should consult a qualified clinician for diagnosis and treatment.

When should I seek urgent care?

Seek urgent care for severe symptoms, rapidly worsening condition, breathing difficulty, severe pain, neurological changes, or any emergency warning sign.

References

Add references, clinical guidelines, textbooks, journal articles, or trusted medical sources here. You can edit this area later with a custom field named _rx_references.

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Written by Dr. Harun Ar Rashid, MD - Arthritis, Bones, Joints Pain, Trauma, and Internal Medicine Specialist

Dr. Md. Harun Ar Rashid, MPH, MD, PhD, is a highly respected medical specialist celebrated for his exceptional clinical expertise and unwavering commitment to patient care. With advanced qualifications including MPH, MD, and PhD, he integrates cutting-edge research with a compassionate approach to medicine, ensuring that every patient receives personalized and effective treatment. His extensive training and hands-on experience enable him to diagnose complex conditions accurately and develop innovative treatment strategies tailored to individual needs. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr. Harun Ar Rashid is dedicated to medical education and research, writing and inventory creative thinking, innovative idea, critical care managementing make in his community to outreach, often participating in initiatives that promote health awareness and advance medical knowledge. His career is a testament to the high standards represented by his credentials, and he continues to contribute significantly to his field, driving improvements in both patient outcomes and healthcare practices. Born and educated in Bangladesh, Dr. Rashid earned his BPT from the University of Dhaka before pursuing postgraduate training internationally. He completed his MD in Internal Medicine at King’s College London, where he developed a special interest in inflammatory arthritis and metabolic bone disease. He then undertook a PhD in Orthopedic Science at the University of Oxford, conducting pioneering research on cytokine signaling pathways in rheumatoid arthritis. Following his doctoral studies, Dr. Rashid returned to clinical work with a fellowship in interventional pain management at the Rx University School of Medicine, refining his skills in image-guided joint injections and minimally invasive pain-relief techniques.