Malnutrition
Malnutrition can cause a low anion gap because it leads to a decrease in serum albumin levels. Albumin is a protein that helps maintain oncotic pressure, the osmotic pressure that pulls fluid into cells. Albumin levels fall when someone is malnourished because there isn’t enough protein available to make new albumin molecules.
A decrease in serum albumin levels causes water to move from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration. This process swells cells and causes them to leak electrolytes like sodium, chloride, and potassium into the extracellular space. When electrolytes like sodium, chloride, and potassium leak out of cells, the concentration of cations in the blood decrease while the concentration of anions stays the same. This lowers the anion gap because there are now fewer cations than before relative to the number of anions.
Malnutrition is a serious problem that affects billions of people around the world. However, it’s important to remember that malnutrition is not an insurmountable problem. It can be managed with the right approach. It is recommended to seek help from a healthcare provider to ensure success in restoring normal weight and reducing the risk of complications.
