Personal
Professional
Research
Personal Professional Research Sign Up Login Pro Login
Research Tryptase
Immune System

Tryptase

Optimal Result: 2.2 - 13.2 ug/L.

Tryptase Blood Test: Understanding its Purpose and Significance

The tryptase test measures the amount of tryptase, an enzyme released by mast cells, in the blood. It is commonly used to assess mast cell activity, which plays a key role in allergic reactions and other immune responses.

Other Names for the Test:

  • Mast Cell Tryptase
  • Alpha Tryptase
  • Beta Tryptase
  • Mature Tryptase

What is Tryptase?

Tryptase is an enzyme stored in the granules of mast cells and is released along with other chemicals, such as histamine, when mast cells are activated. This activation can occur during:

  • Normal immune responses.
  • Allergic reactions.
  • Pathological conditions like mastocytosis or mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS).

What are Mast Cells?

Mast cells are a type of white blood cell (granulocyte) found in peripheral tissues. They play a central role in inflammatory and allergic reactions by releasing their stored chemicals when triggered.

Mast cells are most abundant in:

  • The skin.
  • The lining of the intestine.
  • The airways.
  • The bone marrow.

These cells release substances like tryptase and histamine from their granules, which contribute to inflammation and allergic symptoms.

Why is the Tryptase Test Important?

  • Normal Conditions: Tryptase levels in the blood are typically very low.
  • Abnormal Conditions: Elevated tryptase levels may indicate excessive mast cell activation or increased mast cell numbers, as seen in conditions like:
    • Systemic Mastocytosis (SM).
    • Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS).
    • Severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis.

When mast cells release too many chemicals, symptoms can range from mild allergic responses to severe, life-threatening reactions.

Clinical References:

This information is supported by research and clinical guidelines, including:

  • Mast Cell Tryptase: A Review of Its Physiology and Clinical Significance. [L]
  • Clinical Significance of Serum Tryptase (Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology). [L]
  • WHO-Defined Systemic Mastocytosis vs. Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Blood, 2014. [L]
  • Mayo Clinic Laboratories: Tryptase Test Overview. [L]
  • Lab Tests Online: Tryptase Test. [L]

What does it mean if your Tryptase result is too high?

Tryptase Levels and What They Mean

Tryptase is a substance released by mast cells, which are part of your immune system. These cells help protect your body, but when they become overactive, they can release too much tryptase, which might indicate an allergic reaction or other health conditions.

What Happens When Tryptase is Elevated?

Mast cells are like “first responders” in your body, releasing chemicals to fight off perceived threats like allergens or injuries. When they’re activated, tryptase levels can rise quickly:

  • Levels increase within 15 to 30 minutes.
  • They peak at 1 to 2 hours.
  • They return to normal within a few hours or days.

Normal tryptase levels are typically below 11.4 ng/mL, but some experts consider a range of 1 to 15 ng/mL normal. If your levels are elevated, it could mean your mast cells are overreacting to something.

What Can Cause Elevated Tryptase?

  1. Severe Allergic Reactions (Anaphylaxis):

    • In anaphylaxis, many mast cells release their contents all at once. This can cause:
      • Low blood pressure
      • Hives or red, itchy skin
      • Trouble breathing
      • Swelling or even life-threatening symptoms
    • Tryptase levels are usually very high during anaphylaxis. A specific formula is used to confirm mast cell activation: an increase in tryptase by more than 20% above your baseline level, plus 2 ng/mL.

  2. Mast Cell Activation Disorders:

    • Sometimes mast cells become overactive even without an allergy. This can cause symptoms like flushing, swelling, or sudden allergic-like reactions.
    • A genetic condition called hereditary alpha tryptasemia can lead to naturally higher tryptase levels, but it doesn’t always mean something is wrong.

  3. Mastocytosis:

    • This is a rare condition where mast cells grow abnormally and collect in the skin or other organs.
      • Cutaneous Mastocytosis: Mainly affects the skin, causing rashes or hives.
      • Systemic Mastocytosis: Affects organs like the stomach, liver, or bones. It can lead to more serious symptoms, including anaphylaxis or organ problems.
    • Tryptase levels over 20 ng/mL may suggest systemic mastocytosis, but more tests are needed for a diagnosis.

  4. Other Causes:

    • Elevated tryptase levels can also be caused by conditions like:
      • Certain blood disorders
      • Chronic kidney disease

What Should You Do if Your Tryptase Levels Are High?

Seeing an elevated tryptase result can be concerning, but it’s important to know it’s just one part of the picture. Here’s what to do next:

  1. Talk to Your Doctor: Elevated tryptase levels don’t automatically mean you have a serious condition. Your doctor will consider your symptoms, medical history, and other test results to determine the cause.
  2. Note Any Symptoms: Let your doctor know if you’ve had symptoms like skin rashes, trouble breathing, or swelling. These can help identify whether mast cell activity is involved.
  3. Follow Up: If your levels stay high, your doctor may recommend further testing to check for conditions like mastocytosis or other causes.

Key Takeaway

Tryptase is a helpful marker for understanding your body’s response to certain conditions, like allergies or immune system disorders. If your levels are high, it’s important to consult a healthcare professional to figure out the next steps. Elevated tryptase can have many causes, and with the right guidance, you can address the underlying issue.

What does it mean if your Tryptase result is too low?

Tryptase Levels in Clinical Practice

Tryptase is a enzyme primarily released by mast cells, making it a valuable biomarker for mast cell activation and mast cell disorders. In clinical practice, elevated tryptase levels are typically of more concern than low levels, as they often indicate significant mast cell activation or underlying disorders.

Normal Tryptase Levels

The normal range for serum tryptase is generally considered to be 1-15 ng/mL. Levels below this range are not typically flagged as abnormal or clinically significant. Sample timing is crucial, as levels can fluctuate throughout the day and in response to various stimuli.

Low Tryptase Levels

There is limited scientific evidence regarding the clinical significance of low tryptase levels. Some key points to consider:

  1. Biological Variation: Tryptase levels can vary naturally between individuals. Studies have found that serum tryptase has very low within-subject variation (3.7%) but considerable between-subject variation (31.5%).
  2. Lack of Clinical Significance: Low tryptase levels are generally not considered clinically significant on their own and do not necessarily indicate a health problem.
  3. Mast Cell Disorders: In the context of mast cell disorders, tryptase levels are typically elevated rather than low. However, baseline levels are important for comparison during acute events.
  4. Anaphylaxis: While elevated tryptase can be indicative of anaphylaxis, low levels do not rule it out. The change in tryptase levels during an acute event compared to baseline is more informative than the absolute value.

Frequently asked questions

Healthmatters is a highly-personalized health dashboard.

Instead of searching for your lab results in different places or tracking them down from different providers, Healthmatters houses, organizes, and interprets them all in one central location.

With a Healthmatters account, you can dive into the details of each biomarker and gain insights into the meaning behind your medical test data, anytime, anywhere.

For our professional users, Healthmatters provides intuitive tools that not only streamline analysis but also save valuable time when delving into your client's lab report history.

Healthmatters.io personal account provides in-depth research on 4000+ biomarkers, including information and suggestions for test panels such as, but not limited to:

  • The GI Effects® Comprehensive Stool Profile,
  • GI-MAP,
  • The NutrEval FMV®,
  • The ION Profile,
  • Amino Acids Profile,
  • Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH),
  • Organic Acids Test,
  • Organix Comprehensive Profile,
  • Toxic Metals,
  • Complete Blood Count (CBC),
  • Metabolic panel,
  • Thyroid panel,
  • Lipid Panel,
  • Urinalysis,
  • And many, many more.

You can combine all test reports inside your Healthmatters account and keep them in one place. It gives you an excellent overview of all your health data. Once you retest, you can add new results and compare them.

If you are still determining whether Healthmatters support your lab results, the rule is that if you can test it, you can upload it to Healthmatters.

While we work with many popular labs, we welcome reports from lots of other places too.

It's as simple as this: if you can get a test done, you can upload it to Healthmatters and we can interpret results from any lab out there. If laboratories can analyze it, we can interpret it.

If you’re on the hunt for a specific biomarker, contact us and we'll add it to our database. Anything from blood, urine, saliva, or stool can be uploaded, understood, and tracked with your Healthmatters account.

There are two ways to add your test reports to your Healthmatters account. One option is to input the data using the data entry forms. The other method is to utilize our "Data entry service."

Our data entry forms offer an easy, fast, and free way for you to input the reports yourself. Self-entry allows you to add an unlimited number of reports at no cost. We make the self-entry process user-friendly, providing dozens of templates that pre-populate the most popular laboratory panels and offering instant feedback on entered values.

For those who prefer assistance, we offer a "Data entry service" to help you input your data. Simply attach an image or file of your lab test results, and a qualified team member from our data entry team will add the results for you.

We support various file types, including PDFs, JPGs, or Excel. This service is particularly useful if you have many reports to upload or if you're too busy to handle the data entry yourself.

Our special data entry service makes it easy to add your results to your private dashboard. Just attach an image or a file of your lab test results, and our skilled data entry team will do the work for you. It's all done by humans, ensuring that your data is entered accurately and with personal care for each client.

Depending on your account, the data entry service can be included for free or come at an additional cost of $15 per report.

For users on the Complete monthly plan, the first report is entered free of charge, and each additional report incurs a fee of $15.

Unlimited account holders enjoy the entry of ten reports without charge. Subsequent reports are subject to a $15 fee per report.

Additionally, users on the Complete plan can upgrade to a yearly subscription from the account settings. The annual subscription includes a data entry service for five reports.

The Unlimited plan is a one-time purchase for $250, and it covers your account for a lifetime with no additional payments.

For the Complete plan, the cost is $15 per month. You have the flexibility to cancel it anytime through your account settings, ensuring no further payments. To avoid charges, remember to cancel at least a day before the renewal date. Once canceled, the subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Additionally, you can upgrade to the yearly Advanced plan from within your account. The annual cost is $79, and it comes with a data entry service for five reports.

You can always upgrade to a lifetime version with a prorated price from a monthly or yearly subscription.

Simply log in and navigate to your account settings to cancel your subscription. Scroll down to locate the 'Cancel' button at the bottom of the page. Ensure you cancel at least one day before the renewal date to prevent any charges. Once cancellation is requested, the subscription remains active until the conclusion of the current billing cycle.

Our goal has been to make your Healthmatters account as intuitive as possible.

We’ve crafted multiple ways for you to navigate your data, whether you're glancing at a single report or delving into your historical test reports.

1. Graph View:

Dive into a visual journey with our biomarker graphs, showcasing over 40 data points. Combining years of results unveils trends, empowering you to make informed decisions. Our visualization tools make it a breeze to compare and understand changes over time, even if your results are from different labs. A search function and filters simplify the exploration of extensive data, allowing you to focus on what needs attention.

2. All Tests View

Explore neatly organized reports on a timeline, highlighting crucial details like dates, critical results, and lab/panel names. Each report opens up to reveal in-depth descriptions and additional recommendations for each biomarker. The history of previous results is just a click away, and you can download a comprehensive report for deeper insights. Color-coded and user-friendly, it's designed for easy reading, understanding, and navigation.

3. Table View:

For a holistic view of all biomarkers side by side, our table view is your go-to. Results are neatly displayed in a categorized and dated table, ideal for those with an extensive test history. Utilize sorting, filters, and color-coding to enhance your analysis and gain extra insights.

Yes, you can download information from your account. We can compile your labs into a CSV file. To download all your labs, you can go to Account Settings, and at the bottom of the page, you will find a link to download your information.

Yes, you can print your report. To do so, navigate to "All tests" and open the report you wish to print. You'll find a print button in the right corner of the report. Click on it, and your browser's print window will open. If you prefer to print in a bigger typeface, adjust the scale using the print window settings.

Yes, you can! We highly recommend activating Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) for your account. To do so, please navigate to the "Profile and Security" section of your account, where you will find instructions for activating 2FA.

Yes, you can. When entering values for the biomarker, you will see an "Edit Range" button. Click this button, and you'll have the option to enter a custom range.

A personal account is all about keeping your own lab test results in check. It's just for you and your personal use.

The professional account is designed for health professionals who wish to track and organize their clients' laboratory results.

To learn more about Healthmatters Pro, please refer to the professional page.

Use promo code to save 10% off any plan.


We implement proven measures to keep your data safe.

At HealthMatters, we're committed to maintaining the security and confidentiality of your personal information. We've put industry-leading security standards in place to help protect against the loss, misuse, or alteration of the information under our control. We use procedural, physical, and electronic security methods designed to prevent unauthorized people from getting access to this information. Our internal code of conduct adds additional privacy protection. All data is backed up multiple times a day and encrypted using SSL certificates. See our Privacy Policy for more details.

Navigate to Immune System

Popular search

14.3.3 ETA PROTEIN, Acetylcholine Receptor (AChR) Antibody, Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), Alpha 2-Macroglobulins, Qn, Alpha Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone, ANA SCREEN A, ANA SCREEN B, ANA SCREEN, IFA, ANA Screen, IFA (Positive, Negative), ANA titer, Anti-C1Q Ab, IgG (RDL), Anti-DBL-Strand DNA Ab, Anti-dsDNA (Double-stranded) Ab by Farr method (RDL), Anti-dsDNA ab (Farr Assay), Anti-IgE, ANTI-RNP (CU), Anti-Smith Antibody, Anticardiolipin Ab, IgM, Anticardiolipin Ab,IgA,Qn, Anticardiolipin Ab,IgG,Qn, Antinuclear Ab, HEp-2 Substrate, S, Antinuclear Antibodies (ANA) Screen, Reflex ANA IFA dsDNA Antibodies, Antinuclear Antibodies Direct (ANA Direct), Antiphosphatidylserine IgA, Antiphosphatidylserine IgG, Antiphosphatidylserine IgM, Antithrombin Activity (ATIII), Antithrombin III activity, Baski sleepy, C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Func, C1 Esterase Inhibitor, Serum, C3A Desarg Fragment, C4a Level by RIA, CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGA), CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGG), CARDIOLIPIN AB (IGM), Carnitine Esters, Carnitine, Free, Carnitine, Total, CCP Antibodies IgG/IgA, Centromere, Chromatin, Coccidioides Ab by CF, Coccidioides Ab, IgG, EIA, Coccidioides Ab, IgM, EIA, Complement C1q, Quantitative, Complement C3, Complement C3a, Complement C4, Serum, Complement C4a, Complement Component C1Q, Complement, Total (CH50), Complement, Total (CH50), Quest Diagnostics, Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody, Cysticercosis (Taenia solium), Dilute Russell's viper venom time (dRVVT), Diphtheria Antitoxoid Antibody, DNA AB Double Stranded Titer, DNA Double-Stranded Ab, IgG, dRVVT Confirm, DRVVT SCREEN, dRVVT Screen Ratio, ds-DNA Antibody, IgG, dsDNA, ENA to Smith (Sm) Antibody, ENA-6 Reflexed, Eosinophil Cationic Protein (ECP), Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), Esterified/Free Ratio, F004-IgE Wheat, Free Kappa Lt Chains, Serum, Free Lambda Lt Chains, Serum, Ganglioside Antibodies - GM1 (IgG), Ganglioside Antibodies - GM1 (IgM), Ganglioside Antibodies - GQ1b (IgG), Gastrin, GlycA, Helicobacter pylori Abs, Serum, Hemoglobin A2 (Quant), Hexagonal Phase Phospholipid, HISTAMINE RELEASE (CHRONIC URTICARIA), Histamine, Plasma, Histamine, Whole Blood, Histone, HLA-B27 (Human Leukocyte Antigen B27), Human Transforming Growth Factor Beta 1 (TGF-b1), IGE ANTIBODY (ANTI IGE IGG), Immature Grans (Abs), Immature Granulocytes (%), Immunofixation Result, Serum, Immunoglobulin A, Qn, Serum, Immunoglobulin D, Quant, Serum, immunoglobulin E, Immunoglobulin E, Total, Immunoglobulin G, Qn, Serum, Immunoglobulin M, Qn, Serum, INFg, Influenza Type A Antibody Serum, Influenza Type B Antibody Serum, Interleukin-2, Serum, Interleukin-6, Jo 1 Antibodies, IgG, Serum, JO-1, Kappa/Lambda Ratio, Serum, Liver Kidney Mic IgG, Liver-Kidney Microsomal Antibodies, Lupus Anticoagulant, Lysozyme, Serum, Mannose Binding Lectin (MBL), Measles Antibodies, IgG, Monocyte Chemotactic Protein-1 (MCP-1), Mumps Abs, IgG, PEP A2Glob, PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGA), PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGG), PHOSPHATIDYLETHANOLAMINE AB (IGM), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGA), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGG), PHOSPHATIDYLSERINE AB (IGM), Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor (PAI-1) AG, Procalcitonin, Prothrombin Fragment 1.2, Prothrombin Time (PT), Prothrombin Time (PT) INR, QUANTIFERON® -TB GOLD PLUS, 1 TUBE, RA Latex Turbid, Reptilase Clotting Time, RF, IgA by EIA (RDL), RF, IgG by EIA (RDL), RF, IgM by EIA (RDL), Rheumatoid factor (RF), Rheumatoid Factor IgA, Rheumatoid Factor IgM, RNA Polymerase III Antibodies, RNP/Sm, Ro-52kD Antibody, Schistosoma IgG, Scl-70, Sed Rate by Modified Westergren, Semi-Quant RF, SICKLE CELL SCRN, Sirolimus, Whole Blood, Sm, SM/RNP Antibody, Smith/RNP (ENA) Ab, IGG, Smooth Muscle Abs, IFA, Ss-B/La Ab Igg, SSA, SSA-52 (Ro52) (ENA) Antibody, IgG, SSA-60 (Ro60) (ENA) Antibody, IgG, SSB, ssDNA, Tacrolimus, Whole Blood, Tetanus Antitoxoid IgG Ab, TGF-b1, Thrombin time, Thrombin-Antithrombin TAT, TNFb, Trans. Growth Fact. beta 1, Transforming Growth Factor beta, Plasma, Tryptase, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV) DNA, Qualitative, Real-Time PCR, VEGF, Plasma, VEGF, Serum, Von Willebrand Factor Antigen (vWF), vWF Activity