An amylase test measures the amount of amylase in your blood or urine (pee). Amylase is an enzyme, a protein that speeds up chemical reactions in your body. Amylase helps you digest carbohydrates. Most of the amylase in your body is made by your pancreas and salivary (spit) glands.
Tests for amylase in blood or urine are mainly used to diagnose problems with your pancreas, including pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. The test is also used to monitor chronic (long-term) pancreatitis.
Source: MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine
Normal range
- ≤ 30 d
- 0–6 U/L
- 1 mo – 6 mo
- 1–17 U/L
- 1 y – 3 y
- 8–79 U/L
- 18 y+
- 28–100 U/L
- 4 y – 17 y
- 21–110 U/L
- 6 mo – 1 y
- 6–44 U/L
Ranges from Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog).
All 6 source ranges
What an abnormal result can be associated with
- A high result
- Hyperamylasemia
- A low result
- Hypoamylasemia
Associations from LOINC2HPO (Human Phenotype Ontology). This is reference information, not a diagnosis — only a clinician can interpret your result in context.
Details
- Sample
- Serum or plasma · LOINC
- Collection
- Serum gel tube · 0.5 mL · Mayo Clinic Laboratories (Test Catalog)
- Listed under
- Pancreatic Cancer · Pancreatic Diseases · Pancreatitis
- Code
- LOINC 1798-8 · U/L
- Also known as
- Alpha amylase, Gastro, Ams, Diastase, Amyl