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Objective: To determine the ranges of total protein values in cerebrospinal fluid by age groups and their relationship with sex. Methods: A descriptive analytical study was carried out. Total protein concentration was quantified (Lowry's procedure) in 930 cerebrospinal fluid samples with an electrophoretic pattern of normal cerebrospinal fluid, evaluated at the Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery over a period of 11 years. Sex and age of the patients were recorded. The mean, median, minimum and maximum, standard deviation and 25-75 percentile of the concentration of total proteins in cerebrospinal fluid by age group were reported. Student's t-statistic was used for comparisons between adults and children and between sexes; ANOVA test was used to compare means of total proteins between age groups; Kruskal Wallis test determined differences between adult-age groups, and Mann-Whitney test analyzed the differences between sexes by age groups. The level of significance was p< 0.05. Results: Reference values of total proteins in cerebrospinal fluid were determined by age groups; there were significant differences among them. The information previously reported on the association between higher values of total proteins in cerebrospinal fluid with advancing age was confirmed, with the exception of patients< 1 year. The total proteins of younger adults showed significant differences with respect to those of older. Higher values were evidenced in male adults; statistical significance was at the ages ranging 20 to 49 years. Conclusions: Age and sex are essential in the analysis and interpretation of total protein values in cerebrospinal fluid. However, age and sex stratification is more relevant in patients older than 50 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]