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- A creatinine test is a measure of how well your kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from your blood. Creatinine is a chemical compound left over from energy-producing processes in your muscles. Healthy kidneys filter creatinine out of the blood. Creatinine exits your body as a waste product in urine.
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Normal blood creatinine levels vary and depend on age, race, gender, and body size. Creatinine levels are high when kidney function declines. Discover what normal creatinine levels are, what it means to have high or low creatinine, what a BUN blood test is, and how to stay within normal creatinine range.
Mar 7, 2024 · The creatinine blood test assesses kidney function, revealing insights into potential kidney disease or damage based on abnormal creatinine and BUN levels.
- Overview
- Low, normal, and high creatinine levels
- What causes high creatinine levels?
- What causes low creatinine levels?
- Creatinine levels during pregnancy
- Testing creatinine levels
- What do the results mean?
- Next steps
- Summary
Average creatinine levels can vary depending on a person’s age, sex, and muscle mass. However, average ranges are 0.7–1.2 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) for males and 0.5–1.0 for females.
Creatinine is the waste product of creatine, which the muscles use to make energy. Typically, creatinine travels in the blood to the kidneys, where it leaves the body in the urine.
High levels in the blood might indicate that the kidneys are not working correctly, while low levels can occur with low muscle mass.
The creatinine blood test helps doctors diagnose kidney disease. A poorly functioning kidney cannot filter creatinine as well as it usually does, which causes levels in the blood to rise.
The kidneys are responsible for keeping the creatinine level in the blood within a normal range.
Medical professionals define the typical reference ranges for serum creatinine in micromoles per liter (μmol/L) and milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL).
Chronic kidney disease
When kidneys are damaged, they have trouble removing creatinine from the blood, and levels rise. Doctors use the creatinine blood test result to calculate glomerular filtration rate (GFR), a more specific measure to indicate chronic kidney disease. Doctors consider a GFR of 60 or over to be normal, while a GFR of less than 60 may indicate kidney disease. A GFR level of 15 or less indicates kidney failure.
Kidney obstruction
A blockage in urine flow, such as an enlarged prostate or kidney stone, could cause kidney obstruction. This blockage can create a backup of urine into the kidney and impair the kidney’s ability to function correctly. The medical term for this condition is hydronephrosis. Obstructions affecting both kidneys can raise a person’s blood creatinine levels.
Increased consumption of protein
What a person eats can affect creatinine levels. For example, proteins and cooked meat contain creatinine, so eating more than the recommended amount of meat or other proteins for a person’s activity levels can cause high creatinine levels after eating. However, long-term studies have shown that high protein diets do not significantly impact blood creatinine levels over a 2-year period.
Low muscle mass
Because the breakdown of muscle produces creatinine, low muscle mass can result in low creatinine levels. Older adults are more at risk as muscle mass declines with age. Malnutrition can also cause low muscle mass and low creatinine levels. Chronic conditions, such as myasthenia gravis or muscular dystrophy, may result in low creatinine levels.
Extreme weight loss
Weight loss can result in the reduction of muscle mass, leading to low levels of creatinine.
During pregnancy, blood flow to the kidneys is higher. This increases a person’s GFR and the rate of creatinine excretion.
Due to this, pregnant people typically have lower levels of blood creatinine.
A 2020 review found that the mean blood creatinine level in pregnant people is 77–84% of that in nonpregnant people.
A person’s creatinine levels will also change across trimesters.
The body produces creatinine at a steady rate, and measuring the levels requires a routine blood sample.
Measuring creatinine levels is useful for identifying the GFR, an indicator of overall kidney function. Doctors can use GFR levels to check for signs of chronic kidney disease.
A doctor or healthcare professional will carry out the blood test.
Before the test, they might ask questions related to:
•diet
•physical activity
Low creatinine levels mean something is affecting creatine production in the body. This will often result from a person having low muscle mass or body weight.
However, low creatinine levels may also indicate a person has chronic kidney disease, reduced kidney function, or malnutrition.
Learn more about low creatinine levels.
High creatinine levels may also indicate severe kidney problems, such as infection or failure. However, this will not always be the case.
Antibiotics, diet, and dehydration from exercise can all impact creatine production. In these instances, creatinine levels may return to normal shortly after a person addresses the underlying cause.
Learn more about high creatinine levels.
Dietary choices and physical activity are essential in regulating blood creatinine levels. Maintaining protein consumption within the recommended range for age and activity level is advisable.
Creatinine levels outside of normal ranges may indicate an underlying condition. A doctor can diagnose the underlying condition and suggest suitable treatment options.
Creatinine is the waste product of creatine, which the body uses for energy.
Doctors can use creatinine level tests to check for abnormalities in kidney function. The average creatinine ranges are 0.7–1.2 mg/dL for males and 0.5–1.0 mg/dL for females.
Dehydration, exercise, physical changes in pregnancy, and kidney failure can all impact creatinine levels.
A person will typically undergo creatinine-level tests in a medical setting, meaning doctors can usually interpret results and plan the next steps quickly.
Feb 9, 2023 · A creatinine test is a measure of how well your kidneys are performing their job of filtering waste from your blood. Creatinine is a chemical compound left over from energy-producing processes in your muscles.
Apr 12, 2024 · Even if you feel fine, elevated blood creatinine levels may be a cause of concern. Learn more about normal, high and low levels, when to worry about your creatine levels, and what to do about...
Jun 1, 2023 · The serum (blood) creatinine test is a blood test used to check how well your kidneys are filtering your blood. It is usually ordered in combination with other tests as part of a bundle called the “basic metabolic panel” (BMP) or “comprehensive metabolic panel” (CMP).
Dec 17, 2023 · Tests. Symptoms. Treatment. Creatinine is a natural waste product that accumulates in the bloodstream after a person uses their muscles. Healthy kidneys (bean-shaped organs) filter creatinine out of the bloodstream, removing it from the body in urine.
