Does Creatinine Give an Idea About Renal Health?
Serum or blood creatinine gives an idea about renal health. Creatine phosphate is made with three different types of amino acids such as arginine, glycine, and methionine. It is useful to provide energy supply to muscles.
Creatinine is an end product of the creatine phosphate molecule. It is a type of waste product that is released in the blood due to exercising the skeletal muscles. It is actually produced from creatine. Each and every day, some amount of creatine is transferred into creatinine. Its value is approximately two percent every day. Creatinine is a very harmful product for our body, and that is why its elimination from the body is necessary. Blood creatinine is transported to the kidney, and the kidney excretes this product through urine from our body. That is why kidneys play an important role in the filtration of the blood.
The concentration of creatinine is important in the diagnosis of various kidney-related disorders. It provides an idea about the normal function of kidneys. If kidney function is impaired, there will be an alteration in the amount of creatinine from the normal value. If the kidney fails to eliminate creatinine, the concentration of the creatinine will be high and sometimes cause kidney failure. So, it is a wise decision to take blood and urine tests prior to giving treatment for any disease. Sometimes, the patient is asymptomatic with high creatinine concentration.
What Are the Normal Values of Creatinine in Blood?
The normal value of creatinine is measured in milligrams (one thousand part of the gram) per dl of the blood (one-tenth part of one liter).
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In Male - 0.6 to 1.1 milligrams per dL (deciliter) of blood.
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In Females - 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per dL of blood.
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Infant - 0.2 milligram per dL of blood or above (due to less muscle mass).
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Person With One Kidney - 1.8 to 1.9 milligram per dL of the blood.
Any value above this may indicate a severe kidney disorder or malfunction. More creatinine concentration in infants or babies such as above 2.0 or more than 10.0 in an adult may need dialysis. It is widely used in the emergency department of hospitals.
Creatine is formed in the liver. After formation, it is transported to various organs or muscles, or brains. After reaching a particular site, it reacts with phosphate and makes phosphocreatine. During any activity, this creatine and phosphocreatine are broken down by the creatine kinase enzyme. This also converts all compounds into creatinine and releases them into our bodies. There is always some alteration in the value there. Young and muscular adult men have a higher concentration of creatinine than older ones. Sometimes, malnourished or undernourished persons, amputation (removal of one or more extremities), less muscle mass, severe weight loss may have less concentration of creatinine in the blood.
What Are the Causes of Raised Creatinine Levels in the Blood?
There are some cases related to high creatinine levels in the blood. They are,
- Disorders of kidneys.
- A family history of kidney disease.
- Autoimmune disease.
- High blood pressure.
- Diabetes mellitus.
- Thyroid disease.
- Dietary factors - Some food products also contain a high amount of creatinine, such as,
- Meat products.
- Fish.
- Seafood.
- Certain medications - Some drugs are also responsible for a high concentration of creatinine, as those drugs decrease the elimination of creatinine through urine. They are,
- Trimethoprim.
- Sulfamethoxazole.
- H2 blocker - Cimetidine.
Its concentration is measured from urine after 24 of urine collection.
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Blocked urinary tract.
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Strenuous exercise.
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Some diseases can affect kidney function and raise creatinine levels. They are,
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Tumors.
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HIV.
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Syphilis.
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Systemic lupus erythematosus.
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Hepatitis B and C.
What Are the Symptoms of Raised Creatinine Levels?
When one comes to notice these symptoms, one may need a creatinine test.
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Increased urinary frequency.
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Fatigue.
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Swelling of the feet.
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Foams in the urine.
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Muscle cramps.
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Pain during urination.
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Muscle cramps.
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Ankle edema.
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Blood in the urine.
What Are the Harmful Effects of a High Concentration of Creatinine in the Body?
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Dehydration - The person feels dehydrated all the time. The patient feels thirsty all the time because the body wants to eliminate this creatinine level through urine.
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Fatigue - Creatinine is a waste product, and its higher concentration disturbs the production of adenosine triphosphate compounds which provide energy to our body. It restricts the formation of the energy-providing molecule and causes weakness, lethargy, or early fatigue. Sometimes its higher concentration may disturb the function of respiratory muscles such as the diaphragm, which is the main muscle responsible for breathing. A person may not be able to take a breath due to respiratory muscle fatigue. It may reduce the oxygenation of the blood. Creatinine may decrease cardiac muscle activity, and the heart may become weak to pump out the blood to all body parts. It also reduces the blood supply to the brain, which may lead to coma or death.
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Swelling or Edema - High concentration of waste products is associated with various diseases of the kidney. The kidney fails to excrete urine out from the body. There is an accumulation of water in our body, plus this water goes into gravity depending on the extremity and accumulates there, leading to peripheral edema.
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Confusion - Creatinine also alters the sensation of brain parts and produces confusion-like feelings. There are many other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, and more.
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Headache - Headache occurs due to accumulation of creatinine concentration as it may increase the irritation of nerve endings and produce headache
What Are the Treatment Options to Lower the Creatinine?
1) Diet Plan:
A higher concentration of creatinine is due to a disorder of the kidney. So, it is better for us to decrease the load upon the kidneys. The kidney acts to maintain the normal balance of water and electrolytes in our body. Some modifications in the diet are necessary, such as a reduction of intake of protein, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.
A low protein diet is recommended to reduce creatinine levels. The person should reduce the intake of water or fluid also. Restriction of sodium reduces the pressure of the blood as well as reduces the chances of peripheral edema. The person should be restricted from eating high potassium-containing dietary supplements such as tomatoes, potatoes, nuts, and chocolates. The person should be restricted from eating high concentrations of phosphorus food supplements such as dairy products, including milk, curd, cheese, shellfish, nuts, pork, soybean foods, and more.
The daily requirement of the protein for an adult is 1 gram per kilogram body weight per day. A child and pediatric age group need more protein as compared to adults because protein is an essential element for bone growth. People should avoid sodium-rich foods such as salt, baking soda, cured meat and fish, cheese, pickles, instant soups, roasted and salted seeds, nuts, snacks, fast food such as egg products, and ham biscuits, canned vegetables, and more.
There are many varieties of fruits and vegetables that are advised for kidney diseases. They are:
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It is advisable to take peaches, broccoli, onion, grapes, cabbage, pepper, cherries, cauliflower, apples, celery, berries, cucumber, pineapple, eggs, plums, green beans, tangerine, lettuce, watermelon, and pears.
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Restrict the intake of oranges and orange juice, asparagus, nectarines, avocado, kiwi fruit, raisins or other dried fruits, bananas, cooked spinach, potatoes, cantaloupe, honeydew, pumpkin, prunes, etc.
2) Medication:
Ketosteril is mainly used for the treatment of various disorders of the kidney. Its beneficial effects are a thousand times more than a low protein diet. It is mainly used for reducing the concentration of creatinine in the blood. It supplies the proper amino acids and reduces the formation of creatinine and urea.
3) Dialysis:
When diet and medication do not provide any beneficial effects, dialysis is the last option to eliminate the high concentration of creatinine. Doctor measures the creatinine level and blood urine nitrogen level to test the efficacy of the kidney function. If they are increased above normal, dialysis is a must to remove them.
A health professional collects and saves the urine of a patient for one whole day in an air-tight container. After that, the pathologist may check the concentration of this element in urine and blood. Measurement of creatinine clearance is essential for getting an idea about kidney function.
Creatinine clearance is measured as the difference between blood creatinine and urine creatinine level. If creatinine clearance is below 10 cc per minute, dialysis is a must.
Procedure - There are mainly two types of dialysis, namely peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis. But for clearance of creatinine, hemodialysis is widely used.
4) Hemodialysis:
In this procedure, one connection is made between the artery and vein of the arm or leg. One catheter is inserted into this connection. Blood coming from the artery goes into the dialysis machine via a plastic tube that is attached to the catheter. Blood is filtered into dialysis machines, and waste products are removed from it. This purified blood further enters into circulation. Dialysis works on behalf of the kidney. Dialysis can be done three times a week. Two catheters are inserted into the connection. One for receiving the blood, and the other one is for returning the blood into the vein.
5) Do Not Overuse NSAIDs:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) should not be taken too often because anything more than recommended dose is harmful, especially if an individual has kidney disease. Please talk to the doctor to determine the right treatment plan for pain and inflammation.
6) Herbal Supplements:
Traditional Chinese medicine from the plant, Red sage, or Salvia miltiorrhiza, plays a major role in the treatment of kidney diseases. It is said that this plant provides protection against renal failure and strengthens the kidneys for a better process of creatinine.
7) Caution With Diuretics:
Diuretics help the body to remove excess fluid and reduce swelling due to fluid retention. But diuretics increase the creatinine levels in kidney diseased patients. So consult a doctor before taking diuretics.
8) Good Sleep:
While sleeping, the creatinine levels in the body decrease. Purchasing anti-slip eye mask can be beneficial in sleeping better.
9) Avoid Smoking:
Cigarette smoking increases the risk of chronic kidney disease and is also harmful to the body in many ways.
So avoid smoking, and it is the best way to reduce kidney disease and creatinine levels.
10) Chitosan Supplements:
This ingredient helps with weight loss and cholesterol.
It is said that chitosan helped with kidney failure by reducing creatinine levels in rats. But always ask a doctor before using chitosan or any other supplement.
11) Avoid the Consumption of Alcohol:
Alcohol consumption affects the liver as well as kidneys too. Excessive alcohol consumption has the potential to,
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Increase the blood sugar levels.
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Increase the blood pressure.
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Damage the kidneys.
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Creates renal diseases.
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Alcohol dependency.
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So avoid alcohol to lead a healthy life.
Conclusion:
High creatinine levels indicate serious medical conditions and create kidney problems. It would be best to visit a doctor to get the best course of treatment for kidney diseases. In addition, follow proper lifestyle changes and seek a doctor to undergo proper treatment and dialysis to flush out the toxins and waste products from the kidneys.
