Creatinine is a substance in the blood produced by the muscles and eliminated in the kidneys, so by analyzing creatinine levels it is possible to identify if there are any problems in the kidneys, especially when it is increased in the blood, as this may mean that the kidneys are unable to eliminate creatinine and therefore accumulate in the blood.
Normal blood creatinine values may vary by lab, but are usually:
- Since creatinine is a substance produced in the body based on muscle mass levels.
- It is normal for men to have higher levels of creatinine in the blood.
- As they generally have more developed muscles than women.
When creatinine levels in the blood are higher than normal, they may indicate kidney blood vessel damage, kidney infection, or decreased blood flow to the kidneys, for example. Some symptoms that may also occur in cases of high creatinine include:
However, athletes and bodybuilders may also have high levels of creatinine due to excessive muscle activity and not necessarily due to kidney problems.
If kidney problems are suspected, your doctor may also prescribe a creatinine clearance test, which compares the amount of creatinine obtained in your blood and urine Therefore, if the problem affects your kidneys, the amount of creatinine in your blood should be greater than the amount in your urine, because your kidneys don’t remove the substance. Learn more about creatinine purification examination.
Low blood creatinine levels are not a concern and are more common in pregnant women and patients with liver disease, as the liver is also responsible for creatinine production.
However, in some people, this can also indicate muscle diseases, such as muscular dystrophy, for example, which causes other symptoms such as weakness, muscle pain, or difficulty moving your arms or legs.
The creatinine test is usually done using a blood test to assess the amount of substance in your body, however, your doctor may also order a urine test. Depending on the type of review, there are different precautions:
In most cases, the only necessary precaution is to tell your doctor about the medicines you are using, as you may need to stop taking certain medicines before the test, especially cimetidine, aspirin, ibuprofen or cephalosporins.
This test is performed for 24 hours, during which time all deleted urine should be kept in the vial proposed by the laboratory.
To perform the test, your doctor may recommend that you stop eating certain foods or even avoid certain medications, as the case may be.