Creatinine is lowered - such a deviation is rare, but still occurs in people. To understand why this pathology is detected in patients, you should find out what creatinine is and why it is needed at all.
What is creatinine?
Creatinine is the end product of the so-called protein metabolism, which makes it possible to judge the state of the human muscular system and its kidneys. As you know, this substance is one of the elements of residual nitrogen. This is a combination of non-protein components in the blood (ammonia, creatinine, uric acid, urea, etc.), which are subject to excretion from the body through the kidneys. According to the detected level of creatinine, as well as other substances, they judge the normal state and excretory function of the kidneys.
Where is it formed?
Why is creatinine low in the blood? Before answering this question, it is necessary to find out exactly where the residual nitrogen component is formed. Most of this substance occurs in muscle tissues from creatine phosphate, which is a kind of energy source, which is essential for contraction.muscles. In addition, a small amount of this component is formed in the brain.
What is the normal level of creatinine in the blood?
Increased or, conversely, reduced blood creatinine levels can be detected only after a biochemical analysis. To obtain reliable results, it is recommended to donate blood only in the morning and on an empty stomach (about eight hours after the last meal).
The plasma concentration of this substance depends on the normal or abnormal functioning of the kidneys. It should be especially noted that this value is quite stable.
Due to the fact that some part of creatinine is formed in muscle tissues, its amount in the blood directly depends on the mass of a person (only muscle). As you know, in the representatives of the stronger sex it is much higher, and therefore the norm of the content of this component in the plasma is slightly higher (about 79-114 µmol/l) than in women (about 59-99 µmol/l.).
Elevated creatinine
In medical practice, increased and decreased levels of creatinine in human blood are observed. The first case is quite common in athletes due to large muscle mass. Also, an increased level of this substance can be in people who eat a lot of meat products, and also take drugs such as Tetracycline, Ibuprofen, Cefazolin, etc.
One cannot ignore the fact that thisdeviation from the norm may indicate the presence of the following diseases:
- Chronic kidney failure;
- renal acute failure;
- hyperthyroidism;
- severe muscle damage.
Creatinine lowered: causes of rejection
This pathology is quite rare. This usually happens when:
- decrease in human muscle mass caused by a disease (for example, muscular dystrophy);
- occurrence of certain types of severe liver disease, including cirrhosis;
- following a strict diet that is rather low in protein (e.g. vegetarianism);
- pregnancy;
- severe dysfunction of an organ such as the kidney due to life-threatening infections, cancers, shock, low blood flow, or blockage of the urinary tract;
- heart failure;
- dehydrated;
- severe muscle injuries;
- rhabdomyolysis;
- deficiency in antidiuretic hormone (or ADH for short).
As you can see, low creatinine can be due to various reasons. Upgrading it is pretty easy. To do this, it is recommended to build muscle mass, consume more proteins (meat, nuts, fish, seafood, etc.), vitamins and minerals, and undergo a complete medical examination to identify possible diseases that should be treated only under the supervision of a doctor.
How to lower creatinine inblood?
If you have an increased content of this substance in the blood, then to lower it, you first need to cure those diseases against which this pathology occurred. In addition, you should stick to a strict vegetarian diet for a while, eat more fruits and vegetables.
It is also worth noting that in order to lower blood creatinine, some doctors prescribe special medications to their patients, including corticosteroids. If such a deviation arose against the background of active physical activity (exhausting sports or hard work), then it should be abandoned.
Summarize
Now you know why creatinine is low or high in the blood, and how to get rid of this pathological condition. It should be especially noted that if such abnormal test results are ignored, the patient may develop quite serious complications related to kidney function.
