Creatinine is a waste found in everyone's blood. Under normal circumstances, your kidneys should be able to filter and eliminate this substance from your body. However, certain health problems can impair this function, allowing harmful amounts of creatinine to build up. There are several ways to reduce your creatinine levels, including a change in your diet, some lifestyle modifications, taking medication and getting medical treatment.
Steps
Method 1 of 6: Understanding Creatinine
Step 1. Know what creatinine is
It is a waste produced by the body when the creatine molecule, a metabolic substance that helps convert food into energy, breaks down.
- The kidneys usually help filter creatinine from the blood. The waste is then eliminated from the body through urine.
- Elevated creatinine levels may indicate a problem with your kidneys.
- On the other hand, those who eat a lot of meat and exercise a lot tend to have high levels of creatine.
- Creatine supplements have the same effect: they increase creatine levels in the body and urine.
Step 2. Understand how the exam works
A creatinine test measures the amount of creatinine in your blood.
- Your doctor may also perform a creatinine release test, which measures the amount of waste in your urine. The amount of creatinine in the blood should be low and the amount in the urine high.
- These tests only provide a bird's-eye view of your kidneys' health. They only measure the amount of creatinine in your blood and urine from a single sample taken in the past 24 hours.
Step 3. Interpret the results
The normal range for creatinine levels varies based on age and sex. The value can also be influenced by body size, but there is a general range that you can go by.
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Normal blood creatinine levels are:
- Men: 0.6 to 1, 2 mg/dL; 53 to 106 mcmol/L
- Women: 0.5 to 1.1 mg/dL; 44 to 97 mcmol/L
- Adolescents: 0.5 to 1.0 mg/dL
- Children: 0.3 to 0.7 mg/dL
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Normal urine creatinine levels are:
- Men: 107 to 139 ml/min; 1, 8 to 2, 3 mL/sec
- Women: 87 to 107 mL/min; 1.5 to 1.8 mL/sec
- Anyone over 40: Levels should drop by 6.5 mL/min for every additional 10 years.
Step 4. Understand why increased creatinine levels occur
There are several different reasons for increased creatinine levels; some of these conditions are more serious than others, but it all means you need to take action to get your creatinine levels back to normal.
- Insufficiency or decreased kidney capacity: If your kidneys are damaged, they will not be able to eliminate creatinine from your body through glomerular filtration as they should. Glomerular filtration is the output of filtered fluid from your kidney.
- Muscle destruction: If you suffer from a condition that causes your muscles to degenerate, the residue from muscle tissue breakdown can enter your bloodstream and damage your kidneys.
- High consumption of meat: A diet rich in cooked meat can increase the amount of creatinine in the body.
- Hypothyroidism: A dysfunction in the thyroid gland may have an influence on your kidney function. Hypothyroidism can decrease the kidneys' ability to properly filter and eliminate waste products from your body.
Method 2 of 6: Using Unproven Natural Remedies
Step 1. Drink herbal tea
Certain types of herbs help lower the amount of creatinine in your blood. Studies supporting this benefit are limited, but the theory has not been refuted either.
- Drink around two cups (250 ml) of tea a day.
- The teas that are worth checking out are nettle leaf and dandelion root teas.
- The idea is that these teas stimulate the kidneys and cause an increase in urine production. As such, more creatinine can be eliminated from the body.
Step 2. Consider taking nettle leaf supplements
Nettle leaf can help increase your kidney excretion, helping to eliminate excess amounts of creatinine. This plant contains histamine and flavonoids, substances that can help increase blood flow to the kidneys, thus increasing urine filtration.
Nettle leaves can be taken in the form of supplements or tea
Step 3. Talk to your doctor about salvia
Sage is an herb that can increase your glomerular filtration rate, which helps facilitate the elimination of creatinine. Salvia contains lithospermate B, which helps to promote renal function.
Make an appointment with your doctor to discuss the possible use of salvia. Do not take salvia on the advice of your doctor
Method 3 of 6: Making Lifestyle Changes
Step 1. Take care of your fluid intake
As a general rule, you should drink six to eight glasses (250 ml) of water each day. Dehydration can actually increase your creatinine levels. So staying hydrated is important.
- When you don't have enough fluid in your body, you produce less urine. Creatinine is eliminated from your body through your urine. Thus, producing less urine will make it more difficult to expel this toxin.
- On the other hand, consuming too much fluid can also have a negative effect on kidney functions. Too much fluid can cause an increase in blood pressure, and high blood pressure can put pressure on the kidneys.
- Unless your doctor instructs otherwise, it's best to stay hydrated, but to avoid abnormal amounts of fluid intake.
Step 2. Restrict your activity level
The body converts food into energy faster when it's under strenuous exercise. As a result, more creatinine is formed, increasing the accumulated amount of creatinine in the blood.
Even so, exercise can still provide important overall health benefits. So, you should not completely exclude them from your routine, but replace the high intensity ones with less effort. Instead of running or playing basketball, try walking or doing yoga
Step 3. Sleep well
When you sleep, most of your bodily functions decrease. This includes the body's metabolism. As a result, the conversion of creatine to creatinine goes at a slower pace, allowing excess creatinine already in your blood to be filtered out before more toxins can build up.
- Get six to nine hours of sleep a night, with seven or eight hours being an ideal amount.
- In addition, lack of sleep can exert physical stress on your entire body, requiring more effort from your entire body to perform normal tasks. As a result, your kidneys can be put under pressure, which will decrease their ability to filter out creatinine.
Method 4 of 6: Taking Medicines
Step 1. Ask your doctor if you should stop taking certain medications
Some medications have been linked to elevated creatinine levels. Medicines that can damage the kidneys pose a possible threat, but others used to treat kidney disease can also cause problems.
- If you already have kidney problems, be careful with medications such as ibuprofen, which can cause more damage to your kidneys when used regularly.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and cyclosporine are both used to treat the kidneys, but they can lead to increased creatinine levels.
- Some nutritional supplements, such as vanadium, can also cause an increase in creatinine levels and should be avoided.
- Always talk to your doctor before stopping any medication. While some of these medications can cause your creatinine to rise, you should consider why they were prescribed to you, as their good results may far outweigh the unwanted side effects.
Step 2. Check for medications and supplements that may help
Depending on the underlying cause of your elevated creatinine levels and your overall health, your doctor may advise you to include certain medications or supplements to lower these levels.
Most medications that treat creatinine levels also treat an underlying problem, causing these levels to rise. So, your doctor will have to diagnose the underlying condition before he can determine which medication is right for you
Step 3. Take hypoglycemic medications
A common cause of kidney damage, and therefore high creatinine levels, is diabetes. If you have diabetes, it is very important to keep your insulin levels normal to prevent further damage to your kidneys. There are certain medications you can take for this.
Repaglinide is a commonly prescribed hypoglycemic drug. The starting dose is usually 0.5 mg, given before each meal. The maximum dose is 4 mg, also given before a meal. Even if you happen to skip a meal, it's important to administer the drugs
Step 4. Lower blood pressure with some medication
In addition to diabetes, hypertension is another factor that can contribute to kidney damage. Keeping your blood pressure under control will also help prevent further damage to your kidneys, thus helping to lower your creatinine levels.
Your doctor may prescribe benazepril and hydrochlorothiazide. The normal dosage of benazepril is usually 10 to 80 milligrams per day. The usual dose of hydrochlorothiazide is 12.5 to 50 mg per day
Step 5. Some antibiotics can be dangerous if used incorrectly
People with kidney problems need to take smaller doses of antibiotics.
Step 6. Take medications for high creatinine levels
Ketosteril is often prescribed to reduce the levels of creatinine found in the bloodstream. Talk to your doctor about this medication and ask if it might be right for you. The usual dose is usually 4 to 8 tablets, taken three times a day, with each meal. Other creatinine-lowering drugs include:
- Alpha lipoic acid supplements. They can be used to help energize the kidneys and neutralize toxins, including creatinine. You can usually take around 300 mg a day.
- Chitosan. It is a weight management supplement that can also reduce the amount of creatinine in your blood. Benefits are usually achieved when you take between 1000 and 4000 mg/day.
Method 5 of 6: Considering Medical Therapies
Step 1. Address and address the underlying problem
Elevated creatinine levels are rarely an independent problem. This issue is often a symptom of something more serious. To permanently lower levels and improve your overall health, talk to your doctor to find the underlying problem and remedy it.
- Kidney damage and chronic kidney disease are the most common causes. This damage can be caused by illness, poor blood flow, life-threatening infections, shock, or cancer.
- Type 2 diabetes is also related to high creatinine levels.
- Other possible causes include heart failure, dehydration, excessive blood loss leading to shock, gout, physically strenuous exercise, muscle injuries, muscle disorders and burns.
Step 2. Research cold laser treatment
Some evidence suggests that cold laser or low-level laser can revitalize the kidneys and improve their overall functioning abilities. As a result, the kidneys become better able to filter creatinine naturally.
- When used on the adrenal glands above the kidneys, the cold laser can also help reduce stress and improve sleep.
- When used on the vagus nerve in the neck, the cold laser can help improve blood circulation to various organs, including the kidneys.
Step 3. Use massage
Massage therapy also helps with blood circulation and reduces stress levels, which leads to a good night's sleep and greater ability to relax.
Step 4. Learn about blood purification therapy
Although somewhat uncommon, someone who has severe kidney damage and consistently high levels of creatinine may want blood-cleansing therapy, also known as hemodialysis or dialysis. The therapy is a little extreme, but it can be very effective.
During treatment, your blood is drawn and filtered through a machine. This machine removes creatinine and other toxins from the blood. Once clean, the blood is distributed back to the body
Step 5. Consider alternative medicine
In particular, learn more about Chinese osmotherapy. It is based on traditional Chinese medicine and can help reverse minor kidney damage. Medicinal baths can also help and are also rooted in traditional Chinese medicine.
- In this therapy, traditional Chinese treatments are prescribed based on an individual patient's condition. Some of the medications are applied externally, while others are applied internally through an osmoscope.
- Medicinal baths can improve blood circulation. They make the body heat up and produce sweat. Creatinine and other toxins can be removed from the body through sweat.
Step 6. Try dialysis as a final option
If changes in diet and medication do not lower your creatinine levels, talk to your doctor about dialysis. There are two types of dialysis, the type used to lower creatinine levels is called hemodialysis.
Hemodialysis involves using a machine to filter waste, fluids and salts from the blood so that damaged kidneys do not have to do the job
Method 6 of 6: Making Diet Changes
Step 1. Limit your sodium intake
Excessive sodium can increase fluid retention and result in high blood pressure. Both conditions can lead to high creatinine levels.
- Maintain a low-sodium diet. Stay away from high sodium foods and beverages and, whenever possible, opt for low sodium versions of the most common food products (soup, sauces, etc.)
- Average daily sodium intake should be between 2-3 grams (or even less if possible).
Step 2. Keep an eye on your protein intake
Avoid protein-rich foods as much as possible. Red meat and dairy products can be especially bad for you.
- Dietary sources of creatine are most commonly obtained from animal products. While the amount is generally not harmful, these foods can pose a problem for someone already dealing with abnormally high levels of creatinine.
- Note that you need protein to get an adequate amount of energy and keep your bodily functions running smoothly. So, you shouldn't cut them out of your diet completely.
- When consuming protein, try to get it from plant-based sources such as pulses and nuts.
Step 3. Increase your vegetable intake
Vegetarian diets are very helpful in lowering creatine levels, which in turn lowers blood pressure and lowers the risk of diabetes. Eat foods rich in vitamin C, such as lemon juice (among others).
Step 4. Avoid foods rich in phosphorus
Your kidneys may have difficulty processing phosphorus-rich foods, particularly if you have high creatinine levels. Therefore, you should try to avoid foods like:
Pumpkin and zucchini, cheese, fish, shellfish, nuts, pork, low-fat dairy and soy
Step 5. Limit the amount of potassium you consume
When dealing with kidney problems, try to avoid foods high in potassium, as this mineral can build up in your body if your kidneys cannot process it correctly. Potassium-rich foods include:
Dried fruits, bananas, spinach, potatoes, beans and peas
Step 6. Stay away from creatine supplements
Since creatinine is a waste product of creatine, taking creatine supplements will result in a greater buildup of creatinine in your blood.