6 Ways to Reduce High Creatinine Levels

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Creatinine is a waste product found in the blood. Under normal circumstances, the kidneys should be able to filter and drain it. However, some health problems can hinder this function, allowing harmful amounts of creatinine to remain in the body. There are several ways to reduce these levels, including changing your diet, making some lifestyle changes, taking medications, and undergoing medical treatment. Read on to learn more.

Steps

Method 1 of 6: Learn about Creatinine

Step 1. What is creatinine?

It is a waste compound that is produced by the body when it breaks down creatine, a metabolic substance that helps convert food into energy.

• The kidneys usually help filter creatinine into the blood and the waste product is excreted in the urine.
• High creatinine levels can indicate a kidney problem.
• High creatinine levels can be the result of regularly consuming a high amount of protein or excessive exercise.
• Creatine supplements can also increase creatinine levels in blood and urine.

Step 2. How does the exam work to detect it?

A specific tool measures the amount of creatinine present in the blood.

• Your doctor may also perform a creatinine clearance test, which measures the amount of creatinine in the urine. The amount present in the blood should be low while it should be high in the urine.
• These tests only provide a "snapshot" of kidney health. They simply measure the amount of creatinine in the blood and urine from individual samples collected over a 24-hour period.

Step 3. Interpret the results

The normal range of creatinine levels varies depending on whether you are an adult, a boy or a girl, a teenager or a child. The value varies further with age and build, but there are general limits that you should fall within.

• Normal blood creatinine levels are:

  • Men: 0.6-1.2 mg / dl; 53-106 µmol / l.
  • Women: 0.5 to 1.1 mg / dl; 44-97 µmol / l.
  • Adolescents: 0.5 to 1.0 mg / dl.
  • Children: 0.3 to 0.7 mg / dl.

• Normal urine creatinine levels are:

  • Men: 107-139ml / min; 1, 8-2, 3 ml / sec.
  • Women: 87-107ml / min; 1.5 to 1.8ml / sec.
  • Above 40 years of age, normal levels should be calculated by reducing the above data by 6.5 ml / min for every 10 years.

  

  Step 4. Why is there an increase in creatinine levels?

  There can be several causes, some more serious than others, but in all cases, steps need to be taken to bring creatinine levels back to normal.

  • Kidney failure or impairment: If the kidneys are damaged, they cannot adequately filter creatinine through glomerular filtration. Glomerular filtration is the leaking of filtered fluid that passes through the kidneys.
  • Muscle Destruction: If you have a condition that causes muscle breakdown, injured muscle tissue can enter the bloodstream and compromise the kidneys.
  • High Meat Intake: Eating too much cooked meat can increase the amount of creatinine in the body.
  • Hypothyroidism: Thyroid dysfunction can affect kidney function. It can decrease the kidneys' ability to properly filter waste and expel it from the body.

  Method 2 of 6: Using Unverified Herbal Remedies

  

  Step 1. Drink herbal teas

  Some types of herbal tea are believed to help reduce the amount of creatinine in the blood. Studies supporting this view are limited, but the theory has not been disproved anyway.

  • Drink about two glasses (250ml) of herbal tea per day.
  • The herbal teas that are worth taking are based on nettle and dandelion root.
  • These infusions are thought to stimulate the kidneys and help produce more urine. This makes it easier to excrete creatinine.

  

  Step 2. Consider taking nettle leaf supplements

  This herb helps to increase renal excretion, thus facilitating the elimination of excessive amounts of creatinine. Nettle contains histamines and flavonoids, which can improve blood flow to the kidneys, thereby increasing urine filtration.

  You can take nettle leaves in supplement form or you can make an herbal tea

  

  Step 3. Talk to your doctor about officinal sage

  This is a plant that can increase the glomerular filtration rate, which facilitates the elimination of creatinine. Sage contains lithosperm B, which helps promote kidney function.

  Make an appointment with your doctor to consider using sage. Do not take it without consulting an expert

  Method 3 of 6: Making Lifestyle Changes

  

  Step 1. Monitor your fluid intake

  As a general rule, you should drink 6-8 glasses (250ml) of water every day. Dehydration leads to increased creatinine levels, so it's important to stay hydrated.

  • When you don't have enough fluid in your body, you produce less urine. Creatinine is excreted from the body through it, while reduced urination makes it more difficult to get rid of this toxin.
  • On the other hand, introducing too much fluids can also have a negative effect on kidney function. Too much fluids can cause blood pressure to rise and when it is high it can interfere with the kidneys.
  • Unless otherwise directed by your doctor, you need to stay hydrated but avoid introducing too much fluid.

  

  Step 2. Limit your activity level

  The body converts food into energy faster when you perform vigorous exercise. As a result, more creatinine is produced and accumulates in the blood.

  Exercise, however, offers important overall health benefits, so you don't have to completely exclude it from your routine. However, you should replace high-intensity exercises with low-intensity ones. Instead of running or playing basketball, try walking or yoga

  

  Step 3. Sleep well

  During sleep, most bodily functions decrease. This also includes metabolism. Therefore, the conversion of creatine to creatinine also slows down, allowing your body to filter the creatinine already present in the blood before more accumulates.

  • You should aim for 6 to 9 hours of sleep each night, but 7-8 hours would be the ideal amount.
  • In addition, sleep deprivation can put stress on the whole body and force the body to work harder to carry out normal activities. As a result, the kidneys can be under pressure and thus reduce their ability to filter creatinine.

  Method 4 of 6: Take Medication

  

  Step 1. Ask your doctor if you can stop taking certain medications

  Some medications are associated with high creatinine levels. Those that can damage the kidneys pose a possible threat, but some medicines used to treat kidney disease can also be a problem.

  • Be wary of certain medications if you already have kidney problems, such as ibuprofen, as it can cause further kidney damage if taken regularly.
  • ACE inhibitors and cyclosporine are both used to treat kidney disease, but they can raise creatinine levels.
  • Some dietary supplements, such as vanadium, can also increase creatinine levels and should be avoided.
  • Always consult your doctor before you stop taking any medication. While some of these can result in a rise in creatinine, their benefit may still outweigh the harm, depending on the function they are performing for your health.

  

  Step 2. Look for medications and supplements that can help you solve this problem

  Based on the underlying cause of your elevated creatinine levels and your overall health, your doctor may recommend certain medications or supplements to lower these levels.

  Most medications that treat creatinine levels also want to treat the underlying problem causing this increase, so your doctor will need to diagnose the underlying condition before determining which drug is right for you

  

  Step 3. Take hypoglycemic medications

  A common cause of kidney damage, and resulting high creatinine levels, is diabetes. If you have diabetes, it is very important to keep your insulin levels normal to prevent further kidney damage. There are some 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, to be taken even before eating. Even if you happen to miss a meal, it is important to take the drug

  

  Step 4. Lower blood pressure with medication

  In addition to diabetes, another factor that can cause kidney damage is hypertension, which can lead to damage to the renal arteries, with the formation of atherosclerotic plaques, reduced blood flow and hardening of the vascular walls. Keeping blood pressure in check also helps prevent further kidney damage, thus helping to reduce creatinine levels.

  Your doctor may prescribe you some benazepril and hydrochlorothiazide. The normal dosage of benazepril typically is between 10 and 80 mg per day. That of hydrochlorothiazide is between 12, 5 and 50 mg per day

  

  Step 5. Some antibiotics can be dangerous if taken incorrectly

  Kidney disease sufferers should take a lower dose than those with healthy kidneys.

  

  Step 6. Take medication specific for high creatinine levels

  Ketosteril is often prescribed for this specific purpose. Talk to your doctor to see if it's a good fit for your situation. The normal dose usually ranges from 4 to 8 tablets to be taken three times a day, with each meal. Other drugs that reduce creatinine are:

  • Alpha lipoic acid supplements that help stimulate the kidneys and neutralize toxins, including creatinine. It is usually possible to take around 300 mg per day.
  • Chitosan is a weight management supplement that can also reduce the amount of creatinine in the blood. It is effective when you take between 1000 and 4000 mg per day.

  Method 5 of 6: Evaluate Medical Therapies

  

  Step 1. Focus and address the underlying problem

  High creatinine levels are rarely an independent problem - more often they are a symptom of something more serious. To permanently reduce these levels and improve your overall health, you need to work with your doctor to find the underlying cause and remedy it.

  • Kidney damage and chronic kidney disease are the most common causes: they can be induced by disease, life-threatening infections, shock, cancer, or impaired blood circulation.
  • Type 2 diabetes is also related to high creatinine levels.
  • Other possible causes are heart failure, dehydration, excessive blood loss that causes shock, gout, strenuous exercise, muscle injuries, muscle disorders and burns.

  

  Step 2. Research about cold laser therapy

  Some evidence has shown that cold laser or low impact laser therapy can revitalize the kidneys and improve their overall functioning abilities. As a result, they increase the ability to naturally filter creatinine.

  • When used on the adrenal glands, the cold laser can also help reduce stress and improve sleep.
  • When used on the vagus nerve in the neck, it can help improve blood circulation to various organs, including the kidneys.

  

  Step 3. Resort to massages

  This therapy also helps circulation and reduces stress, which can help improve sleep and relaxation.

  

  Step 4. Look for information on blood purification therapy

  Although rare, someone with severe kidney damage and consistently high creatinine levels might consider blood-cleansing therapy, also called hemodialysis or dialysis. The therapy is a bit extreme, but it is very effective.

  During the treatment, blood is extracted and filtered through a machine that removes creatinine and other toxins. Once cleansed, the blood flows back into the body again

  

  Step 5. Consider alternative medicine

  In particular, he studies the osmotherapy practice of micro-Chinese medicine. This therapy is based on traditional Chinese medicine and can help reverse minor kidney damage. Medical baths can also be useful and are part of traditional Chinese medicine.

  • With the osmotherapy of micro-Chinese medicine, traditional Chinese medicines are prescribed specifically for the conditions of the individual patient. Some of these are for topical use, while others are applied internally via a dedicated tool.
  • Medical baths can improve blood circulation due to the body heating up and producing sweat. In this way creatinine and other toxins are eliminated from the body through sweating.

  

  Step 6. Consider dialysis as a last resort

  If medications and dietary changes do not lower creatinine levels, discuss dialysis with your doctor. There are two types of dialysis, but the one done to reduce creatinine levels is called hemodialysis.

  Hemodialysis involves using a machine to filter waste, fluids, and salt from the blood so that the damaged kidneys don't have to do the work

  Method 6 of 6: Making Diet Changes

  

  Step 1. Limit your sodium intake

  Too much sodium can cause excessive fluid retention and raise blood pressure. Both of these problems lead to elevated creatinine levels.

  • Maintain a low sodium diet. Avoid salty foods and drinks, choose low-sodium versions of common food items (canned soup, bottled sauces, etc.) when they are available.
  • The average daily amount of sodium should be between 2 and 3 grams per day, if not less.

  

  Step 2. Pay attention to your protein intake

  Avoid protein-rich foods as much as possible. Red meat and dairy products can be especially bad for you.

  • Creatine is mostly present in products of animal origin. While these amounts are usually not harmful, they can still be a problem if the blood level is already excessively high.
  • Note that the right amount of protein is necessary in the diet to maintain adequate amounts of energy and ensure normal body functions, so you don't have to give it up completely.
  • When you consume protein, try to get it from plant sources, such as nuts, legumes, and grains.

  

  Step 3. Increase your consumption of plant-based foods

  Vegetarian diets are often recommended to bring down high creatinine levels and reduce the risk of kidney disease due to high blood pressure or diabetes. Eat foods rich in vitamin C like berries, lemon juice, parsley, and cauliflower.

  

  Step 4. Avoid foods rich in phosphorus

  The kidneys have difficulty processing foods that are rich in it, especially in the presence of high levels of creatinine. For this reason you should try to avoid foods such as:

  Pumpkin and zucchini, cheese, fish, shellfish, nuts, pork, low-fat dairy and soy

  

  Step 5. Limit the amount of potassium

  If you have kidney problems, you need to avoid foods with a high amount of potassium, as potassium builds up in the body when the kidneys are unable to process it properly. Among the foods that are rich in it are:

  Nuts, bananas, spinach, potatoes, beans and peas

  

  Step 6. Don't take creatine supplements

  Since creatinine is a waste product of creatine, taking these supplements results in an increased accumulation of creatinine in the blood.