Creatinine is a waste product formed when your body breaks down a compound called creatine, which helps supply energy to your muscles. Once produced, creatinine is released into the bloodstream and filtered out by the kidneys, exiting the body in urine.
Because creatinine is removed from the blood by the kidneys, measuring its level is a reliable way to evaluate kidney function.
A creatinine test measures the level of creatinine in your blood or urine. It’s commonly used to assess how well your kidneys are working and may be ordered as a standalone test or as part of a:
Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
This test helps screen for, diagnose, or monitor kidney disease and other conditions that affect kidney function.
Your kidneys contain millions of tiny filtering units called nephrons. Each nephron includes a cluster of blood vessels called glomeruli, which filter waste products—including creatinine—from the blood. These waste products then exit your body through urine. When kidney function is impaired, creatinine builds up in the bloodstream.
A creatinine test may be used for:
To detect kidney problems early—before symptoms appear—especially if you’re at high risk (e.g., diabetes, high blood pressure, family history of kidney disease).
To help identify the cause of symptoms such as:
Fatigue or trouble sleeping
Swelling in the face, hands, abdomen, feet, or ankles
Changes in urination (foamy, bloody, or frequent)
Nausea or vomiting
Loss of appetite
High blood pressure
Lower back pain near the kidneys
To track kidney function over time if you have:
Medical conditions or medications that affect kidney function (e.g., certain antibiotics or chemotherapy drugs)
Elevated creatinine may indicate:
Glomerulonephritis (inflammation of kidney filters)
Kidney infections (e.g., pyelonephritis)
Blocked urinary tract (e.g., kidney stones, prostate enlargement)
Heart failure or dehydration
Medication toxicity (e.g., aminoglycosides like gentamicin)
Diabetes-related kidney damage
Normal creatinine levels vary by age, sex, muscle mass, and the lab method used. Here are typical reference ranges:
| Group | Normal Range (Blood) |
|---|---|
| Men | 0.7 – 1.3 mg/dL (61.9–114.9 µmol/L) |
| Women | 0.5 – 1.1 mg/dL (53–97.2 µmol/L) |
Note: Women often have lower creatinine levels than men due to having less muscle mass.
Your test results should always be interpreted by a healthcare provider in the context of your personal health, symptoms, and medical history.
A single creatinine measurement may not tell the full story. It’s often used to calculate:
Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) – a more accurate measure of kidney filtering function
Creatinine clearance – compares blood and urine creatinine levels to assess how efficiently kidneys clear waste
BUN/Creatinine ratio – can help identify the cause of abnormal kidney function
Even if your creatinine level is "normal," it doesn't always mean your kidneys are perfectly healthy. Early-stage kidney disease may not cause a rise in creatinine. In such cases, your doctor may recommend additional tests like:
Kidney imaging
Always discuss your results with your doctor—they will consider your age, muscle mass, diet, hydration status, and other medical conditions before making a diagnosis.
Your doctor may order a creatinine test if you:
Show symptoms of kidney dysfunction
Have diabetes or high blood pressure
Take medications known to affect the kidneys
Have a family history of kidney disease
Are being monitored for chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Creatinine levels are a vital indicator of how well your kidneys are functioning. While the test is simple, the interpretation requires a detailed understanding of your health status. If your creatinine level is abnormal, further testing may be needed to assess the extent and cause of the problem.
Early detection and management of kidney issues can help prevent serious complications down the line.
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Creatinine is a waste product created by muscle activity and filtered out of the bloodstream by your kidneys. Elevated blood creatinine levels may signal that your kidneys aren’t functioning properly—possibly pointing to acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease (CKD).
For most adults, normal blood creatinine levels range from 0.7–1.3 mg/dL for men and 0.6–1.1 mg/dL for women, though this can vary slightly by lab.
Your serum creatinine level is used to calculate your estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)—one of the most important indicators of kidney health. As creatinine rises, eGFR tends to fall, suggesting decreased kidney function.
However, your creatinine level can be affected by:
Muscle mass
Age
Sex
Diet and supplements
That means not all high creatinine levels point to kidney disease.
In addition to kidney-related conditions, many common lifestyle and health factors can increase creatinine levels:
Dehydration
Muscle injury or breakdown
Strenuous exercise
High-protein diets or eating a lot of cooked meat
Certain medications (like NSAIDs and some antibiotics)
Creatine supplementation – a widely used fitness supplement that naturally increases serum creatinine levels.
Important: Creatine use can lead to artificially high creatinine levels, even when kidney function is normal. In these cases, your doctor may order a test for Cystatin C, a more accurate kidney function marker that isn’t influenced by muscle mass or diet.
Persistent elevation in creatinine may indicate:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD)
Acute kidney injury (AKI)
Urinary tract obstruction
Heart failure
Kidney complications from diabetes
High blood pressure (hypertension)
Not all elevations are permanent. Temporary increases can be caused by:
Heavy workouts
High-protein meals
Certain medications
Creatine supplements
Pregnancy
These levels often return to normal once the trigger is removed.
Creatinine itself doesn’t usually cause symptoms. But if kidney function is impaired, you might notice:
Swelling (especially in the legs, ankles, or face)
Fatigue
Changes in urination
High blood pressure
Your healthcare provider may recommend:
A repeat blood test
Urine tests
Imaging studies (like ultrasound)
A creatinine clearance test
Cystatin C testing, especially if you're taking creatine or have high muscle mass
Management depends on the cause. Your provider might suggest:
A kidney-friendly diet
Drinking enough fluids (but not too much)
Managing chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension
Avoiding medications that stress the kidneys
Modifying your workout or supplement routine
High creatinine doesn’t always mean kidney disease. Supplements like creatine, intense workouts, or dehydration can all raise your levels. For the most accurate picture of your kidney health, always talk to your doctor and ask if cystatin C testing is appropriate—especially if you're active or use supplements.
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Low blood creatinine levels are less common than high levels, but they can still offer important clues about your health.
Reduced muscle mass: Conditions such as muscular dystrophy, or the natural loss of muscle that occurs with aging, can lead to lower creatinine levels, since creatinine is produced in the muscles.
Malnutrition or a very low-protein diet: If your body isn't getting enough protein, creatinine production may decrease.
Severe liver disease (rare): Because the liver helps produce creatine, damage to the liver may indirectly reduce creatinine levels.
Pregnancy: It's normal for creatinine levels to be slightly lower during pregnancy, especially in the second and third trimesters, due to increased kidney filtration (GFR).
Increased glomerular filtration rate (GFR): In theory, very low creatinine levels could also indicate an unusually high kidney filtration rate, which can occur in specific physiological states like pregnancy.
While not always a sign of a medical problem, unusually low creatinine may point to:
Muscle-wasting conditions
Nutritional deficiencies
Chronic illness that causes weight or muscle loss
If your creatinine levels are lower than expected, your doctor may evaluate your diet, muscle mass, liver function, and overall health to determine if further testing is needed.
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Unlimited Plan Member since 2021
I have been using Healthmatters.io since 2021. I travel all over the world and use different doctors and health facilities. This site has allowed me to consolidate all my various test results over 14 years in one place. And every doctor that I show this to has been impressed. Because with any health professional I talk to, I can pull up historical results in seconds. It is invaluable. Even going back to the same doctor, they usually do not have the historical results from their facility in a graph format. That has been very helpful.
Karin
Advanced Plan Member since 2020
What fantastic service and great, easy-to-follow layouts! I love your website; it makes it so helpful to see patterns in my health data. It's truly a pleasure to use. I only wish the NHS was as organized and quick as Healthmatters.io. You've set a new standard for health tracking!
Paul
Healthmatters Pro Member since 2024
As a PRO member and medical practitioner, Healthmatters.io has been an invaluable tool for tracking my clients' data. The layout is intuitive, making it easy to monitor trends and spot patterns over time. The ability to customize reports and charts helps me present information clearly to my clients, improving communication and outcomes. It's streamlined my workflow, saving me time and providing insights at a glance. Highly recommended for any practitioner looking for a comprehensive and user-friendly solution to track patient labs!
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Adjusted Calcium, Alanine-aminotransferase (ALT, SGPT), Albumin, Serum, Albumin/Globulin (A/G) Ratio, Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), Aspartate-aminotransferase (AST, SGOT), AST/ALT Ratio, Bilirubin Total, Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), Bone Isoenzymes, BUN/Creatinine Ratio, Calcium, Serum, Calcium, Total (RBCs), Calcium/ Albumin Ratio, Calcium/Phosphorous Ratio, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), CHLORIDE, RANDOM URINE, Chloride, Serum, CHLORIDE/CREAT RATIO, Creatine Clearance, Creatinine, Serum, eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (African Am), eGFR - Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (Non-African Am), eGFR / Cystatin C, Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4), Globulin, Serum (aka Globulin, Total), Glucose, Glucose Non-Fasting, Intestinal Isoenzymes (Alkaline Phosphatase), Liver Isoenzymes, Macrohepatic Isoenzymes, Placental Isoenzymes, POTASSIUM, RANDOM URINE, Potassium, Serum (Kalium), POTASSIUM/CREAT RATIO, Selenium, RBC, SODIUM, RANDOM URINE, Sodium, Serum (Natrium), SODIUM/CREAT RATIO, Sodium/Potassium Ratio, Total Protein, Serum, Urea
