Creatinine

What is Creatinine?
A creatinine test is a measure of how efficiently your kidneys are performing their job of removing waste from your blood. Creatinine is a natural waste product which is present in the blood and urine.

Abnormally high levels of creatinine warn a possible malfunction, damage or failure of the kidneys. If a blood or urine test shows that a person has high creatinine levels, the doctor may order further tests to identify the cause. Creatinine levels can be naturally decreased by changing diet, lifestyle and reducing protein intake. If the levels are still high, your doctor will recommend a treatment plan.

Why is Creatinine done?

• To evaluate the normal functioning of kidneys
• To diagnose kidney diseases
• To monitor treatment for kidney diseases
• As a part of the metabolic panel
• What does Creatinine Measure?

Creatinine is a waste product which is produced by the muscles due to the breakdown of a compound called Creatine. During the cycle of energy production which is required to contract muscles, creatine is produced. Kidneys remove creatinine from the body by filtering it from the blood and then releasing it into the urine. This test measures the amount of creatinine in the blood.

The body produces creatine and creatinine at a relatively same rate. Since kidneys filter most of the creatinine from the blood and release it into the urine, the blood levels can be used as an indicator to know how well the kidneys are functioning. The amount of creatinine produced depends upon the size of the person as well as their muscle mass. That is why levels of creatinine are higher in men as compared to women and children.