Normal range: 0.7 – 1.3 mg/dL (lower is better)
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle metabolism that your kidneys continuously filter out. When kidney function declines, creatinine builds up in the blood. It is one of the most reliable markers of kidney health and is used to calculate your eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), the gold-standard measure of how well your kidneys are filtering.
A normal Creatinine is 0.7 – 1.3 mg/dL. Lower is better.
Elevated creatinine most commonly reflects impaired kidney function from chronic kidney disease, dehydration, or medications that affect the kidneys. People with more muscle mass naturally have slightly higher creatinine, which is normal.
Several common medications can raise creatinine. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and certain antibiotics (like trimethoprim) all affect kidney filtration. Creatine supplements and high-protein meals can also transiently raise the level without indicating actual kidney damage.
Very low creatinine can occur in people with low muscle mass, severe malnutrition, or advanced liver disease. Staying well-hydrated, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, managing diabetes, and avoiding excessive NSAID use are the best ways to protect kidney function and keep creatinine in range.
Creatinine is most highly correlated with Total Bilirubin and Albumin. Here are the top biomarkers correlated with Creatinine, based on 500,000 tests done by Empirical Health.
The percentage shows how strongly two biomarkers move together. A higher number means the relationship is stronger. Green = rises and falls together. Orange = one rises as the other falls.
You can test your Creatinine for $190 as part of Empirical's comprehensive health panel, which includes 100 biomarkers.
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