CREATININE

What is creatinine?

Creatinine is a waste substance produced by muscle tissue, which is processed by the kidneys and excreted through urine. When the creatinine level is high, there may be problems with the kidneys. Therefore, it is important to know what causes the increase in creatinine levels in the blood.

So, how does your body produce creatinine? It starts with creatine, which is synthesized in the kidneys, pancreas, and liver, then transported through the bloodstream and stored in your skeletal muscles. During exercise, your muscles convert creatine into energy, which aids in muscle contraction. After serving its purpose, creatine becomes creatinine and re-enters the bloodstream on its way to the kidneys.

Although creatinine does not actively benefit (or harm) your body, the amount of creatinine in your blood can be measured to assess the health of your kidneys. For this reason, doctors will often use the creatinine test - along with other laboratory tests, such as the blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test - to monitor chronic kidney disease (CKD) or kidney failure.

Causes of High Creatinine

High creatinine levels usually indicate that the kidneys are not working as they should.

Some of the following factors can be the cause of high creatinine levels.

• Kidney disease
• Severe dehydration
• Chronic disease
• Take protein supplements