One of the important indicators of kidney function that we usually have our blood drawn for is blood creatinine, the level of which reflects the kidney’s ability to filter waste. Certain health problems affect this function and can raise harmful creatinine levels. At this point, we can lower creatinine by adjusting our diet, improving certain lifestyles, taking medications and undergoing treatment. What is creatinine? Creatinine is a metabolic product that is converted into the energy needed by the body after we eat. It is equivalent to useless waste after metabolism and is usually filtered by the kidneys and excreted in the urine, and is an important benchmark of kidney function. Dr. Yi Zhang gives an explanation of creatinine. Creatinine levels are usually determined by blood tests. However, doctors sometimes want to know the creatinine clearance (creatinine clearance), so they will test the creatinine level in urine at the same time. Normally, creatinine levels are much higher in urine than in blood. Interpretation of the results: Normal creatinine values vary with gender, age (adult, adolescent, pediatric, etc.), and physique, but there will be a range. Normal values of blood creatinine: men: 0.6-1.2mg/dL; 53-106umol/L, women: 0.5-1.1mg/dL; 44-97umol/L. 11-19 years: 0.5-1.0mg/dL, <11 years: 0.3-0.7mg/dL. There are also some indicators of urine, where a diminishing excretory capacity occurs every year after the age of 40. Why is creatinine elevated? A range of conditions can cause it to rise, some very severely, including kidney failure (reduced glomerular filtration capacity), muscle destruction (large amounts of muscle tissue disintegrate into the bloodstream, impairing kidney function), excessive meat consumption (excessive food preference for meat can push up creatinine), and hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormones reduce the kidney's filtration capacity). If creatinine is indeed elevated, make every effort to bring it down. Methods can range from simple to annoying, with life adjustments to drugs and even renal replacement (dialysis), etc. I. Botanical preparations 1. Botanical tea or green tea. Despite the limited research evidence, there is this theory. Nettle leaves and dandelion root, drinking 2 cups of tea per day (250ml/cup) can stimulate more urine production to eliminate more creatinine. 2, nettle leaf extract (tablets or tea crystals) on the one hand can produce more urine, and contains histamine and flavonoids, which increase renal blood flow and filtration. 3, sage can increase glomerular filtration of plants containing tannic acid also enhance kidney function, but it is best to discuss with your doctor before application, do not apply without permission. Second, life changes 1, pay attention to the amount of water, in principle, drink 6-8 glasses of water a day to prevent dehydration. In case of water shortage, body fluid concentrates, urine volume decreases and creatinine rises. But drinking excessive water can raise blood pressure and increase the pressure on the kidneys. To find a balance between water shortage and too much water. 2.Limit the activity level. During strenuous exercise, the conversion of food to energy is accelerated and more creatinine is produced. But exercise also has many benefits and should not be abolished, just remove the high intensity, such as walking and yoga instead of running and basketball. 3, sleep well! Most body functions drop during sleep, including metabolic levels, and the rate of creatinine production decreases, giving the kidneys time to discharge the accumulated creatinine. Make sure you get 6-9 hours of sleep every day. Lack of sleep will stress the entire body to cope with normal tasks and reduce the kidney's ability to clear. Third, drug therapy 1, drugs are double-edged sword, certain damage or potential damage to the kidneys, but some are to treat kidney disease. If you already have kidney disease, such as dealing with colds or pain medications to be careful, such drugs are harmful to the kidneys when taken for a long time, such as ibuprofen, Tylenol, etc.; some nutritional supplements may also increase creatinine, to be avoided. It is best to discuss with your doctor before using medication. Doctors will apply some drugs and nutritional supplements that help lower creatinine according to the cause and level of creatinine elevation. 2. Diabetes is one of the common causes of damage to kidney function. If you do have diabetes, maintaining normal insulin levels will stop the appearance of kidney function damage. Glucose-lowering drugs not only maintain blood sugar, but are also important for protecting pancreatic islet function. 3.In addition to diabetes, high blood pressure is another common factor affecting kidney function, and medication to control blood pressure is very important. 4, pay attention to certain antibiotics. Antibiotic application or even abuse is very common, they usually have liver and kidney side effects, with kidney disease people taking antibiotics will be less tolerable than normal people. 5, lower creatinine drugs. Kai Tong is the most commonly prescribed drugs to reduce creatinine, other drugs include: alpha lipoic acid (antioxidant), which gives energy to the kidneys and neutralizes toxicity, among others, creatinine; polyglucose a weight control drug, which is beneficial in reducing creatinine. Application of drugs must be discussed with the doctor, do not use without authorization. Fourth, beyond the treatment of drugs 1, treatment of the original disease. High creatinine is rarely a separate problem, but mostly a manifestation of a serious disease. Finding the original disease and controlling it is the right way to control creatinine. Common causes include renal impairment and chronic kidney disease (severe infection, shock state, tumor metastasis, etc.), type 2 diabetes, heart failure, dehydration, gout, overwork, muscle destruction, severe burns, etc. 2.Physical therapy. Some studies suggest that cold laser or low energy laser has the effect of activating the kidney and enhancing filtration. And treatment of the adrenal glands can also reduce stress, improve sleep, the role of the vagus nerve in the neck can improve blood circulation to various organs, including the kidneys. Massage physiotherapy can also reduce stress, relaxation and improve rest. 3, understand some dialysis treatment knowledge. When high creatinine levels cannot be reduced by other means, blood purification, or dialysis treatment, is taken. The body's blood has to be drawn to a special blood purification machine for detoxification and creatinine removal before being returned to the body. However, this treatment also has considerable physical requirements and side effects, so it is important to discuss with your doctor whether to take it or not. 4.Chinese traditional medicine. Medicine bath and micro-osmosis treatment, is the Chinese medicine based on the principle of individualization of the patient to carry out the empirical medical methods. 5.Dialysis treatment is the last resort. If other modalities still fail to lower creatinine, dialysis (which also becomes artificial kidney) is the last option, including both hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Hemodialysis is more commonly used, which is a machine to filter out excess water, salt and creatinine from the blood. Five, change the diet 1, limit salt. Eating too much salt will lead to fluid retention to raise blood pressure and raise creatinine. Daily salt should be at 2-3g, bottled sauces and canned soups are not low salt, eat less! 2, pay attention to the intake of protein. High protein foods should try not to eat, especially red meat and dairy products. The most common source of creatinine in food is animal protein, which is a threat to people who already have high creatinine. Since protein is the guarantee of the body's function, it cannot be completely restricted, but should be obtained from vegetable protein as much as possible. 3.The kidneys have poor ability to deal with phosphorus. Avoid foods rich in phosphorus, such as pumpkin, winter squash, cheese, fish, shellfish, nuts, skim milk and soybeans. 4, when the kidneys have problems, to limit the intake of foods containing large amounts of potassium, such as dried fruit, bananas, spinach, potatoes, beans, etc.. Potassium can not be eliminated will accumulate and lead to abnormal cell function. 4, pay attention to some nutritional products. Certain nutrients contribute to the protein metabolite creatinine, such as protein powder, which is not too problematic for regular people, etc. Athletes or bodybuilders will consume a lot, and then the extra creatinine accumulates. In the case of kidney function, even regular people should avoid it. Creatinine is an important indicator of kidney function, and abnormal elevation of this indicator indicates poor, or even failure, of our kidneys' ability to process body waste. Elevated creatinine is mainly diagnosed and regulated in urology and nephrology. Of course, besides doctors, there are some conditions mentioned above that you can pay attention to or do yourself to keep your kidney function normal.