How to Reduce Creatinine Level Effectively?
The level of creatinine in your body reflects the healthiness of your kidneys. The higher its level is, the worse its effects can be. Thankfully, there are various treatments for kidney failure or acute kidney injury that can help maintain the health of kidneys. But, what if you were able to avoid this situation in the first place? So here we will discuss how to reduce creatinine level.
Well, it is definitely possible to do so since adopting certain habits can help you lower the level of creatinine in your body.
We are going to list them out for you. But before we do that, you need to understand what you are dealing with. Therefore, let’s get to know what creatinine is and how it affects your body.
What is Creatinine Level?
Creatinine is a blood chemical waste compound or product that is transported to your kidneys through your bloodstream. It is then disposed of from your body through urine. Creatinine is created by the following:
- The movement of your muscles
- Certain medications such as some antibiotics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- High intake of protein
- Dehydration
- Low blood flow
- Strenuous exercises
- Shocks
- Infections
- Thyroid diseases
- Diabetes
- Cancers and other serious diseases
A high level of creatinine is an indicator of unhealthy kidneys. When your kidneys aren’t functioning properly, creatinine builds up in your blood, leading to serious health disorders such as uremia. A blood or urine test can help determine the level of creatinine in your body.
6 Easy Ways to Reduce Creatinine Level at Home
Once you get tested, get medical advice to understand how you can reduce creatinine level from your body. We recommend starting with a few lifestyle changes. There are plenty of ways you can reduce creatinine level naturally at home.
Here are some of the most important ones among them:
Keeping a Check on Your Protein Intake
As we have stated above, the level of creatinine rises in your body when there is an excess intake of protein. If your test results show that you have a high level of creatinine, we recommend you to minimize your protein intake, at least for a couple of months.
Red meat, which contains creatine, is notorious for raising the creatinine level. This is because when you cook red meat, creatine breaks down into creatinine, which you end up consuming.
Try to replace red meat, fish, or dairy products with green vegetables. So, the next time you hit the burger joint, order a vegetable patty instead of a burger. Include lentil soup, green salads, and vegetable stew in your diet as well. So keeping a check on your protein intake is first to answer your question “how to reduce creatinine level.”
Increase the Intake of Fibre
While you need to avoid excess intake of protein, one element which you should increase in your diet is fibre.
This is because fibre helps in lowering the creatinine levels, especially among people with chronic kidney diseases. So include broccoli, dried fruits, berries, potatoes, avocados, beans, whole grains, nuts, and other fiber-rich food items in your diet.
Avoid Strenuous Exercises
Exercising helps keep you fit, but you need to develop an understanding of your body. You can’t overexert yourself to a point where you might put your life in risk.
Movement of muscles is the single biggest factor in generating creatinine in your body. Thus, when you overuse muscle groups, naturally, the boost in metabolism would result in the production of creatinine. Studies have indicated that the rise in the level of creatinine takes place due to increased muscle breakdown.
To overcome this issue, consult to expert physiotherapists in a reputed medical organization like 7 Dimensions Medical Centre. The physiotherapists can recommend you the best exercises you can perform without having an increase in your creatinine level.
Stay Away from Creatine-rich Supplements
This is especially applicable to athletes and bodybuilders since a lot of them take oral supplements that contain creatine to boost their endurance level and increase their overall muscle strength. Your muscles use creatine to produce energy but the excess creatine that is not used by your muscles converts into creatinine.
So, we can’t stress enough about how crucial this point is. Temporary muscle gain is not worth it if it vehemently affects your kidneys. If you have to rely on supplements, go for herbal or chitosan supplements instead. However, even before using a herbal or chitosan supplement, get a consultation from a doctor to see if it will suit your body or not.
Be Cautious with Diuretics
Many people use diuretics to get rid of the swelling that is generated due to fluid retention. Unbeknown to most of them, diuretics can drastically raise the levels of creatinine.
So, speak to a medical professional thoroughly before deciding to go for diuretics. This is especially important for people who have any pre-existing health condition or who are under certain medication regime.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
In relation to the previous point, find a balance between over and under consumption of water. When you are dehydrated, chances of the rise in creatinine level multiply.
If you experience dizziness, frequent thirst and fatigue, then it means that your body is dehydrated. Your entire cardiovascular system is in danger when your body is dehydrated, and it can have life-threatening results.
If drinking eight glass of regular water is difficult for you, then make it more appealing by adding slices of cucumber and lemon to the water or adding a handful of mints to it. You can also try fizzy water or kratom tea. Whatever works for you, simply do that. Just keep in mind that you are not adding a lot of sugar to your drink.
Final Thoughts
You don’t want to go to a stage where your kidneys are not able to flush out the toxic and other waste products from your body on their own. Why resort to medical treatments such as dialysis to do the job of your kidneys when you can adopt a few new habits in your lifestyle to help your body out a bit?
We hope these aforementioned points will help you in maintaining the health of your kidneys and lowering the level of creatinine. Whatever the situation is, remember to take medical advice regarding the amount of fluid you need to consume or the type of exercise you can do or the supplement you can and cannot take.