Creatinine too high
creatinine level
Creatinine is a metabolic product formed in the body from creatine and creatine phosphate. Creatinine is completely excreted by the kidneys. The amount of creatinine produced, and therefore the creatinine level in the blood, as well as its excretion in urine, depends on muscle mass (i.e., physical constitution), age, and sex. Elevated creatinine levels can also indicate impaired kidney function or renal insufficiency.
Elevated creatinine level
Elevated creatinine levels in the blood can have various causes. They can be a sign of kidney failure. However, muscle injuries, inflammation of the skin and muscles, burns, and some other diseases can also lead to elevated creatinine levels.
If creatinine levels rise in connection with creatine supplementation, this is very likely a sign of increased creatine stores in the muscles: Since the body has stored more creatine, the proportion of creatine and creatine phosphate that are converted into creatinine also increases. In this case, it is unlikely that the elevated creatinine level is due to kidney failure.
Kidney function, renal insufficiency, kidney and filtration capacity
High creatinine levels in the blood can be an indication of kidney failure. In this case, the kidney's filtration capacity is so severely impaired that creatinine can no longer be adequately filtered from the blood, and the creatinine concentration rises. Therefore, the creatinine level is generally used to assess kidney function and monitor kidney diseases. If the kidney is damaged, this can be measured by the creatinine level. Conversely, however, creatine and creatinine have no negative effect on kidney function. If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor. Be sure to inform your doctor about your creatine supplementation, as an increase in creatine stores after creatine intake can lead to elevated creatinine levels.
