Diet rules for elevated creatinine levels in the blood and 6 foods to lower it

Creatinine is a metabolite formed mainly in muscles during protein–amino acid metabolic processes. It is excreted from the muscle tissue into the bloodstream, and from there through the urethra (that is, the process of creatinine formation is already completed in the kidneys). According to the level of this metabolite in the blood, doctors indirectly diagnose kidney function.

According to research, the human diet directly affects the level of creatinines in the body.

In this article, we will discuss what causes elevated creatinine levels. What can I eat with this problem? And most importantly, what kind of diet will help reduce their concentration in blood plasma? In general, is it necessary to worry about high creatinine levels?

What affects the amount of creatinine?

Creatinine is formed and participates in the process of energy metabolism in muscle tissue. It is formed during physical activity, after which it enters the bloodstream, from where it is removed with the help of the kidneys and excreted together with urine.

Creatinine itself is formed from protein-amino acid compounds. Accordingly, eating proteins - his level is rising.

Those who follow a diet with minimal inclusion of meat in the diet – those have a deficiency (but insignificant, since creatinine is also formed from vegetable proteins).

Other factors can be found on the infographic.

 

 

Why is it so important to control its norm? Because it indicates the functionality of the kidneys and urethra. Accordingly, with renal insufficiency, creatinine levels increase significantly.

What is the danger of high concentration?

Creatinine is the end product of energy and protein metabolism. It is a waste product, it is a toxin for the body.

Its excess can provoke disruptions in work Cardiovascular , endocrine systems, and digestive system malfunctions are also common.

May change at the same time biochemical composition of blood . Most often, there is an excess of sodium and a deficiency of potassium (and these elements inhibit each other, they are also used in regulating urinary function).

Since men have more developed muscles than women, the nominal creatinine level in their blood is slightly higher. This, of course, is not a deviation, it does not affect health in any way.

General rules of nutrition for lowering it

For the fastest and safest reduction of creatinine levels in the blood, it is recommended follow the following recommendations:

1. Minimize the consumption of protein foods;
2. Drink as much as possible (at least 1.5 – 2 liters per day, and the higher the weight, the more you need to drink);
3. Give preference to low–fat meats (chicken fillet is an ideal option);
4. Increase the amount of fruits and vegetables rich in iron and fiber;
5. Increase the amount of foods high in omega-3 unsaturated fatty acids (this will help optimize intercellular metabolic processes, including those involving proteins).

Which foods reduce creatinine in the blood — 6 types

Among the permitted products that lower creatinine, doctors include:

1. Whole grain bread, bran. Are a major source of natural fiber, which comprehensively helps speed up the digestive process. Bran also retains moisture in the intestinal cavity, which will have a positive effect on the functioning of the urethra.
2. Fresh vegetables. Contain a minimum of protein, but a lot of fiber. At the same time, they will provide the body with vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. It is also in fresh vegetables that there is a high content of flavonoids – they will help accelerate the removal of toxins from the blood, including creatinine. But in boiled vegetables, flavonoids are practically absent (with the exception of table beetroot).
3. Fermented dairy products. The exception is cottage cheese, cheeses. There are relatively few proteins in them, but carbohydrates and fats are in excess. This will help reduce creatinine levels in the blood, but at the same time provide the body with the necessary amount of energy .
4. Linseed oil. It is recommended that they replace sunflower, olive, and butter (in cooking). It consists of 75% unsaturated omega-3, omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids, which reduce creatinine very well.
5. Honey. Is the best source of minerals and rare micronutrients (iron, manganese, silicon, zinc). It does not contain proteins, the composition is based on fructose, which is transformed into energy in the body.
6. Eggs. Quail is better. It is advisable to consume it fresh. Although they contain protein, the yolks contain iron and high–density cholesterol. This will directly help to normalize the blood composition.

To reduce creatinine, doctors mostly recommend following a low-calorie diet. Therefore, preference is given to vegetables, fruits, and seafood.

And which ones raise it — Top 6

But the following foods are considered to increase creatinine levels in the blood:

1. Fatty meats. Beef, pork, and sausages are especially "dangerous". It is much better to use chicken and rabbit instead.
2. Spinach and sorrel. Increase the acidity of the blood plasma environment, which increases creatinine. It is not necessary to completely abandon them, but it is definitely not worth abusing them.
3. Bananas, apricots. They contain a considerable amount of vegetable proteins. They increase creatinine no worse than fatty meats.
4. Cottage cheese and cheeses. Although they are a valuable source of vitamin D, they are rich in complex proteins, from which creatinine is subsequently formed. It is better to replace them with less fatty fermented milk products, such as low-fat kefir or milk.
5. Alcohol, carbonated drinks. Creatinine synthesis is not directly affected, but it disrupts the functionality of the urethra, which causes it to linger in the blood. It is better to replace them with plain water and natural juices with pulp.
6. Tea and coffee. It is better to give them up at least temporarily. Green and chamomile tea is possible.

 

Sample menu for the week

According to the recommendations of nutritionists, it is best suited to reduce creatinine and urea diet "table No. 7" by Pevsner. Its key features:

• Proteins per day – no more than 25 grams;
• Fats should also be limited to 90 grams per day, while giving preference to unsaturated fatty acids;
• Carbohydrates – dairy and vegetable.

The menu for the week will be as follows:

1. Monday. Breakfast – sour cream with fruit, tea with lemon, you can have a few slices of orange. Lunch – lean cabbage soup and potato casserole. Dinner – pilaf with chicken, fruit, compote.
2. Tuesday. Breakfast – vegetarian cutlets or potato tortillas with compote or juice. Lunch – soup with rice in vegetable broth, potatoes with boiled or baked chicken breast. Dinner – baked fish with herbs and citrus fruits.
3. Wednesday. Breakfast is a casserole of low–fat cottage cheese with fruits. Lunch – pasta with boiled vegetables, as well as vegetable broth. Dinner – vegetable casserole (best of all – carrots and beets, you can add zucchini, bell pepper).
4. Thursday. Breakfast – potato patties and 2 chicken eggs (boiled). Lunch – rice soup with vegetable broth, baked chicken. Dinner – carrot casserole with prunes, fish and onions.
5. Friday. Breakfast – egg omelet with table beetroot, pickled onion, compote. Lunch – rabbit or chicken in tomato sauce, fruit salad. Dinner – bulgur porridge and fresh fruits.
6. Saturday. Breakfast – baked apples with honey. Lunch – chicken cutlets in linseed oil, as well as buckwheat porridge, green tea. Dinner – herring under a fur coat, seafood, fruits.
7. Sunday. Breakfast – jelly with pancakes, honey. Lunch – stewed potatoes with carrots, beets, seafood is possible. Dinner – vegetable soup with noodles, fruit salad and green tea with honey.

It is possible to add afternoon snacks to the diet, but they should mainly consist of fresh fruits and vegetables. Instead of regular bread, when following a diet, they include whole grain or bran (at their discretion).

Review of folk remedies

Among folk methods there are a lot of tools with which you can lower creatinine. The most effective among them are the following:

1. Decoction of horsetail. For its preparation, take 2 parts of the roots of the plant, 1 part of the pagons and leaves (which are a kind of needles like a pine tree). They are thoroughly ground in a mortar or with a blender, 20 parts of water are added, brought to a boil over low heat and kept for 30 minutes. It will turn out to be a kind of thick broth with a bright green tint. It should be filtered and taken 100 milliliters 3 times a day. The course of treatment is a week. It is worth considering that such a remedy is a powerful diuretic, therefore, at the time of compliance with such therapy, you should drink as much as possible.
2. Infusion of tea rose petals. To prepare the infusion, take the petals collected in early May (when flowering is just beginning). They are dried, take 2 tablespoons and pour 200 milliliters of strong alcohol. Insist for 3 days, then strain. Take 1 teaspoon 3 times a day until the prepared mixture is finished. Repeat the course no earlier than 3 weeks after the end of the previous one.
3. A decoction of nettles. A universal remedy for cleansing the blood of toxins, also gives a diuretic effect. For cooking, take 50 grams of fresh nettle leaves, pour 1 liter of water. Next, they insist overnight, change the water in the morning and put it on fire. Bring to a boil, remove from the stove and let cool to room temperature. Drink 100 milliliters 3 times a day. The finished product should be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days.

 

6 more important tips

In addition to diet, doctors in such cases recommend following the following recommendations:

1. Bad habits. Both alcohol and nicotine are substances that contribute to the accumulation of toxins in the body. They can also delay creatinine. Alcohol derivatives also negatively affect the performance of the urinary system.
2. Decrease in physical activity. If a person actively and regularly visits the gym or does sports, then temporarily you should either stop exercising altogether or minimize physical activity (paying attention, for example, to stretching, cardio). Reducing muscle activity reduces the amount of creatinine produced.
3. Healthy sleep. Probably, everyone knows that active muscle mass growth occurs at night. Accordingly, a full sleep normalizes this process, "stretches" the process of creatinine release into the blood. That is why its level decreases somewhat with proper rest.
4. Starvation. If someone uses this method of cleansing the body, then with elevated creatinine, this is a great idea. The main thing is not to give up food for more than 24 hours. Longer fasting should be performed exclusively under medical supervision.
5. Do morning exercises. Helps to accelerate the release of creatinine, which is why its level immediately rises, but after 1-2 hours it drops sharply to the required level. But in the evening it is better not to spend it.
6. Give up excessively salty foods. All kinds of snacks, chips, crackers – all this is a rich source of sodium. It must also be reduced with high creatinine, while potassium will automatically rise to the nominal level.

Check out the other factors on the table:

Creatinine levels necessarily decrease in the first and second trimester of pregnancy. This is a natural reaction of the body to changes in metabolic processes and the work of the endocrine system.

Useful video

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Conclusion

In total, excessive creatinine concentration most often indicates the presence of certain diseases of the cardiovascular, digestive and endocrine systems, as well as the predominance of animal food in the diet, which is the main source of protein.

It is easiest to reduce it by adjusting the diet, as well as following simple recommendations aimed at improving the lifestyle. How do I find out the current creatinine level? An advanced blood test will help in this, it can be performed in almost any clinic.