Low creatinine levels may result from low muscle mass, malnutrition, and some underlying health conditions. Treatment may include lifestyle and dietary changes, as well as medication.
Creatinine is a
The chemical enters your bloodstream after it’s broken down. Your kidneys then remove it from your blood and excrete it from your body through urine.
This process helps your body maintain a normal creatinine level. But sometimes, routine blood or urine tests can reveal low or high levels of creatinine.
According to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF), high creatinine levels may indicate that your kidneys aren’t filtering your blood properly.
On the other hand, low creatinine may indicate an issue your body is having in the production of creatine, such as muscle wasting or a liver problem.
Keep reading to learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatments for low creatinine levels.
Normal levels of creatinine vary depending on several factors, such as muscle mass, age, and sex assigned at birth.
The following table presents the normal, low, and high
| Creatinine level | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| Low | below 0.6 mg/dL | below 0.5 mg/dL |
| Normal | 0.6 to 1.2 mg/dL | 0.5 to 1.1 mg/dL |
| High | above 1.2 mg/dL | above 1.1 mg/dL |
The symptoms that go with low creatinine levels may depend on the underlying condition.
Muscle disease
Low muscle mass or having a muscle disease like muscular dystrophy may cause low creatinine levels, according to the NKF. A reduction in muscle mass is common in older individuals, as most people lose muscle mass as they age.
Symptoms of a muscle disease may include:
- muscles weakness, stiffness, and pain
- decreased mobility
Liver disease
Liver disease may lead to low levels of creatinine because impaired liver function interferes with creatine production.
Symptoms of liver disease may include:
- fatigue
- muscle weakness
- loss of appetite
- unexplained weight loss
- jaundice
- general feeling of being unwell (malaise)
Diet
Your diet may also play an important role in creatinine levels, according to the NKF.
Your body
Low creatinine levels may result from eating a plant-based or low protein diet, or from malnutrition.
Some symptoms of malnutrition may include:
- unintentional weight loss
- reduced appetite
- fatigue
- malaise
- weakness
- more frequent illness
- difficulty concentrating
- always feeling cold
Other causes
Several other causes of low creatinine levels may
- anemia
- leukemia
- hyperthyroidism
- pregnancy
- nerve disorder
- aging
The causes of low creatinine usually differ from the causes of high creatinine.
High creatinine may be
- dehydration
- kidney damage, failure, or infection
- acute kidney tubular necrosis
- shock
- glomerulonephritis
- congestive heart failure
Symptoms of high creatinine levels may include:
A doctor can use multiple tests to check your creatinine level, including:
- serum (blood) creatinine test, also known as creatine clearance test
- creatinine urine test
Although these tests help indicate abnormal creatinine levels, a doctor will usually use other tests to confirm a diagnosis of underlying health conditions, such as kidney disease.
These tests may include:
Treatment options for low creatinine will depend on the underlying cause.
For instance, if low muscle mass is causing low creatine levels, a doctor may recommend increasing your level of physical activity and doing resistance training exercises several days a week to increase muscle mass.
They may also recommend taking creatine supplements to
Eating a well-balanced diet and more high protein foods like meat and fish may help increase low creatinine levels caused by malnutrition.
If you’re vegan or vegetarian, creatine supplements may help increase your creatinine levels.
If low creatinine levels are caused by an underlying health condition, a doctor will help you develop a treatment plan. This may include a combination of medications, physical therapy, and lifestyle and dietary changes.
Low creatinine levels due to pregnancy should normalize after giving birth.
What does it mean if your creatinine is low?
Low creatinine refers to low blood levels of creatinine, a waste product produced when your body uses creatine for energy. Low creatinine may indicate low muscle mass, malnutrition, or underlying health conditions like liver disease.
What should I eat if my creatinine is low?
Eating a well-balanced diet and high protein foods like lean meats, fish, and dairy products may help increase creatinine levels.
What level of creatinine is concerning?
Creatinine levels for adults below
What lowers creatinine levels?
Factors like low muscle mass, malnutrition, pregnancy, and liver disease may lower creatinine levels.
Low creatinine levels are not always a sign of an underlying health condition. Your outlook is generally positive, as long as you receive necessary treatment for any underlying medical condition.
A healthcare professional may recommend a combination of lifestyle and dietary changes and medications to help increase your creatinine levels.
They may also want to schedule regular check-ups to monitor your creatinine levels.
