

These changes could include eating a more healthful diet and giving up alcohol. If low creatinine levels, alongside other symptoms, show that someone may have liver disease, treatment is likely to start with medication and lifestyle changes. Low creatinine levels may indicate various different conditions, so a doctor will use test results alongside other checks to work out what the underlying issue could be. Pregnancy is often a cause of low creatinine levels, which should return to normal after a woman has given birth. This means that there will be lower levels of creatinine in the blood, which can be checked with a simple blood test called a serum creatinine test.Īlthough creatine is made naturally in the body, a small amount comes from food, so low levels of creatinine could relate to diet.Ĭreatine is mostly found in meat, so those who follow a vegetarian or low-protein diet are likely to have lower levels than people who eat meat.Ī prolonged period of not eating, or having an illness that prevents someone from eating, could be another cause of low levels of creatinine. Older adults often lose some muscle mass with age, and this is not usually a serious medical concern.Ĭreatine is made in the liver, and an unhealthy liver that is not working properly will not be able to make the normal amount of creatine.įor chronic liver disease, there can be a 50 percent reduction in the production of creatine. Low levels may indicate that muscles are less strong or are deteriorating, for example with a disease such as muscular dystrophy (MD).

Levels of creatinine are often linked with muscle mass or the amount of muscle in the body, which can decrease with age or illness. There are four key causes of low creatinine: Rochester (NY): University of Rochester Medical Center c2022. University of Rochester Medical Center.Department of Health and Human Services Blood Tests. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Consumer Version: Overview of Acid-Base Balance.
#Potassium poc istat update#
Update on value of the anion gap in clinical diagnosis and laboratory evaluation. The serum anion gap in the evaluation of acid-base disorders: What are its limitations and can its effectiveness be improved? Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Serum Anion Gap: Its Uses and Limitations in Clinical Medicine. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
