High Creatinine, High BUN and High Potassium

Potassium, blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, and creatinine blood tests can monitor kidney function in patients diagnosed with kidney disease. High levels of potassium in the blood, elevated BUN and elevated creatinine are all indicators of some degree of kidney dysfunction.

BUN
When you eat protein, your body breaks it down into its building blocks, which are called amino acids. When protein is broken down, a waste product called nitrogen is produced in the liver. This nitrogen combines with other molecules to create another waste product called urea. Urea then enters the bloodstream where the kidneys remove it from the body through your urine. A healthy individual has very small amounts of urea in the blood. When the kidneys are not functioning properly, they do not remove urea, and levels accumulate in the blood. A blood urea nitrogen, or BUN, test measures the amount of urea in your blood. A healthy BUN usually falls between 7 and 20 mg/dL. If your BUN level exceeds 20 mg/dL, it can indicate kidney disease.

CREATININE
Your muscles use a compound called creatine in order to contract. Every time your muscles contract, creatine is broken down and a waste product called creatinine is produced. This creatinine enters your blood and travels to your kidneys, where almost all of it is removed by your kidneys. A normal blood creatinine level falls between 0.8 to 1.4 mg/dL. Elevated levels of creatinine in the blood indicate that the kidneys are not functioning normally.

POTASSIUM
The most common cause of high potassium in the blood, or hyperkalemia, is kidney disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Most of the potassium in your body is found inside of your cells, although a small amount circulates throughout your body in your blood. A healthy blood potassium level falls between 3.6 and 4.8 mEq/L. Normally, your kidneys maintain tight control of the level of potassium in your blood by filtering excess potassium from the blood when needed. When your kidneys are not working properly, they do not remove potassium from the blood efficiently, causing levels to increase above 4.8 mEq/L.

How about your condition? If you suffering from high BUN level, high creatinine level or high potassium level, you can send us an email to doctornickzhang@hotmail.com, or leave us a message to get diet suggestions and natural treatment options.

Do Arginine Supplements Cause BUN Level to Elevate

Arginine is an amino acid that plays a key part in the urea cycle, which enables your body to rid itself of excess nitrogen. Your body converts nitrogen to ammonia. Ammonia then undergoes a series of chemical reactions in the liver that lead to arginine reacting with the enzyme arginase to produce ornithine and urea. The urea cycle is essential for life in humans and other mammals since it rids the body of ammonia, which is toxic.

Slightly elevated BUN levels cause no symptoms and are nothing to worry about. An excessively high BUN level is a condition called "uremia," which causes symptoms such as confusion, thirst, fatigue, dry mouth and rapid pulse. Uremia can cause a decrease in urination and sometimes an increase in urination at night. You may also experience swelling, abdominal pain and paleness if you are suffering from uremia. Severe uremia is dangerous and can lead to acute kidney failure.

Treatment for uremia depends on its severity and can include blood transfusion and intravenous fluids, medications to increase cardiac output and hemodialysis.
According to MayoClinic.com, people with asthma should not use arginine because it may increase airway inflammation. Arginine can cause outbreaks in people with the herpes virus and flare-ups in gout sufferers. Pregnant or nursing women should not take arginine supplements because their safety during pregnancy and nursing has not been proven. Also, women with breast cancer should not take arginine supplements. Don't take arginine if you are also taking nitrates, medication for high blood pressure or phosphodiesterase inhibitors such as Viagra or Cialis.

If you find your high BUN level is caused by kidney damage, then the best way to lower high BUN level is to repair kidney damage and recover kidney function. If you don’t want to experience dialysis or kidney transplant, you should learn more about treatment options which can recover kidney function. If you need any help, you can leave us a message or send us an email to doctornickzhang@hotmail.com.

Does Drinking Coffee Lower High BUN level

People with altered BUN levels may have ailments that include kidney disease, malnutrition or liver disease. Consumption of coffee will not lead to lowered BUN levels.

Coffee consumption is not as dangerous to your health as doctors and scientists once believed, MayoClinic.com reports. Still, it can come with some risks. If you drink unfiltered coffee, you can significantly increase your blood levels of cholesterol. Some people can’t efficiently break down the caffeine in coffee, and subsequently have increased risks for heart disease if they drink two or more cups of coffee per day. If you drink four or more cups of coffee a day, its caffeine content can trigger side effects that include a rapid heartbeat, muscle tremors, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, nervousness and an upset stomach.

If you have impaired kidney function, consumption of too much fluid can trigger symptoms that include high blood pressure, swelling of your tissues and shortness of breath. To lighten the load on your kidneys, your doctor may ask you to restrict your intake of coffee and all other beverages or liquids, including water, tea, sodas, soups, alcohol and ice cubes. In some cases, people with significant kidney damage can produce normal BUN readings if one if their kidneys remains fully functional. Consult your doctor for more information on BUN testing and the potential consequences of coffee consumption.

Though Diet for Elevated BUN is very important, the most important thing is to help patients repair the kidney damage and recover kidney function. If you want to lower high BUN level safely and effectively, maybe Chinese herbal medicines can be your best choice. If you want to know about the list of medicines, you can leave us a message or send us an email to doctornickzhang@hotmail.com

How to Reverse High BUN Levels

Healthy kidneys filter the BUN by-product out of your body through urine. High BUN levels generally indicate that your kidneys are not functioning properly or you may have underlying health problems related to your cardiovascular system. In some cases, high BUN levels are acute and easily resolved with dietary changes.

Step 1
Visit your physician and get an accurate diagnosis. A BUN test can be ordered as part of a comprehensive metabolic panel to determine levels and diagnose the underlying cause. To accurately treat high BUN levels your physician has to rule out or also treat additional health complications such as acute kidney failure, liver disease, hypertension or infections.

Step 2
Drink plenty of fluids daily to stay hydrated. Dehydration refers to inadequate water and electrolyte balance in your cells, which can cause high BUN levels. If you are taking diuretic medications, have persistent diarrhea, lose excess fluids through sweat or do not drink enough fluids throughout the day, you may become dehydrated. Severe dehydration warrants hospitalization and intravenous fluids. Mild dehydration can resolve by increasing your water intake. Consult your physician for exact amounts based on your health status.

Step 3
Eat a low-protein diet. If your kidneys are unable to filter protein properly, reduce your protein intake to lower your BUN levels. High-protein foods include red meat, poultry, fish and dairy. Beans, nuts and grains have moderate amounts of protein, and fruits generally have no protein. Consult your physician to discuss the amount of protein you need in your diet to lower BUN levels. The average daily protein intake for healthy adults ranges from 40 to 60 g, and you may need to reduce your intake by half.

Step 4
Cope with stress and manage your blood pressure. In some cases, high BUN levels occur from excess stress or acute high blood pressure. Get a blood pressure check and monitor it regularly. If you have persistently high blood pressure your physician may recommend medications to stabilize it. Excess worry and stress often contribute to blood pressure changes. Seek counseling or support, and engage in relaxation exercises to lower your stress level.

If your high BUN level is caused by kidney damage, some Chinese herbal medicines can help lower it by repairing kidney damage and recovering kidney function. If you are interested in the list of Chinese herbal medicines, you can leave us a message or send us an email to doctornickzhang@hotmail.com.