Stop obsessing over that reference range on your lab report.
I’ll say it again: creatinine levels vary wildly between individuals. That “normal range” on your bloodwork? It’s misleading at best, dangerous at worst.
Think about cholesterol testing. Your LDL cholesterol report often comes without a reference range. Why? Because one size doesn’t fit all. What’s safe for you might be critical for someone else.
The same logic applies to creatinine. But most people don’t know this.
The Reference Range That Ruins Lives
A 37-year-old woman came to our clinic yesterday. Her creatinine was 162 μmol/L.
One year ago, it was 113. The lab’s upper limit? 112.
She was barely “abnormal” by one single unit.
Her doctor prescribed some supplements. She took them for a few months, then stopped. No follow-up tests. A year later, her creatinine shot up to 170+.
When we asked why she didn’t take treatment seriously, her answer was honest: “I was only one point over. Didn’t seem like a big deal. My doctor never said it would get worse.”
Here’s what nobody told her.
Creatinine 113 Isn’t “Almost Normal”
You’ve probably heard this: “Once creatinine goes abnormal, you’ve already lost 2/3 of your kidney function.”
Some say half. Some say three-quarters. The exact number doesn’t matter.
What matters is the real metric: Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR).
Let’s calculate this woman’s GFR using the MDRD formula:
- Female, creatinine 113
- Age 36, weight 57 kg, height 162 cm
Her GFR? 46.
Normal GFR is above 90. Most healthy adults are around 120.
A GFR of 46 means moderate kidney failure. Stage 3. Not “borderline abnormal.” Not “slightly elevated.”
Moderate. Kidney. Failure.
Stop Staring at Creatinine. Start Tracking GFR.
Creatinine alone is a terrible indicator of kidney health.
Especially for women.
Women have less muscle mass. Many don’t eat much meat. Their bodies produce less creatinine naturally.
A woman’s baseline creatinine might be in the 50s or 60s. When mild kidney disease hits, it might only climb to the 80s or 90s. Moderate failure? Maybe 100-110.
Still shows as “normal” on many lab reports.
Meanwhile, professional athletes like LeBron James or Usain Bolt have massive muscle mass. Their creatinine could be 100+ and perfectly healthy. Their resting heart rate might be in the 40s.
That doesn’t mean yours should be.
When Does It Become Severe?
Let’s return to our patient. When would her kidney disease reach stage 4 (severe failure, GFR below 30)?
At a creatinine of 165.
She’s at 162 now.
She’s literally at the doorstep of severe kidney failure.
Blood creatinine is better than urine creatinine, but it’s still not reliable enough on its own. These numbers work best as calculation inputs, not standalone indicators.
Always ask your doctor for your GFR or creatinine clearance rate. Don’t settle for just the creatinine number.
“If I Take Medication, I’m Admitting I’m Sick”
The patient’s partner told us she stopped her medication after two months because “she’s young and didn’t want to become a patient.”
This mindset kills people.
Nobody has a perfect body. We all have something. Some people need exercise and diet changes. Some need over-the-counter supplements. Some need prescription drugs. Some need procedures. Some need surgery. Some need emergency intervention.
Life isn’t easy for anyone. We use science to live longer and live better.
Refusing treatment to trick your brain into thinking “I’m not sick” might work for a year or two. But when you progress to stage 4 or stage 5 kidney failure, you’ll be in far worse shape.
And you’ll regret every day you wasted.
What Actually Works? (And What Doesn’t)
This patient relied solely on herbal supplements and over-the-counter remedies.
Here’s the truth: alternative treatments alone rarely slow kidney disease progression.
Studies consistently show that unproven therapies have the lowest evidence grades. Patients who use them as standalone treatments typically continue to decline.
You need evidence-based interventions:
What You Should Be Doing:
1. ACE Inhibitors or ARBs These medications protect your kidneys by reducing pressure in the filtering units. They’re proven to slow progression.
2. Control Your Blood Pressure Target: below 130/80 mmHg. Even 120/80 is better. High blood pressure accelerates kidney damage.
3. Manage Blood Sugar If you’re diabetic or pre-diabetic, tight glucose control is non-negotiable. Aim for HbA1c below 7%.
4. Protein Restriction Work with a renal dietitian. Typically 0.6-0.8 g/kg body weight per day. Too much protein overworks damaged kidneys.
5. Limit Sodium Under 2,000 mg per day. Read labels. Restaurant food is loaded with sodium.
6. Regular Monitoring Check GFR and creatinine every 3-6 months. More often if declining. Track trends, not single values.
7. Avoid Nephrotoxins NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), certain antibiotics, contrast dyes. Always tell medical staff you have kidney disease.
8. See a Nephrologist Not just your primary care doctor. You need a kidney specialist. Stage 3 kidney disease requires expert management.
What Doesn’t Work:
- Herbs and supplements as sole therapy
- “Detox” programs
- Ignoring the problem
- Waiting until symptoms appear (they often don’t until stage 4-5)
- Trusting that “borderline” results will resolve on their own
Stage 3 Is Your Last Chance
Early kidney disease (stages 1-2) can sometimes be reversed or cured.
Late kidney disease (stages 4-5) will progress no matter what. Treatment can only slow it down.
Stage 3 is the turning point.
Once you cross from stage 3 to stage 4, even if you eliminate the original cause, your kidneys will continue to scar and shrink on their own. The process becomes self-perpetuating.
You can slow it. But you can’t stop it.
Every intervention you make now determines whether you’ll need dialysis at 45 or 65. Or maybe never.
The Bottom Line
If your creatinine is over 100 and you’re female, calculate your GFR immediately.
If your creatinine is over 130 and you’re male, do the same.
Don’t wait for your next annual checkup. Don’t assume “slightly elevated” means “not serious.”
Stage 3 kidney disease is moderate kidney failure. It deserves aggressive, evidence-based treatment.
Not denial. Not supplements alone. Not “wait and see.”
Take action now. Your kidneys can’t grow back.
How to Calculate Your GFR
Use the CKD-EPI calculator (search “GFR calculator” online) or ask your doctor to calculate it.
You’ll need:
- Your creatinine level
- Your age
- Your sex
- Your race (for some calculators)
If your GFR is below 60, you have stage 3 kidney disease or worse.
See a nephrologist within the next month.
Not next year. Next month.
Your kidneys are counting on you.
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