Paleo Recipes That Make Following the Plan a Breeze, Whole30 Lunch: Easy Ideas to Keep You on Track. Copyright © Health Hearty & Buzzle.com, Inc. However, when kidney damage has occurred, BUN and creatinine levels become elevated. Treatment options for low creatinine depend on the underlying cause. A BUN test measures the amount of urea nitrogen that's in your blood.Here's how your body typically forms and gets rid of urea nitrogen: 1. In some cases, low BUN levels have also been detected in the second or third trimester of pregnancy, the occurrence of which is not considered abnormal. Our liver performs the function of processing the protein that we consume through our meals. Low values. Serum creatinine is the true assessment tool of renal function. Urea is the chief end product of protein metabolism. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. She received her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) from the University of Tennessee in 2006. Make changes to your lifestyle to ensure regular BUN levels such as regulating your protein intake and exercise, staying hydrated, and reducing stress. BUN is a waste product of cell metabolism. Just like creatinine, in the early stage of kidney disease, BUN level can be kept within the normal range. Dieting is the WORST. BUN levels also change with gender and age and during pregnancy. High-protein foods include red meat, poultry, fish and dairy. About 40% to 50% of the blood's non-protein nitrogen contains urea. • Regular consumption of a diet high in carbohydrates may also be a reason. It is also needed in the formation of muscles in the body. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Luba has certifications in Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Emergency Medicine, Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Team Building, and Critical Care Nursing. These cookies do not store any personal information. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. A blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test is used to determine the amount of urea nitrogen, or waste product, in your blood. Low BUN levels are not common and are not usually a cause for concern. Drinking excessive amounts of liquid may cause overhydration and cause a low BUN value. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Note: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice. 6789 Quail Hill Pkwy, Suite 211 Irvine CA 92603. % of people told us that this article helped them. This means more urea will stay in the blood. The Blood Urea Nitrogen test, which is also known as the Urea Nitrogen test or the Serum Urea Nitrogen test is conducted along with the Creatinine test. Any standard blood test will have BUN or urea numbers. Looking at the causes, it would be safe to say that restoring them would require a lifestyle overhaul. By using our site, you agree to our. A BUN test that demonstrates a rise or fall in blood urea nitrogen levels might indicate a wide range of health problems. There's more to see -- the rest of this entry is available only to subscribers. BUN and serum creatinine are best interpreted together, comparing the two results. Secondly, you need to give up things that cause liver damage, be it alcohol or a hectic lifestyle. Your doctor will recommend the best course of treatment for any illnesses you may have, which will in turn help to lower your BUN levels. Normal functioning kidneys are able to remove urea from the blood through making urine. Urea is a waste product of protein breakdown. levels are associated with a lower risk of heart disease. High BUN levels can be a sign that your kidneys aren't functioning properly, or they could indicate a serious illness, injury, dehydration, or excessive protein intake. A medication wouldn’t be recommended to lower BUN levels. interventions would include treatment of the underlying cause, giving iv bicarbonate, low protein diet, hemodialysis and avoiding nephrotoxic medication (page 1314, davis's comprehensive handbook of laboratory and diagnostic tests with … ">Probiotics: Dynamic Immunity Protection. This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to help you raise your BUN levels. The amount of time and type of exercise that it takes to reach a point of soreness or exhaustion varies from person to person. Therefore, BUN level can not be a … Focus on adding more fiber, fruits, vegetables, grains, and healthy fats into your diet. An injection is then inserted into the vein to draw blood. Urea is the metabolic end-product formed by the liver from ammonia and excreted through the kidneys. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox. Concentration of creatinine in the blood depends upon the amount of muscle that you have and the ability of your kidneys to excrete creatinine. The liver transforms ammonia into urea to make it les… An extrarenal problem produces a BUN to serum creatinine ratio … Interventions for Hyponatremia, low Na - Sodium levels in the blood 1. Example, if you have a creatinine level of 3 mg, your BUN will be 60 mg/dL. This produces nitrogen-containing ammonia as a byproduct, which is excreted it into the bloodstream. BUN and Creatinine. Master's Degree, Nursing, University of Tennessee Knoxville. Can You Use CBD Oil for Skin Cancer Treatment? Meats such as beef, pork, poultry, clam, fish and oysters are excellent sources of i… Glomerular filtration rate measures the creatinine in the blood. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. A BUN level greater than 85 mg/dL with a normal creatinine level may indicate a loss of 2 or more units of blood into the GI tract. • A malfunctioning pancreas can lower your BUN levels too. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This may be caused by kidney stones or a tumor. If your kidneys are unable to filter protein properly, reduce your protein intake to lower your BUN levels. Try to engage in yoga, tai chi, or relaxation exercises to lower your stress level. It is a measure of how much urea is present in the blood. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! Do not try to give fluids to drink and do not give insulin to someone with low blood sugar. We offer the latest information for being the best, most healthy “you” you can be, covering areas ranging from nutrition and exercise to sleep and stress management. You get protein from the food you eat, and it enters the bloodstream from the intestines to be used by cells throughout your body. A protein-rich diet, severe dehydration, or heart problems can be the cause of high BUN levels. 2. In addition, eating a renal diet can help. Glomerular Filtration Rate. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In some cases, high BUN levels occur from excess stress or acute high blood pressure. It may be suggested to patients who are experiencing symptoms such as fatigue, swelling around the eyes, or high blood pressure, which point towards kidney disease. bicarbonate level is normal (acute) or elevate (in chronic stages) Chest X-ray, CT scan can help determine the cause; ABGs: Pao 2: Normal or may be low. Low BUN levels, on the other hand, can be a result of liver disease or malnutrition. Normal BUN is 10 to 20 mg/100 mL and serum creatinine is 0.6 to 1.2 mg/100 mL. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Conventional doctors will look at high or low BUN numbers and not mention anything, but these can indicate that certain processes in the body aren’t optimal. BUN levels can be lowered by dealing with the health issues that raise them. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) levels are tested to verify the function of kidneys. Na replacement in IV fluids or Na tablets with meals Conditions other than kidney disease that may change the BUN level are dehydration (d-hi-dra-shun), liver disease, or internal bleeding. Let’s recap. Patients are advised not to consume any protein-rich meals, 24 hours prior to the test as it can interfere with the results. Your cells break protein down into amino acids to build back up into the proteins they need for various processes. This article was medically reviewed by Luba Lee, FNP-BC, MS. Luba Lee, FNP-BC is a board certified Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) and educator in Tennessee with over a decade of clinical experience. Treatment for low hematocrit levels is based on the cause and varies accordingly. Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) levels are tested to verify the function of kidneys. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/f\/fb\/Lower-BUN-Levels-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Lower-BUN-Levels-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/f\/fb\/Lower-BUN-Levels-Step-1.jpg\/aid9506126-v4-728px-Lower-BUN-Levels-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"