I recently had a blood test and it shows my BUN, creatinine, GFR being slightly higher than recommended. When I told the nurse practitioner its probably because I get 200+ grams of protein a day she told me to drop it to 90-100 grams. I think she is going to have me retest soon… I am thinking I may just drop protein to that level for a day or so before the test just to pass it, and prove that my kidneys aren’t damaged. Any thoughts?
First of all, remember that Drs and their staff work for you! You are paying them, not the other way around. We have become so complacent that we think that we have to do what Drs tell us. Far from it!
You can either say you are not interested in another test, you can show her the latest article on T-Mag showing that there is no correlation between high protein and kidney damage, or you can do like you said and drop your protein for a week or so then re-test. Its your choice, just make sure you are in control of your health treatment.
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Its quite the coincidence I read the T Mag article just hours before I went in for my follow-up and got the report. I’m tempted to ignore the “request” to lower my protein intake, though part of me thinks maybe I should check if there is some non-protein diet-related kidney damage. I think I can go a day or two with normal protein… and hopefully not freak out that I’m going catabolic.
What is your creatinine level?
creatinine 1.29 mg/dL (.76-1.27 range)
BUN 27 mg/dL (6-24 range)
Eat more pie!
Please post your labs.
If you were dehydrated for fasting lab work, that can increase all kinds of readings.
Are you taking long term doses of naproxen or other meds?
Please read the stickies found here: About the T Replacement Category - #2 by KSman
- advice for new guys - need more info about you
- things that damage your hormones
- protocol for injections
- finding a TRT doc
Evaluate your overall thyroid function by checking oral body temperatures as per the thyroid basics sticky. Thyroid hormone fT3 is what gets the job done and it regulates mitochondrial activity, the source of ATP which is the universal currency of cellular energy. This is part of the body’s temperature control loop. This can get messed up if you are iodine deficient. In many countries, you need to be using iodized salt. Other countries add iodine to dairy or bread.
You can lower your BUN by drinking more water. How much more depends on how much you weigh. But, the average man who is training seriously should be drinking at least 8 glass of water per day. As for your Creatinine level it is just a bit high. You’ve said that you consume 200 gams of protein a day. I don’t think that’s necessary and it will drive up the creatinine level which is a marker of how healthy your kidney’s are. You could cut back your protein intake and still make great gains in the gym. Try only having the big protein days on days where you are training heavy. On cardio days, or light gym days cut back on the protein. There are some schools of thought that this is not only healthier for the body, but can actually add even more muscle to your frame.
Whatever you decide to do remember as you drink more water (with in reason) your kidney numbers will begin to look better. Without knowing more about your diet, bodyweight, age and some other things that’s the best I can do for now.
9-May-17 Measured Low High
Albumin, Serum 4.4 g/dL 3.5 5.5
Alkaline Phosphatase, S 81 IU/L 39 117
Bilirubin, Total 1 mg/dL 0 1.2
BUN 27 mg/dL 6 24
Calcium, Serum 9.4 mg/dL 8.7 10.2
Chloride, Serum 100 mmol/L 96 106
Cholesterol, Total 100 mg/dL 115 199
Creatinine, Serum 1.29 mg/dL 0.76 1.27
GGT 32 IU/L 0 65
Globulin, Total 2.8 g/dL 1.5 4.6
Glucose, Serum 85 mg/dL 65 99
HDL Cholesterol 46 mg/dL 39 >
Hematocrit 47.5 % 37.5 51
Hemoglobin 16.3 g/dL 12.6 17.7
Iron, Serum 123 ug/dL 38 169
LDH 237 IU/L 121 224
LDL Cholesterol Calc 59 mg/dL 0 99
MCH 32.5 pg 26.6 33
MCHC 34.3 g/dL 31.5 35.7
MCV 96 fL 79 97
Phosphorus, Serum 3 mg/dL 2.5 4.5
Platelets 214 x10E3/uL 150 379
Potassium, Serum 4.9 mmol/L 3.5 5.2
Protein, Total, Serum 7.2 g/dL 6 8.5
RBC 5.02 x10E6/uL 4.14 5.8
RDW 14.2 % 12.3 15.4
AST (SGOT) 50 IU/L 0 40
ALT (SGPT) 36 IU/L 0 44
Sodium, Serum 139 mmol/L 134 144
Triglycerides 51 mg/dL 0 149
Uric Acid, Serum 5.6 mg/dL 3.7 8.6
WBC 5.5 x10E3/uL 3.4 10.8
T. Chol/HDL Ratio 2.5 ratio units 0 5
A/G Ratio 1.6 ratio units 1.2 2.2
BUN/Creatinine Ratio 21 ratio units 9 21
Bilirubin, Direct 0.27 mg/dL 0 0.4
VLDL Cholesterol Cal 10 mg/dL 5 40
eGFR If NonAfricn Am 65 mL/min/1.73 59 >
eGFR If Africn Am 75 mL/min/1.73 59 >
I take naproxen from time-to-time when I have muscle soreness, maybe twice a month. I was asked this also by a nurse practitioner. I may have been somewhat dehydrated because it was early in the day, and fasting 12 hrs.
48 years old, white male, 5’10", 210 lbs. I’m on a statin drug, TRT, and currently taking phentermine.
AST/ALT high, were your muscles sore or not recovered from training?
Total cholesterol = 100
is this a typo?
That would be way too low. <160 is associated with increase all-cause mortality. Cholesterol is the foundation for the whole steroid hormone cascade, which also includes Vit-D3 and cortisol.
Do you have a persistent low level cough? If so that is a statin induced CoQ10 deficiency and you could also have strange muscle soreness [AST/ALT?]. That can be fixed with 50-100mg per day Ubiquinol form of CoQ10, do not get misled with Ubiquinone.
High MCV can be from: Vitamin B12 and/or folic acid deficiency
Please see: Hypocholesterolemia - Wikipedia
Hypocholesterolemia in hospitalized patients
Hypocholesterolemia has been established as a bad
prognostic marker in hospitalized patients with severe illness [41-42]. Severity of the acute phase response, liver dysfunction, and hemodilution from blood loss have cumulative impacts in decreas-
ing cholesterol in post-operative patients or intensive care unit patients especially with sepsis [43].
Mortality of patients who had been hypocholesterolemic during admission was reported to be ten times higher and was inversely correlated to serum cho
-lesterol levels. Occurrence of hypocholesterolemia
during hospitalization may be among the first signs
of further deterioration of the disease [44].
Total Cholesterol was somewhat of a typo, it is 115 mg/dL with a 100-199 range. That is still less than you say is healthy. I know I should get my HDL up past 60…
And maybe my TRT is hurting my HDL? “Drugs containing testosterone and other anabolic steroids can artificially lower your HDL cholesterol levels. Avoiding these drugs may help increase your HDL numbers.”
I do take 200 mg of CoQ-10 capsules daily, but its not the Ubiquinol form. I just read its benefits (in us older fogies) and will switch to that. I don’t really have muscle soreness except the day after some workouts. I don’t believe I was sore when I took the test, though I did lift the night before.
I’ve been on 800 mg of folic acid daily since I went on the statin drug because there was a belief that it aided with homocysteine levels. My doctor said that has been refuted but it didn’t hurt to keep on it, so I do.
I could be low on B12? I take a daily in the morning and also sometimes a B12 pill after work. I don’t notice a lack of energy normally, or some of the other symptoms I see in a search.
I need to raise my HDL. I am going to consider eating oatmeal again for breakfast and make sure I’m getting enough fish oil. Plus an hour minimum of strenuous cardio a week. And maybe more red wine…
I had considered doing a cycle this fall but if my HDL is already low I don’t think its a good idea.
No, actually you don’t. If your total cholesterol is only 115 that should be your number one concern. And that is the reason that your HDL is only 46. Your High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) carries the Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) out of your body. If your cholesterol is only 115 you don’t need a high HDL. But I really wonder if your total cholesterol number of 115 is a mistake, a typo of some sort. In all of my many years in looking at blood tests (mine, clients, family members) I have never seen anyone with total cholesterol that low and as Ksman says there can be serious health consequences attached to such a low number.
If I were you I would get my blood rechecked and verify that the total cholesterol number is correct.
I checked my last tests with my doctor (this one was at work with a nurse. some insurance thing) and I’m just slightly lower than last summer… mostly in LDL. I go see my doctor soon so I’ll have a full test again, with testosterone and asking him to add E2.
I basically do nothing to help my HDL so I can do stuff, but I’m not losing sleep over it.
The other liver & kidney tests might not be valid for me because I lift most days a week (I should do more cardio). https://www.t-nation.com/living/tip-how-lifters-should-read-lab-results
Because its a common theme I’ve been checking my body temperature mornings, some afternoons, some evenings. Every time its been low. Starting IR as soon as some supplements come.
Holy cow, my body temperature is climbing on IR.
@KSman How long does the bromide detox last for most people at 50 mg of iodine a day? I didn’t realize it would make me so tired.