Urea

Kidney Function marker

Urea

Category: Kidney Function
Unit: mmol/L

Waste product from protein metabolism. Elevated with high protein intake or kidney issues.

PED Notes

High protein diets (common in bodybuilding) will elevate urea. This is expected and not concerning unless accompanied by elevated creatinine and low eGFR. Dehydration also elevates urea.

Lifestyle:

  • Ensure adequate hydration (3-4L/day) -- most common cause of elevation
  • If persistently elevated with other kidney markers, reduce protein intake temporarily and retest

References:

  • Zhang, H. W., Lin, Z. X., Xu, C., Leung, C., & Chan, L. S. (2014). Astragalus (a traditional Chinese medicine) for treating chronic kidney disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2014(10), CD008369. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD008369.pub2

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Frequently Asked Questions

Reference Ranges

Standard Range

3 - 8 mmol/L

VitalMetrics Range

3 - 10 mmol/L

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