Factors in Increasing Creatinine in the Body
Creatinine is a metabolic byproduct produced by the muscles, specifically. The kidneys naturally remove this metabolic byproduct. However, a rising level of creatinine in the body may spell trouble, and it would be best to visit your doctor regularly if you have been diagnosed with rising creatinine in your body. Proper filtration of creatinine by your kidneys should post little to no problems. When the kidneys begin to fail, your blood chemistry begins to change for the worse.
Doctors measure the creatinine present in both the urine and the blood to gain insights into what is happening in your body. Low creatinine and high creatinine both post problems, so it does not just have high creatinine. That is the problem. If your creatinine levels are below normal, then there might be a problem elsewhere in your body. The normal levels for creatinine in an adult are 0.84-1.21 mg/dL. Repeat urine tests and blood tests may be required to confirm your doctor’s diagnosis.
Relationship Between Cucumber, Uric Acid, and the Kidneys
Uric acid and creatinine can be considered related compounds when measuring a person’s kidneys’ general health. These compounds are not the same. If creatinine is derived from the metabolism taking place in the muscles, uric acid is produced when the body digests food. This is why creatinine levels in the body can increase after eating lots of meat because animal meat contains a certain portion of naturally-produced creatinine from animal metabolism.
This is normal, though, and the body removes the excess creatinine found in animal meat through excretion. There is proof that in people with CKD, the production and retention of creatinine and uric acid are higher than in normal adults. This shows that if you have CKD or any other kidney issue, you need to take care of your body by moderating what you eat and being pickier with what you include in your diet, not to strain your kidneys any further.
Uric acid tends to increase when you eat certain kinds of food. We highly recommend that you check with your physician about your diet so gout doesn’t get worse. People with gout can damage their kidneys due to too much uric acid. Still, it is also believed that having kidney disease, in general, can cause problems, and among these serious medical problems is arthritis and gout. People with kidney problems also tend to suffer from bouts of gout.
Purines can exacerbate the symptoms of elevated levels of uric acid. Among the most common purines in the average adult diet is beer, dried beans, sardines, and certain types of meat. Other factors are known to change the chemistry of a person’s urine and blood includes having too much stress, obesity, genetic predisposition, and diet. As for medical conditions, the following medical conditions are associated with elevated uric acid levels as well: type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, having hypothyroidism, and psoriasis.
As for creatinine, the most common causes of elevated creatinine in the blood and urine are acute kidney failure, chronic kidney failure, blockages that occur across the urinary tract, having heart disease, diabetes (type 1 and type 2), and having a kidney infection.
This brings us to the question – can your diet improve your creatinine levels? Specifically, can cucumbers help individuals who are suffering from high creatinine and uric acid levels?
The answer is yes, eating foods like cucumber might be the answer you are looking for if you are trying to remedy rising creatinine levels naturally.
Fruits and vegetables like cucumber are packed with nutrients that help reduce the body’s stress when afflicted with kidney problems. Additionally, they don’t contain purines that also increase the body’s natural filtration system’s stress.
Some additional ways to ensure that your creatinine levels don’t rise to include:
- Avoid taking additional creatine supplements if you are into bodybuilding.
- Ask your physician about reducing your protein intake. Protein intake is linked with creatine intake, too. Remember, cooked meat naturally contains creatine, and the extra dosing can also greatly increase your creatinine levels. If you regularly consume meat, you might want to start shifting to alternatives on the market, like vegetable patties and alternative, plant-based meats.
- Shifting to a mostly vegetable diet that is well-rounded can help you improve your creatine levels. Foods like lentil soup can improve your plant protein intake without unduly affecting your creatinine levels. The impact of diet is slow, but once the damage sets in, it’s very hard to undo the damage with just diet alone. The more you work on your diet, the better it would be for you and your kidneys.
How Cucumber Can Help Lower Creatinine
Cucumber can help lower creatinine because it is 95% water. One of the bigger problems of people suffering from kidney problems is that they don’t often drink water because of old lifestyle and habits. Interestingly, when you eat just one cup or serving of sliced cucumbers, that would be like consuming a cup of freshwater. Combine this with your regular diet and your regular water consumption, and you can already see where the benefit is. The more cucumbers you eat, the higher your hydration, and the more likely you will be able to remove the excess uric acid and creatinine from your body.
Additionally, cucumbers naturally contain minerals and vitamins that are good for the body as a whole. Cucumber has natural anti-inflammatory properties, and the antioxidant content of the seeds and the skin of the cucumber are also admirable. We can say that cucumber is a superfood because it is light on the body and provides so many additional health benefits.
