Normal range: 0.7 – 1.3 mg/dL (lower is better)
Creatinine is a waste product from normal muscle metabolism that your kidneys continuously filter out. When kidney function declines, creatinine builds up in the blood. It is one of the most reliable markers of kidney health and is used to calculate your eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), the gold-standard measure of how well your kidneys are filtering.
Creatinine isn't sold on its own. It comes in a comprehensive metabolic panel, about $40. A fuller workup adds Vitamin D ($75), hs-CRP ($69), ApoB ($50), and ApoA1 ($50). You can test Creatinine and 100 other biomarkers for $190 as part of an Empirical membership.
Empirical is FSA/HSA eligible, so you can pay with pre-tax dollars. Fast for 8-12 hours beforehand for the most accurate lipid and metabolic results, and expect results in days rather than weeks.
Creatinine is a waste product filtered by your kidneys. High levels can indicate kidney problems.
In NHANES 2021-2023, the median creatinine was about 0.81 mg/dL for adults aged 18-29 and 0.94 mg/dL for adults aged 70 and older. The chart below shows the full distribution by age and sex.
Median creatinine by age and sex, with the 10th to 90th percentile band. Source: NHANES 2021-2023 (weighted estimates).
A normal Creatinine is 0.7 – 1.3 mg/dL. Lower is better.
Elevated creatinine most commonly reflects impaired kidney function from chronic kidney disease, dehydration, or medications that affect the kidneys. People with more muscle mass naturally have slightly higher creatinine, which is normal.
Several common medications can raise creatinine. NSAIDs (ibuprofen, naproxen), ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and certain antibiotics (like trimethoprim) all affect kidney filtration. Creatine supplements and high-protein meals can also transiently raise the level without indicating actual kidney damage.
Very low creatinine can occur in people with low muscle mass, severe malnutrition, or advanced liver disease. Staying well-hydrated, maintaining a healthy blood pressure, managing diabetes, and avoiding excessive NSAID use are the best ways to protect kidney function and keep creatinine in range.
Creatinine is most highly correlated with Total Bilirubin and Albumin. Here are the top biomarkers correlated with Creatinine, based on 500,000 tests done by Empirical Health.
The percentage shows how strongly two biomarkers move together. A higher number means the relationship is stronger. Green = rises and falls together. Orange = one rises as the other falls.
Creatinine is drawn at 2,200+ Quest and BioReference patient service centers across the US, so there's usually one within a short drive. Browse the full directory to find the one closest to you.
Test your Creatinine and 100+ other biomarkers in a single blood draw.
