Creatinine

What is Creatinine?

Creatine, a natural derivative of amino acid, plays a significant role in the functioning of the body. It plays a role in providing energy to muscle cells and in muscle contraction. Naturally present in muscle fibres and the brain, it is synthesized by organs such as the kidneys, liver, and pancreas from three essential amino acids: arginine, glycine, and methionine.

How can the levels be affected?

Several factors can influence the level of creatinine in urine - aka. creatinuria, including:

1. Muscle mass: People with high muscle mass have higher levels of creatinine in their urine. As they have more muscles, they therefore produce more creatinine than people with lower muscle mass.

2. Intensity and duration of exercise: Intense or prolonged physical activity can lead to increased muscle breakdown, which is reflected by a higher production of creatinine.

3. Hydration status: Dehydration can concentrate creatinine in urine, resulting in higher levels during analysis.

4. Diet: Diets rich in proteins and animal-based foods can increase the production of creatinine in urine.

5. Medications and supplements: Certain medications or supplements, such as creatine supplements or muscle relaxant type medications, can affect muscle function and impact the levels of creatinine in urine.

6. Age and sex: People aged 50 and over may tend to have lower muscle mass and present lower creatinine levels than younger individuals. Men have a larger muscle mass and may present higher creatinine levels than women. The increase in urinary creatinine related to sport is considered a temporary and benign phenomenon, reflecting the body’s response to increased muscle activity. It is always good to listen to your body and take breaks when necessary.

Increase in urinary creatinine in the urine associated with sport is considered to be a temporary and benign phenomenon, reflecting the body's response to increased muscular activity. It's always a clever idea to listen to your body and take breaks when necessary.

How can I maintain an optimal rate?

In order to maintain optimal creatinine levels to optimize performance, it is possible to work on both diet and training program to achieve your sports goals:

• Hydration: Drinking plenty of water throughout the day ensures adequate hydration, especially in hot weather or during physical activity. It is also possible to add electrolytes and minerals to drinks to allow better hydration during intense physical effort.

• Balanced diet:

For carnivorous people, it is necessary to limit the intake of proteins via animal-based foods like red meat. It is possible to balance these intakes by including larger quantities of fruits, vegetables, cereals, and lean proteins during meals:

Fruits	Vegetables	Cereals	Proteins
Apples Pears Peaches ...	Peppers Cucumbers Leeks ...	Brown rice Quinoa Oats ...	Salmon Mackerel Tuna Poultry Chicken Turkey ...

Regarding vegans, vegetarians, and anyone following a plant-based diet, they can compensate for protein intake by adding foods rich in amino acids such as arginine, glycine, and methionine, which are the three amino acids involved in the synthesis of creatine. This compensation can be achieved through the intake of the following elements: these foods help to compensate for the lack of natural creatine in plant-based diets and support muscle function (contraction and energy production)

	Arginine	Glycine	Méthionine
Legumes	Soy Lentils Beans ...	Pumpkin Sweet potato Potato ...	Soy Chickpeas Beans
Cereals	Rice Oats Buckwheat Wheat ...	Barley Rye ...	Quinoa Corn Oats ...
Vegetables	Spinach Leak Peppers ...	Green beans ...	Zucchini Asparagus Spinach ...
Fruits	Grapefruit Kiwi Avocado Nuts ...	Hazelnuts Chestnuts ...	Nuts ...
Seeds	Sesame Poppy Flax Sunflower ...	Sesame Sunflower Pumpkin seeds ...	Sesame Pumpkin seeds ...

• Regular physical exercise: Regular physical activity improves overall fitness and maintains muscle mass. However, excessively intense physical effort sessions should be avoided as they can lead to muscle degradation and release elevated levels of creatinine in the body.

• Medications and supplements: Some medications (such as muscle relaxants) can impact muscle function and creatinine production. These rates can vary the present values obtained via DOXA Sport. Similarly, creatine supplementation can influence these values.

• Alcohol and caffeine in moderation: Excessive consumption of alcohol and caffeine can affect muscle function and an athlete’s hydration status, and directly influence the values obtained with DOXA Sport. To achieve the best results in your sports performance, you can reduce your consumption of alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.

By integrating these lifestyle habits and practices into your routine, you can help maintain optimal levels of creatinine in urine.