What Causes A Decrease In Creatinine Blood Levels?

Posted on Wed, 27 Jan 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 27 Jan 2016 Answered on

Tue, 15 Mar 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : HI. I am in an intensive outpatient rehab for alcohol. Since April of last year, I get two random UAs a week. It seems like once a month, during my start of my menstrual cycle, my test comes back diluted. Can hormones change the levels at all? Another observance I recently made is that I have lost 25 pounds since I began treatment. A few weeks ago, the doc found ketones in my system. She said that it was due to low protein and body mass? Would that decrease my creatinine levels?

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
Weight loss due to decrease in muscle mass can lower blood creatinine levels. Starvation leads to development of ketones in the body. Another situation where ketones start appearing in the blood and urine is uncontrolled diabetes.
Your thyroid should also be tested.

When I see someone like you in my practice, I typically order the following blood tests in addition to a detailed physical examination:

CBC
Electrolytes
Calcium
HbA1c (Glycosylated Hemoglobin = your 3 month glucose average)
Liver function tests
Kidney function tests
TSH
25 hydroxy Vitamin D

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (2 hours later)

All the tests mentioned above were taken as well. My kidneys and thyroid and everything else was fine.
You also mentioned that those things would decrease the creatinine in the blood, WILL it do the same in the urine? The lab checks for alcohol in the urine using the creatinine. If the creatinine level is too low, they can't test the urine.
Does estrogen/hormones during menstrual cycle decrease any of that level? I go through the cycle without having actual bleeding because of an IUD. I still get the cravings, pms, and acne during my cycle. SO I was wondering if the lack of blood decreased any levels as well.
I have to figure out exactly why my levels are too low. I have a lot to lose in this.

Answered by Dr. Shehzad Topiwala (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Yes

Detailed Answer:
It can lower the creatinine in the urine.

Estrogen and other hormones do not directly or significantly affect creatinine in the urine.

Your lack of menstrual blood loss has no impact on urine creatinine levels either.

See an Internal Medicine or Kidney specialist in-person to resolve the problem.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar