How Much Protein

[Yano]

I'm a fat bastard I have no freaking clue what my actual lean body mass is.

I weigh 203 and I shoot for 250/260 grams a day.

Must be enough I'm thick as a city mailbox with a head

 

[Bigtex]

Lets remember what creatinine is in the first place......creatinine is a chemical waste product generated in the muscles during the breakdown of a compound called creatine, which is essential for energy production in muscle cells. It is produced at a fairly constant rate depending on an individual's muscle mass and is excreted from the body through the kidneys. This waste product is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine. It does not get reabsorbed by the kidneys in significant amounts, making it a reliable indicator of kidney function. So in that train of thought, elevated blood creatinine levels in a couch potato can indicate impaired kidney function, as the kidneys are unable to filter it properly.

What can elevate creatinine levels in the blood?

Increased Muscle Mass
Creatinine is a byproduct of creatine metabolism, which is naturally present in muscle tissue. Athletes with larger muscle mass typically have higher baseline creatinine levels because they produce more creatinine as part of normal muscle turnover.

Intense Physical Activity
Strenuous exercise can temporarily elevate creatinine levels due to increased muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) and the release of creatinine into the bloodstream. This effect is usually transient.

High Protein Intake
Many athletes consume high-protein diets or protein supplements to support muscle growth. Dietary protein increases the production of creatinine as part of its metabolic process. Remember creatine is found in protein.

Creatine Supplementation
Athletes who take creatine supplements to enhance performance may have elevated creatinine levels. Creatine breaks down into creatinine, leading to higher levels in the blood.

Are You Hydrated?
Dehydration reduces kidney perfusion and filtration, concentrating creatinine levels in the blood. Athletes engaged in intense training or competition may experience temporary dehydration.

So if you are lifting weight and still concerned because you doctor is telling you your kidney function is horrible, please understand that higher muscle mass, intense training, high protein intake, and creatine supplementation can all affect creatinine as the primary variable. This in NO WAY means your kidney function is bad. A cystatin C test is a more accurate way to assess kidney function in people with higher muscle mass. Another one of the measures of kidney function is the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The glomerular filtration rate describes the flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney. Creatinine clearance rate (CCRCr or CrCl) is the volume of blood plasma that is cleared of creatinine per unit of time and is a useful measure for approximating the GFR. eGFR under 60 may indicate issues that are affecting kidney function.

 

[genetic freak]

Are they telling him the same thing about his diet?

I didn't ask. They may have, but he eats clean. I believe his is just 40 years of anabolic abuse has caught up to him. When I say abuse, he uses very little compared to most, but anything more than TRT is still abuse.

 

[genetic freak]

Lets remember what creatinine is in the first place......creatinine is a chemical waste product generated in the muscles during the breakdown of a compound called creatine, which is essential for energy production in muscle cells. It is produced at a fairly constant rate depending on an individual's muscle mass and is excreted from the body through the kidneys. This waste product is filtered out of the blood by the kidneys and excreted in urine. It does not get reabsorbed by the kidneys in significant amounts, making it a reliable indicator of kidney function. So in that train of thought, elevated blood creatinine levels in a couch potato can indicate impaired kidney function, as the kidneys are unable to filter it properly.

What can elevate creatinine levels in the blood?

Increased Muscle Mass
Creatinine is a byproduct of creatine metabolism, which is naturally present in muscle tissue. Athletes with larger muscle mass typically have higher baseline creatinine levels because they produce more creatinine as part of normal muscle turnover.

Intense Physical Activity
Strenuous exercise can temporarily elevate creatinine levels due to increased muscle breakdown (rhabdomyolysis) and the release of creatinine into the bloodstream. This effect is usually transient.

High Protein Intake
Many athletes consume high-protein diets or protein supplements to support muscle growth. Dietary protein increases the production of creatinine as part of its metabolic process. Remember creatine is found in protein.

Creatine Supplementation
Athletes who take creatine supplements to enhance performance may have elevated creatinine levels. Creatine breaks down into creatinine, leading to higher levels in the blood.

Are You Hydrated?
Dehydration reduces kidney perfusion and filtration, concentrating creatinine levels in the blood. Athletes engaged in intense training or competition may experience temporary dehydration.

So if you are lifting weight and still concerned because you doctor is telling you your kidney function is horrible, please understand that higher muscle mass, intense training, high protein intake, and creatine supplementation can all affect creatinine as the primary variable. This in NO WAY means your kidney function is bad. A cystatin C test is a more accurate way to assess kidney function in people with higher muscle mass. Another one of the measures of kidney function is the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). The glomerular filtration rate describes the flow rate of filtered fluid through the kidney. Creatinine clearance rate (CCRCr or CrCl) is the volume of blood plasma that is cleared of creatinine per unit of time and is a useful measure for approximating the GFR. eGFR under 60 may indicate issues that are affecting kidney function.

Yep. That is why I pull my own labs prior to seeing my PCM (VA) and bring the results of my cystatin c, because he refuses to pull it. I am 5'8" with a stage weight between 203-205 lbs (and only getting bigger). I have more muscle mass than 99.99% of the population. If my creatinine levels were normal, then there would be a problem.

 

[Wallyd]

I checked all the test they ran & the cystatin c test wasn’t one of them.
Creatinine was at 1.35. BUN/creatinine ratio was at 23. AST 66, ALT 80.

Other high results were Hemoglobin 18.4 & homatocrit 53.5.

 

[Bigtex]

Yep. That is why I pull my own labs prior to seeing my PCM (VA) and bring the results of my cystatin c, because he refuses to pull it. I am 5'8" with a stage weight between 203-205 lbs (and only getting bigger). I have more muscle mass than 99.99% of the population. If my creatinine levels were normal, then there would be a problem.

I had a huge problem with a cardiologist at Debakey. He ran blood work and told me I had kidney problems because my creatinine (135) was high and my eGFR was low (55). I asked him if he had any idea what type of exercise I did, noticed I had quite a lot of muscle mass or even ask how much protein I eat. Of course not.....I also was taking creatine. So I challenged this doctor and said if I have kidney disease this score will only get worse, not better.....right. So I took a week off training, cut back on the protein and stopped the creatine. Creatinine came back as normal ad did the eGRF. Most doctors have no idea how to deal with athletes.

 

[IronInsanity]

I think I’m around 1.25 most days with a range of 1 to 1.5.

 

[genetic freak]

I checked all the test they ran & the cystatin c test wasn’t one of them.
Creatinine was at 1.35. BUN/creatinine ratio was at 23. AST 66, ALT 80.

Other high results were Hemoglobin 18.4 & homatocrit 53.5.

That creatinine is barely above the reference range. AST and ALT are a tad high even if you were training hard. However, they can be impacted by supplements, cycle, illness, etc..., but still not a range where I would be worried. TUDCA, NAC and inositol would likely fix that in a hurry. If not, 200 mg glutathione 3x a week would for sure.

The hemoglobin and HCT. Rookie numbers. You got to bump that shit up. Haha. Just kidding, but that is not really high either if you are on TRT. That seems pretty standard for us older guys on TRT. I will get up to 20 and 58 at times with certain compounds. I do not have the genetic disposition for clots, so I do not worry.

 

[Wallyd]

That creatinine is barely above the reference range. AST and ALT are a tad high even if you were training hard. However, they can be impacted by supplements, cycle, illness, etc..., but still not a range where I would be worried. TUDCA, NAC and inositol would likely fix that in a hurry. If not, 200 mg glutathione 3x a week would for sure.

The hemoglobin and HCT. Rookie numbers. You got to bump that shit up. Haha. Just kidding, but that is not really high either if you are on TRT. That seems pretty standard for us older guys on TRT. I will get up to 20 and 58 at times with certain compounds. I do not have the genetic disposition for clots, so I do not worry.

I haven’t cycled anything in awhile, just TRT only at 100-125 mgs test cypionate once weekly.
They did say I had fatty liver but so does 70% or mate of all Americans.

 

[genetic freak]

I haven’t cycled anything in awhile, just TRT only at 100-125 mgs test cypionate once weekly.
They did say I had fatty liver but so does 70% or mate of all Americans.

Clean up the diet and cardio along with the options I mentioned above will clean up that fatty liver. If you are a drinker, stop.

 

[searay]

So you’re right at the 1.6 range.
I go back in March for a follow up. They want me to lose quite a bit of weight, I think they are going by the old height & weight charts which say I’m obese. They will also do another ultra-sound of my liver but it’s checking the density of it instead of just looking at pictures of it. Atleast that’s the way I understand it.

We are all obese!

 

[Friggemall]

I am about 1.2g/lb right now. I have bloodwork scheduled for the 20th. Once that is done, I'll bump to 1.5g/lb and also add in the super supplements again. My liver is typically okay, it's creatine at 1.4-1.6 or even 1.8 that typically freaks them out and I get sent to a specialist. The first time the kidney doc looked at me and said, "you lift weights, don't you" I said yes, and he said, "you're fine, you can leave". That is literally the conversation. Next time when it was 1.8, they sent me to a Russian doc and he wasn't having it, he knew I was on something, (tren). I told him I just learned I wasn't supposed to train for 2-3 days before doing bloodwork and I was taking 4 Advil 3x a day for a back issue and I didn't stop my daily vitamin regimen. He rescheduled bloodwork for 1 month and told me not to take ibuprofen ever again in my life, do not train the entire week before nor take the vitamins. I came back after that month, and it had dropped to 1.3 and he was happier but still gave me the evil look. LOL I had also stopped the tren before the first bloodwork but didn't allow enough time for it to clear and my creatine to return.
I've been off everything since before thanksgiving so I should be close to normal for this bloodwork, so we shall see.