Renal disease requires the precise management of glomerular filtration rate, and failing to account for the dietary factors that influence this rate can be disastrous. Protein intake, supplemental use and medication can alter glomerular filtration rate, or GFR. Using the latest blood sampling technology and our GFR calculator can allow proper maintenance and emergency protocol to be performed, including dialysis.

Patients can utilize our free GFR calculator to determine the capability of their kidneys at any given time. This tool uses the following blood measurements to ensure accurate GFR data:

• Serum creatinine.
• Serum blood urea nitrogen, or BUN.
• Serum albumin.

The above plasma qualities can be determined through venipuncture, which requires blood to be drawn from a vein. Some patients may wish to use our GFR to determine their pattern of kidney filtration. This practice can reduce the amount of blood samples required over time.

Other factors involved in kidney function include:

• Age.
• Ethnicity.
• Gender.

Each of the previously mentioned variables affects the filtration rate of the kidneys. As patients advance in age, their kidneys exhibit a reduced capacity to remove creatinine and albumin from the blood. Ethnicity has also been known to result in different kidney filtration rates. Males naturally produce more creatinine than females, which also skews tests results.

If the body cannot reduce the presence of toxic substances, then the risk for severe organ damage becomes severe. For example, kidney filtration maintains acceptable levels of albumin. When this protein exceeds a certain threshold, the immune system begins to fail due to an albumin-induced lack of zinc.

Your doctor should have the final say concerning your results. However, different testing equipment and GFR calculators provide different readings, so be sure to explicitly inform your doctor regarding equipment manufacturers and calculator algorithms.

The National Kidney Foundation states that a normal range of GFR occurs between 90-120 ml/min/1.73 m^2. This number is expressed in the amount of substrate, whether it be creatinine, albumin or BUN, that is removed from the blood by the kidneys per min and per volume. Due to age, some individuals may still be within a normal GFR but have reduced test results.

Abnormal results can correspond to poor function or full kidney failure depending on range. A reading of 60 ml/min/1.73m^2 for three months or more is indicative of kidney illness. Should one’s GFR drop below 15 ml/min/1.73m^2, then kidney failure is imminent and dialysis or medical intervention is necessary.