What do your creatinine levels mean?
The short answer
Nobody we follow has said what your creatinine should be. It comes up on the shows, but never with a number.
Your lab prints 0.59–1.04 mg/dL. That range exists to catch disease, not to describe your best.
Labs print different ranges by sex: about 0.59–1.04 mg/dL for women and 0.74–1.35 for men.
What creatinine measures
A waste product your muscles make and your kidneys filter out.
It is the standard readout of kidney filtration. More muscle mass raises it on its own, whatever your kidneys are doing.
Checked against MedlinePlus — Creatinine Test.
Common questions
What is a normal creatinine level?
Most US labs print 0.59–1.04 mg/dL. Your report grades you against that range. It exists to catch disease, not to describe your best. Labs print different ranges by sex: about 0.59–1.04 mg/dL for women and 0.74–1.35 for men.
What does your creatinine number mean?
Under 0.59 mg/dL, your report marks it low. Between 0.59 and 1.04 it prints as normal. Over 1.04, your report marks it high. Nobody we follow has drawn a line inside that range. Labs print different ranges by sex: about 0.59–1.04 mg/dL for women and 0.74–1.35 for men.
What does the creatinine test measure?
A waste product your muscles make and your kidneys filter out. It is the standard readout of kidney filtration. More muscle mass raises it on its own, whatever your kidneys are doing.
Why is there no target here?
Because nobody we follow has named a number for creatinine. If that changes, it will be here.