Monday, April 1, 2013

What Does the BUN Level in the Blood Mean?


Hi there, I was wondering, how does one lower their Blood urine nitrogen (BUN) level? Is there a certain kind of supplement that a person could take, & if so,  is there  a specific kind of supplement that you would recommend? or is there a certain food, or overall diet that would help bring down a person's BUN level? hope you can answer this for me.
Thank you, Donald N.

Hi Donald,
You've probably been given the results of a blood test and been told your BUN level is above normal (about 8-20 mg/dL depending on the individual laboratory). 

BUN (blood urea nitrogen) is a measure of how much urea is in the blood, a breakdown product of protein. It's usually an indicator of kidney function, as the kidneys excrete this waste product. A high BUN (say from 30 - 60 mg/dL) often indicates a decline in kidney function. It is usually interpreted along with the serum creatinine level (normal range about 0.7-1.2 mg/dL). In the case of kidney insufficiency, a protein-restricted diet may be prescribed to slow the progression and ease the stress on the kidneys.

A high BUN level can also indicate a bleed in the GI tract, when an excessive amount of protein is being absorbed from the blood in the digestive tract that does not belong there.
There's nothing that can be taken to lower the BUN level--the problem behind the BUN elevation is what has to be addressed, and your medical doctor should be able to provide you with answers or refer you to a specialist.