Kidney
22 markers in this category
Citrate
Urinary citrate is essential for kidney stone prevention in active individuals. Intense exercise, dehydration during training, and high-protein supplementation can all reduce citrate levels and increase the risk of stone formation.
Creatinine
Creatinine is a critical kidney marker for active individuals. Higher muscle mass, intense training, creatine supplementation, and high-protein diets can all raise creatinine levels, making it essential to interpret results in the context of your training regimen and body composition.
Creatinine (Urine)
Urinary creatinine is particularly relevant for active individuals, as intense exercise, high muscle mass, and protein supplementation can all influence excretion levels. Understanding your baseline helps distinguish training-related changes from potential kidney concerns.
Cystatin C
Cystatin C is the preferred kidney function marker for active individuals because it is not affected by muscle mass, exercise intensity, or protein supplementation. It provides a true picture of kidney health regardless of body composition or training load.
Microalbumin (Urine)
Microalbumin testing helps active individuals understand kidney stress related to intense training. Exercise-induced proteinuria can temporarily elevate urine albumin levels, so understanding your baseline is important for distinguishing normal training responses from potential kidney concerns.
Oxalate
Urinary oxalate testing is important for active individuals who consume high-protein diets, protein supplements, or large quantities of oxalate-rich foods. Dehydration during intense exercise can concentrate urine and increase stone risk, making hydration management and regular screening essential.
Protein (Urine)
Proteinuria testing helps active individuals distinguish between exercise-induced proteinuria, which is temporary and generally benign, and persistent proteinuria that may indicate kidney stress. High-protein diets and intense training can influence results, making baseline testing valuable.
Urea (BUN)
BUN is a kidney function marker that active individuals should monitor regularly. Intense exercise, high-protein diets, and protein supplementation can all elevate BUN levels. Adequate hydration during training is essential for accurate results and optimal kidney function.
Urine Bilirubin
Bilirubin is a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells break down. It is normally not found in urine, so a positive dipstick result can point to the liver or bile ducts.
Urine Blood
This dipstick result detects blood in the urine that may not be visible to the eye. Blood can come from anywhere in the urinary tract and has many possible causes, from infection to kidney stones.
Urine Culture
A urine culture supports active individuals in maintaining urinary health. Dehydration during intense training can increase UTI susceptibility, and certain supplements may alter urinary pH. Culture testing ensures accurate diagnosis when symptoms arise.
Urine Glucose
Glucose is normally reabsorbed by the kidneys and is not present in urine. When blood sugar is high, glucose can spill into the urine and show up on a dipstick test.
Urine Ketones
Ketones are produced when the body breaks down fat for energy instead of glucose. Small amounts can appear during fasting or a low-carbohydrate diet, while higher levels can have a medical cause.
Urine Leukocytes
Urine leukocytes are white blood cells detected in the urine by a dipstick test. They are normally absent, and their presence can point to inflammation somewhere in the urinary tract.
Urine Nitrite
Nitrite is not normally found in urine. Certain bacteria convert nitrate into nitrite, so a positive dipstick result can be a sign of a bacterial urinary tract infection.
Urine Screening
Urine screening helps active individuals monitor hydration status, detect exercise-induced changes in kidney function, and identify potential issues from supplement use. Parameters such as specific gravity and protein levels are particularly relevant for active individuals.
Urine Sediment
Urine sediment analysis helps active individuals understand the impact of intense training on kidney and urinary tract health. Exercise can temporarily alter urine composition, and microscopy can identify crystals from dehydration or supplement use, as well as exercise-induced cellular changes.
Urine Sediment Leukocytes
Sediment leukocytes are white blood cells counted under the microscope in spun-down urine. A few are normal; a higher number can point to inflammation or infection in the urinary tract.
Urine Specific Gravity
Specific gravity reflects how concentrated your urine is, which is closely tied to how well hydrated you are. It typically ranges from about 1.002 to 1.035.
Urine Squamous Epithelial Cells
Squamous epithelial cells line the lower urinary and genital tract. A few in the urine are normal; larger numbers usually mean the sample picked up cells from the skin around the urethra rather than signalling disease.
Urine pH
Urine pH describes how acidic or alkaline your urine is. It naturally varies through the day with diet, hydration and other factors, and usually falls between roughly 4.5 and 8.0.
eGFR (Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate)
eGFR is essential for active individuals to monitor kidney health. Intense exercise, high muscle mass, and protein supplementation can influence creatinine-based eGFR calculations, potentially underestimating true kidney function. Cystatin C-based eGFR may provide a more accurate assessment for active individuals.