Urea

Optimal result: 150 – 380 mmol/g creatinine

Genova Diagnostics

By Healthmatters Editorial Team

Peer-reviewed sources

Elevated urea may reflect high dietary protein intake. It can also be seen in underlying renal issues, abnormal urea transporters, or abnormal urinary concentration capabilities.

Low levels may be secondary to low protein diets or protein malabsorption, or renal and liver issues. There are some urea cycle disorders that are due to enzymatic cofactor need, such as manganese and magnesium, which may in turn lead to lower urea levels.

Urea is a nontoxic byproduct of nitrogen (ammonia) detoxification. It is formed in the liver via the urea cycle and is the end product of protein metabolism. It is essentially a waste product with no physiological function.

References:

- Yu L, Liu T, Fu S, et al. Physiological functions of urea transporter B. Pflugers Arch. 2019;471(11-12):1359-1368.

- Caldwell RB, Toque HA, Narayanan SP, Caldwell RW. Arginase: an old enzyme with new tricks. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 2015;36(6):395-405.

- Gropper S SJ, Groff J. Adv Nutr Human Metab. 5th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning; 2009.

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Clinical Sources & References

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