Where can I get medical information about causes of lowered creatin/creatine levels?

Question

A family member is in drug court. After 6 months of good urine tests, low creatin levels are showing up and they say that is because the person is "flushing". What are other reasons the levels could be lower?

Answer 1

Low blood creatinine levels can indicate a decrease in muscle mass caused by a disease, such as muscular dystrophy, or by aging. Low levels can also indicate some types of severe liver disease or a diet very low in protein. Pregnancy can also cause low blood creatinine levels.

Low creatinine clearance results indicate serious kidney damage. Kidney damage can be due to conditions such as a life-threatening infection, shock, cancer, reduced blood flow to the kidneys, or urinary tract blockage. Other conditions, such as heart failure, dehydration, and liver disease (cirrhosis), can also cause low creatinine clearance results.

A low BUN-to-creatinine ratio may be associated with a diet low in protein, a severe muscle injury called rhabdomyolysis, pregnancy, cirrhosis, or syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). SIADH sometimes occurs with lung disease, cancer, diseases of the central nervous system, and the use of certain medications.