High urea

What is urea?

Urea is a substance produced in the liver that is obtained from the metabolism or breakdown of proteins and is subsequently filtered by the kidneys and discharged from the body through the urine.

However, urea is present throughout the human body, even in the blood, which makes it possible for a fluid sample to allow us to know what the urea concentration is in our body.

The high urea in the blood is a very dangerous condition that warrants immediately visit the doctor to discover the cause and prevent fatal complications such as poisoning of the body.

Excess urea in the body can be produced by various causes and its symptoms are noticed very early, which is why it is important to identify them in time and act immediately . If you want to know more about high urea, causes, symptoms and treatments, we invite you to continue reading this eHealth article.

Normal blood urea levels

Before explaining the causes of high urea, it is important to know what the normal values ​​of this substance are in both blood and urine . Let’s see:

• Men: 7mg / dL.
• Women: 6mg / dL.
• Children: 4mg / dL.
• Urea in blood / urine ratio: less than 10.
• In 24-hour urine: between 15 and 35gr.

Any result that yields values ​​higher than those mentioned above is an important indication that the person suffers from high urea and should see a doctor as soon as possible to prevent complications and prevent the urea from continuing to concentrate until it intoxicates the whole body.

Causes of high urea

Kidney dysfunction

An increase in urea in the blood hurts to be, most of the time, associated with problems with the functioning of the kidneys , and we must remember that these organs are responsible for discarding urea from the body.

Therefore, a decrease in the production or excretion of urine can cause the accumulation of urea in the body. The kidney stones and any obstruction of the urethral canal can alter the production and disposal of urine.

An enlarged prostate, poorly healed urinary tract infections and inflammation of one or both kidneys are also conditions associated with alterations in the evacuation and production of urine.

Likewise, it is important to remember that diseases such as high blood pressure , cirrhosis and diabetes secondaryly affect kidney function, which may be the source of excess urea in the blood.

It is important to be aware of any symptoms that indicate that the kidneys are not working properly. Lower back pain that may be mild, dull, or throbbing, changes in urine odor and color, and difficulty urinating, some signs that something is wrong with kidney function.

Protein diet

Today there are countless fitness personalities, nutrition expert magazines and social media accounts dedicated exclusively to teaching the correct way of eating to look good and be “healthy”.

The truth is that all this has distorted the concept of a healthy and balanced diet, leading many people to follow diets that do not adapt to their foolishness or physical condition.

Recently, there is much talk about how successful it is to eat a diet rich in protein to lose weight and the truth is that any diet that eliminates a food group works, but that does not mean that it is sustainable over time or healthy for the body.

An example of this is that a diet high in protein can lead to an excess of urea in the blood, remember that urea is produced from the metabolism of proteins.

Therefore, the greater the amount of protein, the greater the amount of urea , which translates into greater effort for the kidneys, organs that must also have more water to eliminate the toxin, generating, as if that were not enough, a slight na dehydration of the body.

That said, it is important to emphasize that only a nutrition graduate is trained to develop a food plan according to the requirements and needs of each person.

Not drinking water

Water is essential for the proper functioning of the body, since it intervenes in such important processes as hydration, intestinal transit and kidney function.

Not drinking enough water can cause a build-up of urea in the body , as the kidneys need large amounts of fluid to function well and flush this toxin. The ideal is to drink 2.5 liters of water a day, and 3.5 liters if you exercise.

High intensity exercise

Everything in excess is bad, even exercise, which offers so many health benefits. When you practice sports or train very intensely and without breaks, you run the risk of high blood urea.

Why?

Exercise speeds up the metabolism considerably, which causes the liver to metabolize proteins more quickly and the resulting urea begins to accumulate. Therefore, practicing exercise supervised by a professional, not falling into excesses and respecting breaks is vital to prevent high urea.

Other causes of high urea

• Gastrointestinal bleeding
• Heart failure or high blood pressure
• Trauma
• Fever
• Burns
• Surgical neuropathies

Symptoms of high blood urea

The symptoms of high blood urea depend on the cause of the alteration and when they appear it is important to pay attention to them and not let them pass as just any discomfort. Among the most common symptoms of high urea we find:

• Body fatigue or asthenia
• Pale skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tachycardia
• Diarrhea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Scanty and thick urine
• Changes in urine color
• Seizures
• Vertigo
• High fever

When the levels of urea in the blood are high, people can experience a bad taste in the mouth, similar to that of ammonia. This is due to the intoxication process that is taking place in the body. Bad breath and loss of appetite also occur.

Treatment for high urea

Unfortunately there is no specific treatment to lower urea. The main objective is to know the cause of this condition and begin to treat it in order to reverse the high levels of urea in the blood and combat possible poisoning.

When the person’s picture is very high urea, rest and even hospitalization will be necessary. In these cases it will be important to offer treatments or wraps so that the person sweats and eliminates urea more quickly through sweat. However, the definitive treatment to control urea levels will be one that is designed to address the cause.

Recommendations if you have high levels of urea

Hydrate yourself : excess urea can affect the health of your kidneys, remember to drink at least 2 liters of water a day, in this way you fight dehydration and accelerate the detoxification process through urine. Don’t hold the urge to urinate!

Goodbye to salt : sodium stimulates fluid retention and this can significantly worsen the health of the heart and kidneys. Remember that salt is discharged through the renal system. Therefore, avoid eating on the street, prefer a healthy and balanced diet and season your food with natural dressings, you will see that you do not need salt to eat rich.

Do not stop moving : at least three times a week practice 45 minutes of sports activity, it can be walking, swimming or simply walking without stopping. The important thing is to be active.

What you should avoid : diet plays a fundamental role when the task is to lower blood urea levels. And it is that we remember that this toxic substance is derived from the metabolism of proteins, therefore, the amount of protein I would say that you should eat is the result of multiplying 0.8 for each kilogram of your body weight, not more than that.

It is also essential that you know that poor quality protein represents a greater amount of urea in your body, therefore, avoid the consumption of red meat, eggs, dairy products, shrimp, protein shakes, poultry, legumes, sausages, fish , nuts, pasta and rice.

What to eat The following foods are excellent helpers to lower the urea values ​​in the body: rye, baked pasta, pita bread, wheat, cocoa, oatmeal and broccoli.