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The Daily Insight

What is the glomerular filtration rate

Author

Nathan Sanders

Published Mar 31, 2026

A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are working. Your kidneys have tiny filters called glomeruli. These filters help remove waste and excess fluid from the blood. A GFR test estimates how much blood passes through these filters each minute.

What is glomerular filtration rate?

A glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a blood test that checks how well your kidneys are working. Your kidneys have tiny filters called glomeruli. These filters help remove waste and excess fluid from the blood. A GFR test estimates how much blood passes through these filters each minute.

What does a GFR of 120 mean?

120-130 mL/min/1.73 m2 and declines with age. A decrease in GFR precedes the onset of kidney. failure; therefore, a persistently reduced GFR is. a specific diagnostic criterion for chronic kidney. disease (CKD).

What should my GFR be for my age?

Estimated GFR Number by Age GroupAgeMean Estimated GFR (mL/min/1.73 m2)20-2911630-3910740-4999

What causes low GFR levels?

A decrease or decline in the GFR implies progression of underlying kidney disease or the occurrence of a superimposed insult to the kidneys. This is most commonly due to problems such as dehydration and volume loss. An improvement in the GFR may indicate that the kidneys are recovering some of their function.

How can I increase my GFR naturally?

  1. Avoid processed foods and choose fresh fruits and vegetables instead.
  2. Follow a low-salt diet. …
  3. Limit protein if you have moderate-to-advanced kidney disease (not on dialysis).

What is a normal GFR for a 70 year old?

Following the classical way, we can assert that normal GFR values are largely over 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 in healthy subjects, at least before the age of 70 years. However, we know that GFR physiologically decreases with age, and in adults older than 70 years, values below 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 could be considered normal.

What does GFR 90 mean?

if there is kidney damage, such as protein in the urine, a result between 60 and 89 may mean early kidney disease. even a gFR over 90 with protein in the urine is a sign of kidney disease. gFR must remain low for three months for CKd to be diagnosed.

Is GFR 55 bad?

An estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) of 55 milliliters per minute per 1.73 meters squared, if it has been present for 3 months or longer is consistent with early Stage 3 chronic kidney disease (CKD).

What does 1.73 m2 mean?

Your eGFR is reported in millilitres per minute which is written as mL/min/1.73m2 (the “1.73m2” indicates a result expressed relative to body surface area). A normal GFR in a young adult is greater than 90 mL/min/1.73m2.

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Is high GFR good or bad?

A GFR of 60 or higher is considered within the normal range. A GFR lower than 60 may be an indication that you have kidney disease. When GFR falls to 15 or lower, it can be a sign that you have kidney failure.

What are the symptoms of low GFR?

  • Urinating more or less often than usual.
  • Itching.
  • Feeling tired.
  • Swelling in your arms, legs, or feet.
  • Muscle cramps.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Loss of appetite.

What foods increase your GFR?

  • avocados.
  • bananas.
  • canned foods.
  • sodas.
  • whole wheat bread.
  • oranges and orange juice.
  • brown rice.
  • pickled foods.

Can low GFR be reversed?

If the decrease in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is due to acute kidney injury with a sudden decrease in kidney function, this can commonly be reversed. If the kidney disease is due to chronic kidney disease (CKD), the recovery of eGFR is usually not possible.

What is a normal GFR for a 65 year old woman?

Normal GFR range: the classical method This ageing process is illustrated in Figure 1. From these studies, it can be concluded that a significant part of the healthy population older than 65 years of age have a GFR (mGFR or eGFR) below 60 mL/min/1.73m2.

What level of creatinine indicates kidney failure?

Doctors use the result of the creatinine blood test to calculate GFR , which is a more specific measure that can indicate chronic kidney disease. A GFR of 60 or over is considered normal, a GFR less than 60 may indicate kidney disease. A level of 15 or less is defined medically as kidney failure.

What is a normal creatinine level for a 73 year old woman?

A normal result is 0.7 to 1.3 mg/dL (61.9 to 114.9 µmol/L) for men and 0.6 to 1.1 mg/dL (53 to 97.2 µmol/L) for women. Women often have a lower creatinine level than men. This is because women often have less muscle mass than men. Creatinine level varies based on a person’s size and muscle mass.

Should I worry if my GFR is 56?

A GFR of 60 or higher is in the normal range. A GFR below 60 may mean kidney disease. A GFR of 15 or lower may mean kidney failure.

Is coffee bad for kidneys?

In summary, coffee is an acceptable beverage for kidney disease. If consumed in moderation it poses little risk for those with kidney disease. Additives to coffee such as milk and many creamers increase the potassium and phosphorus content of coffee.

Does weight loss improve GFR?

In obese patients with altered renal function, weight loss, particularly if achieved by surgical interventions, improves proteinuria, albuminuria and normalizes GFR.

How can I check my kidneys at home?

One of the best ways to test for CKD and assess kidney damage is a simple urine test which detects the presence of albumin. The smartphone app from Healthy.io enables lay users to conduct a urinalysis test at home and securely share results with their clinicians.

Is a GFR of 90 good?

A GFR of 90 mL/min or higher is normal in most healthy people.

Is GFR same as creatinine clearance?

Creatinine clearance ( CrCl ) is an estimate of Glomerular Filtration Rate ( GFR ); however, CrCl is slightly higher than true GFR because creatinine is secreted by the proximal tubule (in addition to being filtered by the glomerulus).

Should I worry if my GFR is 45?

Your kidney function is still considered normal if the GFR number is 90 or greater. If your GFR is 45, you know that your kidneys are working at approximately 45 percent of the normal rate.

What level of GFR requires dialysis?

Guidelines for doctors about when to start dialysis include kidney failure symptoms, problems controlling blood pressure, problems controlling fluid, and problems with nutrition. The guidelines suggest these problems happen when the GFR is between 5 to 10 mL/min.

What drinks are bad for kidneys?

Sodas. According to the American Kidney Fund, a recent study suggests that drinking two or more carbonated sodas, diet or regular, each day may increase your risk for chronic kidney disease. Carbonated and energy drinks have both been linked to the formation of kidney stones.

What affects your GFR?

The normal range for GFR depends on your age, weight, r and muscle mass. In most healthy people, the normal GFR is 90 or higher.

What vitamins are good for your kidneys?

Special renal vitamins are usually prescribed to provide extra water soluble vitamins needed. Renal vitamins contain vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and a small dose of vitamin C.

Are bananas good for kidneys?

Bananas are not bad for the kidneys unless the kidneys are damaged. Damaged kidneys build up potassium in the blood, resulting in serious heart problems. Potassium is present in bananas, other fruits and vegetables (such as potatoes, avocados and melons).

Does drinking more water help kidney function?

Water helps the kidneys remove wastes from your blood in the form of urine. Water also helps keep your blood vessels open so that blood can travel freely to your kidneys, and deliver essential nutrients to them.

How do you increase your GFR?

  1. Make sure your blood pressure is in the healthy range (around 120/80) [17, 18]
  2. Aim for a healthy weight [18, 24]
  3. Eat a lot of fruits and vegetables [25]
  4. Quit or reduce smoking [18, 22, 26]
  5. Exercise for at least 30 minutes several times per week [27, 28, 29, 30]