Urea is produced during metabolism in internal organs, mainly in the liver. The substance is localized in the bloodstream, then transported to the kidneys, where it is excreted along with the internal fluid produced by the body.
If a patient has kidney problems during diagnosis, the attending physician recommends taking a test - urea in the urine. Expertise is necessary to detect the required indicator in urine. Diagnostics and laboratory tests on the volume of this element in the body are carried out in order to identify the presence of inflammatory processes and other problems.
Indications for use of the study
Typically, a test is performed to determine the amount of urea in the blood. If the indicators are elevated, it is necessary to resort to an examination that reveals the content of this element in the urine in order to determine the causes of the disorder. An increased concentration in the blood and a decreased concentration in the urine can indicate various diseases of the excretory system. If the level of excretion is not changed, there are other reasons, for example, a disease of the cardiovascular system, which interferes with the flow of blood into the excretory system (kidneys).
The study is prescribed exclusively by a doctor (nephrologist, urologist, resuscitator, nutritionist). It is mandatory to take tests to determine the urea content in the human body for those who:
- there is a decrease in the functioning of the excretory organs;
- there are ailments such as pyelonephritis, amyloidosis;
- there is chronic or acute renal failure;
- also for patients who are resuscitated and require enteral and parenteral feeding.
Treatment of abnormalities
Analysis of urea in urine is an important diagnostic test for suspected kidney diseases, their differentiation from liver pathologies, as well as for monitoring the condition of patients in intensive care. If the results deviate from normal, you should contact a therapist or nephrologist (urologist) to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe treatment. To exclude the influence of physiological factors on the analysis parameters, you need to adhere to a balanced diet with a moderate intake of proteins (0.8-1.2 g/kg body weight), and also select physical activity according to the level of general fitness of the body.
Preparing for the study
First, you need to understand what exactly is determined by this analysis, so that on the eve of submitting the material, you can eliminate all factors that could affect the outcome. The test is carried out using the urease method. It is worth remembering that clinical practice uses urine analysis for the amount of urea for the following purpose: determining the cycle of protein compounds, as well as assessing the functioning of the excretory system. Therefore, the goal is to provide suitable material for testing. For this you should:
- 2 days before submitting the material, do not take medications that are diuretic in nature;
- the day before the test, do not drink drinks containing alcohol;
- One day, remove from your food intake any coloring foods that tend to change the tone of urine (beets, carrots). Salty and spicy foods are also not advisable for consumption.
How to increase the level of secondary metabolic products
Reduced urea levels are not detected often, but still such a phenomenon exists, and it must be taken seriously. In cases where the cause of a decrease in urea is not a serious disease with pathology, the value of this indicator can be increased by non-drug methods. It is enough to carefully understand the nutritional structure and balance your diet, including the required amount of protein dishes. The lack of meat, fish, and dairy products has a negative effect on the breakdown of protein, as a result, the level of urea decreases. For pregnant women, the importance of a balanced diet is doubly important.
Important! Regardless of your health condition, it is recommended to undergo a medical examination and donate blood for biochemical analysis at least once every three years.
Problems with protein synthesis and their detection when urea levels in the blood decrease are a signal of serious disturbances in the functioning of internal organs. Do not delay visiting your doctor to avoid serious illnesses.
Material for research
24-hour urine must be provided as material for analysis. Its collection is carried out in this way: the first emptying is carried out by a person in the morning and in no case is it collected; subsequent portions of excreted urine are collected in a single container and stored in the refrigerator overnight; In the morning of the next day, the patient collects the first portion, and this is where the collection ends. It is necessary to determine the volume of the total daily material (in ml), separate 20 ml from the urine into a separate container for analysis, which is provided for research. Along with the material, you must provide calculated data that shows the patient’s daily diuresis (urine excreted per day).
You also need to consider:
- during the collection of daily material, it is advisable to avoid excessive physical exertion and nervous shock;
- Women are not recommended to collect material during menstruation.
What to do and how to treat
If the result shows an increased concentration of urea in urine, the first thing a person needs to do is visit a therapist.
You may need to consult a urologist, endocrinologist, or gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe a series of examinations to clarify the cause of the increase in urea levels. Based on the results, the therapist draws up a treatment regimen that is aimed at eliminating the underlying pathology. It is better to use complex therapy.
Doctors usually recommend the following measures to the patient:
- Taking medications. Diuretics and drugs that reduce the synthesis of uric acid are prescribed. The first include Torsid and Furosemide, and the second include Coltsikhin and Allopurinol.
- Nutrition adjustments. The diet should be dominated by lean dishes, vegetable soups, and fruits. Alcoholic drinks and meat are completely excluded. You should increase the daily volume of fluid consumed, drink more compotes and juices.
- Use of folk remedies. Infusions and decoctions of birch leaves, lingonberries, rose hips, quinoa, St. John's wort, chamomile and nettle normalize the level of uric acid in urine.
- Phytoprocedures. Foot baths with chamomile, sage and calendula are helpful.
It is necessary to use pharmaceuticals and traditional methods of treatment as prescribed by a doctor. Self-selection of medications can only worsen your health condition.
Normal level of urea in human urine
- In adults, the concentration rate is: from 333.0 to 587.7 mmol in 24 hours; in grams: from 20 to 35 g/day. (Norms may vary from laboratory center to laboratory, depending on how urea levels are determined.)
- In children, normal values increase with body growth: the first week - from 2.5 to 3.3 mmol/day; first month - from 10.0 to 17.0 mmol/day; 6 - 12 months - from 33 to 67 mmol/day; 1 - 2 years - from 67 to 133 mmol/day; 4 - 8 years - from 133 to 200 mmol/day; 8 - 15 years - from 200 to 300 mmol/day.
Normal indicators
A biochemical blood test for urea will help measure the content of the substance in the body. The point is to obtain a detailed study of the processes of protein metabolism.
Taking the test in the morning (8-10 hours after dinner) will help you get reliable results. 10-12 hours before the analysis, it is recommended to refuse food; for 24 hours, fatty, spicy, fried foods, as well as foods with a high protein content, are excluded from the diet.
What does increased urea in urine indicate?
A high concentration of this element in the urine indicates situations in the body that arise due to excessively increased destruction of protein compounds. This is observed when increasing:
- intake of protein elements when consuming excess amounts of protein foods;
- thyroid hormones produced;
- load on the muscles.
Moreover, increased excretion is observed in the following body conditions:
- fever;
- recovery of the body after operations;
- hyperprotein diet (eating too much protein);
- low-grade anemia;
- rehabilitation due to bleeding occurring in the gastrointestinal tract;
- taking medications such as: thyroxine (increased dosage), 11-hydroxycorticosteroids, salicylates, quinine.
Reasons for the increase
The reasons for the increased concentration of urea in urine are the same for both sexes. Inflated indicators are observed when:
- Muscle strain.
- Prolonged fever.
- Thyrotoxicosis.
- Dysentery.
- Following a protein diet.
- Kidney pathologies.
- Hormonal disorders due to diabetes mellitus.
- Internal gastrointestinal bleeding.
- Anemia of poor quality.
- Typhoid fever.
- Neurological disorders.
- Cirrhosis, liver cancer.
- Abuse of dairy products, meat and fish.
- Deficiency of vitamins E, B1, selenium.
The causes of high uric acid in children are:
- Dehydration.
- Poisoning.
- Traumatic injuries.
- Diabetes.
- Hyperthyroidism.
Sometimes urea increases while taking certain medications (anabolic steroids, tetracycline, corticosteroids, chloramphenicol).
What does a decrease in urea levels in urine indicate?
A decrease in excretion can indicate diseases affecting the digestive and excretory systems of the body, such as:
- failure of the absorption procedure of elements in the small intestine;
- kidney ailments with resulting disruption of the functioning of the excretory system (pyelonephritis, renal failure);
- liver diseases, one of the causes of which is the failure of the formation of urea in it (jaundice, dystrophy, hepatitis, developing cirrhosis);
- deficiency, which is congenital, with a lack of enzymes necessary for the formation of urea;
Also, excretion of excreted urea can be reduced by:
- pregnancy;
- consumption of food containing a low content of protein elements (carbohydrate diets, vegetarianism);
- consumption of drugs that are nephrotoxic (insulin, testosterone, somatotropic and anabolic hormones).
Identifying symptoms and diagnosing disorders
The manifestation of symptoms associated with disturbances in the functioning of human internal organs and, as a consequence, changes in the level of urea in the blood, are not always obvious, and often are not detected at all. Problems that affect the most important human organs, the liver and kidneys, can manifest themselves in various indications, but most often the following symptoms are indicated:
- disturbance of the patient's normal appetite;
- frequent bloating that occurs after eating;
- the occurrence of belching with obvious bitterness;
- the occurrence of heaviness and discomfort in the area of the right hypochondrium;
- rapid causeless weight loss of the patient;
- frequent manifestations of general fatigue, weakness, low muscle tone;
- a feeling of discomfort and heaviness in the area where the kidneys are located;
- manifestations of swelling of the limbs and other parts of the patient’s body;
- manifestations of chronic fatigue syndromes.
Indican
The end product of the conversion of tryptophan. Formed in the liver during the disinfection of indole. Normal: 40-60 mmol/day.
Elevated indican:
- protein decomposition: tumors, abscesses, bronchiectasis;
- increased decay processes in the intestines: constipation, obstruction;
- postoperative period.
Reduced indican:
- impaired renal excretory function: nephritis, amyloidosis, renal tuberculosis;
- decrease in glomerular filtration: circulatory disorders, cardiac decompensation, large fluid losses (diarrhea, vomiting, bleeding, burns);
- liver diseases
