Sometimes we do a blood test that tells us we have high urea. This means that we may have a kidney problem to attend to. For this reason, it is necessary to follow the doctor’s instructions from the beginning.
Many people have high blood urea levels at least once in their lives. Therefore, it is not something out of the ordinary. However, most of the time, people do not know the reason for this situation or what measures to take if this occurs.
Before explaining these two points, it is essential to know what precisely this molecule is and where it comes from.
What is urea?
Urea is a substance that appears as waste from the metabolism of proteins, carried out mainly in the liver. This is known as “the urea cycle.”
It’s a bit of a complicated process, but it can be summarized as follows:
- During digestion, proteins are broken down into their most basic units, amino acids.
- In a more significant proportion, these amino acids contain nitrogen, which is later released in the form of ammonium ions.
- The ammonium eventually joins other molecules forming urea. Therefore, it is a molecule composed mainly of nitrogen.
- It is found in a more significant proportion of urine and feces.
Once the proteins are metabolized and urea is generated, it travels to the kidneys through the bloodstream. These organs are in charge of eliminating it.
If the kidneys have a problem, the substances eliminated through this route, such as urea, will increase their concentrations in the bloodstream. This usually generates health complications.
Why can we have high urea?
To consider that the urea concentration is high, the blood test data must show values above 46 mg/dl since average urea values are between 22-46 mg/dl. Therefore, any figure exceeding this limit will be considered an indicator that the patient has azotemia or high urea.
Many causes can cause this situation. First of all, we can talk about dehydration.
- Water is a fundamental substance for the kidneys to perform their functions correctly.
- It is recommended to drink 2 liters of water daily.
Another cause may be kidney problems.
- You are experiencing a sharp, throbbing pain in your lower back.
- This pain may be related to high blood urea.
On the other hand, a diet rich in protein can also trigger an elevation in urea levels. As we already know, protein metabolism is the origin of its formation.
If we have a lot of protein to metabolize, more urea will reach the kidney, which can increase its concentration in the blood. Other possible causes are as follows:
- Heart failure.
- Addison’s disease.
- Intestinal bleeding.
- Very intense physical activity.
- Administration of certain drugs such as antibiotics or antihypertensives.
What are the consequences of having high urea?
A patient with high blood urea values may show symptoms such as asthenia, which is the feeling of weakness or fatigue. This makes it difficult or prevents people from performing tasks they would readily do under normal conditions.
Apart from asthenia, he may suffer from pallor, weight loss, tachycardia, vomiting, or diarrhea. When a person feels this series of symptoms, an analysis of the urea levels in the blood must be carried out. On the other hand, it is widespread for people with this high substance to feel a bad taste in their mouth, similar to ammonia or even bad breath.
Other symptoms that may develop include:
- Fever.
- Vertigo.
- Seizures.
- Extreme spasms.
What is the treatment to follow?
As we have seen, many causes can cause blood urea levels to increase. It is advisable to carry out an immediate medical examination if the person presents any symptoms described above.
Therefore, the treatment to control this situation will be entirely related to the cause that triggers it. The doctor must determine the underlying cause that has triggered the increase in urea levels.
However, in almost all situations, general guidelines are recommended to all patients dealing with this situation. Rest and dietary changes are essential.
As for the diet, it is essential to change certain aspects of it. First, to avoid dehydration, one of the most important causes of this increase, you must drink plenty of fluids so the kidneys work properly. With this, we get the body to purify toxins and eliminate protein metabolism residues.
It is also essential to avoid certain foods, especially those high in protein—red meat, cheese, legumes, eggs, sausages, fish, and nuts.