How to Lower Creatinine Naturally: What Your Blood Test Result Means and How Doctor-Guided Treatment Can Help

Medically reviewed by: Dr. Rahul Sharma, BAMS

You can help lower creatinine naturally and slow chronic kidney disease by controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, adjusting your diet, avoiding kidney-harming medicines, and following a doctor-supervised treatment plan. For South Africans with chronic kidney disease, including those on dialysis, MedicoExperts offers online consultations and personalised Combination Therapy medicines couriered to your door, used alongside your current treatment.

Understanding Your Creatinine Result in µmol/L

South African laboratories report creatinine in micromoles per litre (µmol/L). Most information online uses milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL), which is why the numbers you find on Google often don’t match your report. To convert, divide your µmol/L result by 88.4.

Your result (µmol/L)	Same result (mg/dL)
90	1.0
125	1.4
150	1.7
200	2.3
300	3.4
500	5.7

Your report will show a reference range printed next to your result, and that range is the one to compare against because it differs slightly between laboratories, and between men and women.

Creatinine on its own does not tell you your stage of kidney disease. A creatinine of 150 µmol/L can mean very different things for a 30-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman. That is why your report usually also shows an eGFR, which estimates how well your kidneys are filtering. If you want a fuller explanation of when a creatinine result needs urgent attention, read our guide on when to worry about creatinine levels.

What Your eGFR Means

eGFR (mL/min/1.73m²)	Stage	What it usually means
90 or above	G1	Normal filtering, but kidney damage may still show in your urine
60–89	G2	Mildly reduced function
45–59	G3a	Mild to moderately reduced function
30–44	G3b	Moderately to severely reduced function
15–29	G4	Severely reduced function
Below 15	G5	Kidney failure

Stages based on the KDIGO 2024 CKD guideline [7].

Chronic kidney disease is diagnosed when an eGFR below 60, or signs of kidney damage such as albumin (protein) in the urine, last for more than three months [7]. One abnormal test is not enough for a diagnosis, because results can change with dehydration, illness or recent exercise. An eGFR of 60–89 on its own, without other signs of damage, is common in older adults and is not classed as CKD. See our full guide to CKD stages for more detail.

Worried about your creatinine or eGFR result? MedicoExperts doctors create personalised Combination Therapy plans for people with kidney disease, including those on dialysis, used alongside their current treatment. WhatsApp MedicoExperts with your latest report, and a patient care manager will get in touch to answer your questions and help you book an online consultation. Your data and reports are private and confidential.

Why a High Creatinine Result Matters in South Africa

Kidney disease often develops without symptoms, so many South Africans only find out through a routine blood test. A population study in rural Mpumalanga found that about 6.7% of adults had CKD, mostly detected through protein in the urine rather than symptoms [1]. The most common drivers are hypertension, type 2 diabetes, HIV, and APOL1 gene variants, which are common in people of African ancestry [1][2][3].

Acting early matters more in South Africa than in many countries. Most people depend on the public health system, where dialysis is rationed and usually reserved for patients considered suitable for a transplant [4]. Treatment rates in the private sector are about 17 times higher than in the public sector [5]. The best protection is to slow kidney damage while you still have function to protect.

Can Kidney Damage Be Reversed?

Kidney damage that has built up over years usually cannot be fully reversed, and any website promising a cure should be treated with caution. However, a high creatinine reading is not always permanent, and the speed of decline can often be slowed.

• Some causes are reversible. Dehydration, anti-inflammatory painkillers, a urinary blockage or a severe infection can push creatinine up temporarily, and it may come down once the cause is treated.
• Some medicines raise creatinine without harming the kidneys. Some commonly prescribed HIV medicines cause a small, stable rise in creatinine without reducing kidney function. Some blood pressure medicines that protect the kidneys can also cause a small early rise that is expected. Never stop these medicines because of a creatinine result; discuss it with your clinic.
• Progression can often be slowed. In stages 2 to 4, controlling blood pressure, blood sugar and diet can slow how fast eGFR falls, sometimes for many years. Medicines with proven kidney-protective effects are recommended for many people with CKD [7], so ask your doctor whether they are right for you.
• Stage 5 needs specialist care. If your eGFR is below 15 or your doctor has advised dialysis, follow that advice. You can read more about what is and isn’t possible in our guide to kidney failure treatment without dialysis.

How to Lower Creatinine Naturally: What Actually Helps

These steps are safe for most people with kidney disease and are the foundation of any treatment plan:

• Keep your blood pressure in your target range. High blood pressure damages kidney filters, so take your BP tablets every day and check your readings regularly.
• Keep blood sugar controlled. If you have diabetes, ask for an HbA1c test at least twice a year and work with your clinic to bring it into range.
• Drink enough water, but not excessively. Dehydration raises creatinine, but people with advanced CKD may need to limit fluids, so ask your doctor what amount is right for you.
• Cut back on hidden salt. Stock cubes, packet soups, polony, viennas and other processed meats are major sources of salt in South African diets. Avoid “low-sodium” salt substitutes unless your doctor approves them, because most replace sodium with potassium, which can build up dangerously when kidneys are weak.
• Ask before increasing fruit. Many fruits and vegetables are healthy, but high-potassium foods such as bananas, oranges, avocados and tomatoes may need to be limited if your blood potassium is high, which is common in stages 4 and 5.
• Moderate red meat portions. Large amounts of meat raise creatinine and add to the kidneys’ workload, so smaller portions with more vegetables are usually better.
• Avoid creatine supplements. Gym supplements containing creatine can raise your creatinine reading and confuse your results.
• Check every painkiller first. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory painkillers can harm the kidneys, so ask your pharmacist or doctor before taking them.

For food-specific guidance, see our guide to fruits for people with high creatinine, and check your latest potassium result before making changes.

Why Doctor-Guided Natural Treatment Is Different

Many South Africans look for natural ways to support their kidneys, and that instinct is a good one when the treatment is chosen properly. The risk comes from herbal mixtures with unknown ingredients, or products taken without a doctor’s guidance — South African research has linked unsupervised traditional remedies to acute kidney injury [6].

Doctor-guided natural treatment takes away that guesswork. Every medicine is chosen by a doctor for your kidney function, your other health conditions and the medicines you already take, and your blood results show how your kidneys are responding. That is exactly how MedicoExperts’ Combination Therapy works.

Combination Therapy: Personalised Kidney Care Designed Around You

No two kidney patients are the same, so no two Combination Therapy plans are the same. Combination Therapy is MedicoExperts’ doctor-supervised integrative protocol for chronic kidney disease. It brings Advanced Homeopathy and customised Ayurveda together as one unified treatment plan, personalised for each patient according to their current condition — their creatinine and eGFR, the cause of their kidney disease, their symptoms, their other health conditions and the medicines they already take.

Combination Therapy is designed to work hand in hand with your existing care. You continue the medicines your doctor or nephrologist has prescribed, and Combination Therapy adds a personalised layer of support for your kidney function, your symptoms and how you feel day to day. You can read more about the protocol on our Combination Therapy for Chronic Kidney Disease page.

Your plan is built in four steps:

1. Designed for your condition: Your doctor studies your creatinine, eGFR, urine albumin, haemoglobin, electrolytes and medical history, then designs a protocol specifically for your stage and the cause of your kidney disease.
2. Planned around your current medicines: Your prescribed medicines continue, and your protocol is designed to fit alongside them. Let your GP or clinic know you have started Combination Therapy, so everyone caring for you has the full picture.
3. Adjusted as you progress: You repeat blood tests at agreed intervals, and your doctor fine-tunes your plan as your results and symptoms change, so your treatment always matches your current condition.
4. Supported by practical diet guidance: You receive kidney-friendly advice on salt, protein, potassium and fluids, adapted to the South African foods you actually eat.

What patients notice

Patients who are not on dialysis often notice improvements within one to three months, including lower creatinine readings, less swelling, better appetite and more energy. Patients on dialysis often notice better energy, appetite, sleep and day-to-day comfort. Because every plan is personalised, results vary from person to person — and because your doctor tracks your progress through your own blood reports, you can see for yourself how your kidneys are responding.

“When a patient from South Africa sends me their reports, I don’t judge the kidneys on one creatinine value. I look at the eGFR trend and the urine albumin across at least two or three tests, because a single high reading is often caused by dehydration or a recent medicine change. Combination Therapy works best as support for the kidneys while the patient keeps blood pressure, sugar and other prescribed treatment under control — the two work together, never instead of each other.” — Dr. Rahul Sharma, BAMS, MedicoExperts

How Treatment Works From South Africa

Starting Combination Therapy from South Africa is simple. You don’t need to travel — everything is handled online, and your personalised medicines are delivered to your home.

1. WhatsApp MedicoExperts. Send your latest blood and urine results on WhatsApp. A patient care manager will get in touch, answer your queries and book your consultation. Reports from any South African laboratory, including private labs and NHLS public-sector results, are accepted.
2. Consult the doctor online. A MedicoExperts doctor reviews your results, history and current medicines over a video or phone consultation. India is 3.5 hours ahead of South Africa, so consultation slots between 11:00 and 20:00 IST fall between 07:30 and 16:30 SAST.
3. Receive your personalised medicines. Your Combination Therapy medicines are prepared for you in India and couriered to your address in South Africa, with clear instructions on how to take them.
4. Repeat your tests locally. You repeat blood tests at a laboratory near you and share the results, and your doctor adjusts your plan before your next supply is sent.

Not sure whether this suits your result? WhatsApp MedicoExperts and a patient care manager will get in touch to answer your queries and help you book a consultation. Your data and reports are private and confidential, and MedicoExperts is a NABH-accredited healthcare organisation.

Who Can Benefit From Combination Therapy

Combination Therapy can be personalised for:

• People diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, from early stages to stage 4, who want a personalised plan to protect the kidney function they have. If your eGFR is below 30, Combination Therapy works best alongside regular care from your nephrologist.
• People with high blood pressure or diabetes whose kidneys are under strain and who want natural, doctor-guided support alongside their current medicines.
• People on dialysis and their families looking for support with energy, appetite and quality of life alongside their dialysis.

Combination Therapy is designed to work alongside dialysis or transplant care, not in place of it. If your doctor has advised dialysis, continue to follow that advice.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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Take the next step. WhatsApp MedicoExperts with your latest creatinine and eGFR report. A patient care manager will get in touch, answer your queries and book your online consultation, and your personalised treatment will be delivered to your door in South Africa. Your data and reports are private and confidential with MedicoExperts, a NABH-accredited healthcare organisation.

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References

1. Fabian J, Gondwe M, Mayindi N, et al. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and associated risk in rural South Africa: a population-based cohort study. Wellcome Open Research. 2022. DOI: [verify on PubMed]
2. Progression of HIV-1 CKDs: viral load versus APOL1 risk alleles. Kidney International Reports. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.ekir.2025.01.005 [confirm authors]
3. Kasembeli AN, Duarte R, Ramsay M, et al. APOL1 risk variants are strongly associated with HIV-associated nephropathy in black South Africans. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. 2015;26(11):2882–2890. DOI: 10.1681/ASN.2014050469 [verify]
4. Moosa MR, et al. End-stage kidney disease and rationing of kidney replacement therapy in the Free State province, South Africa: a retrospective study. BMC Nephrology. 2021. DOI: 10.1186/s12882-021-02387-x
5. Glomerular disease as a cause of kidney failure in South African patients receiving kidney replacement therapy. International Urology and Nephrology. 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s11255-026-05117-0 [confirm authors]
6. Luyckx VA, Steenkamp V, Stewart MJ. Acute renal failure associated with the use of traditional folk remedies in South Africa. Renal Failure. 2005;27(1):35–43. DOI: 10.1081/JDI-42872
7. Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) CKD Work Group. KDIGO 2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Chronic Kidney Disease. Kidney International. 2024;105(4S):S117–S314. DOI: 10.1016/j.kint.2023.10.018 [verify] (source for eGFR stages, CKD definition and kidney-protective medicines)