COMPENDIUM ON FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE - Flipbook - Page 245
For functional medicine practitioners, these markers offer insight
into the body’s internal regulation before disease
develops4helping to identify early shifts in hydration, acid-base
equilibrium, and systemic resilience.
Blood Urea Nitrogen - BUN
BUN (Blood Urea Nitrogen) is a waste product formed in the liver
during protein metabolism and is eliminated by the kidneys. It
provides insight into both protein processing and kidney function.
Elevated levels may result from increased protein intake, reduced
kidney clearance, or bacterial activity that produces ammonia,
later converted to urea. While BUN is a helpful early marker for
potential kidney issues, it’s not conclusive on its own4additional
kidney testing is needed to understand the root cause.
Range
Units
Conventional
5.0 - 27 g/dL
Optimal / Functional
10 - 16 g/dL
Alarm
< 5.0 or > 50 g/dL
When to run this test:
● Screen for renal insufficiency
● Evaluate liver function
● Identify functional digestive issues
● Assess for dehydration
Creatinine
Creatinine is a waste product created from the breakdown of
creatine phosphate, a quick energy source stored in muscles and
made in the liver. It’s released during muscle contraction and
cleared from the blood by the kidneys, which makes it a useful
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