eGFR blood test
Estimated glomerular filtration rate
In short
A typical adult eGFR result is over 60 mL/min/1.73m². Most labs flag an eGFR below 60. What matters most is whether it stays low on repeat tests over three months. Always read your result against the range printed on your own report.
An estimate of how much blood your kidneys filter each minute.
eGFR is calculated from your creatinine, age and sex, not measured directly. It estimates how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. It falls slowly with age, even in healthy people.
Is my eGFR high or low?
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Typical range
| For | Range | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Adults | over 60 | mL/min/1.73m² |
Typical ranges for adults. Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
If your eGFR is low
Most labs flag an eGFR below 60. What matters most is whether it stays low on repeat tests over three months.
Common reasons
- Not drinking enough, or recent vomiting or diarrhea
- A muscular build, a big meat meal or creatine supplements before the test
- Some medicines, including some pain relievers and blood pressure medicines
- Older age, as kidney filtering slowly falls over the years
- Long-term diabetes or high blood pressure, which can wear on the kidneys
- Less often: a sudden kidney injury, a urinary blockage or another kidney condition
What can throw it off
A muscular build, creatine supplements or a big meat meal can make eGFR read lower.
Questions to take to your appointment
- 1How does this compare with my earlier eGFR results?
- 2Should we repeat it, or check cystatin C?
- 3Should my urine be checked for protein?
Read together with
Doctors rarely read eGFR alone. These usually sit next to it.
Quick answers
What is the eGFR blood test?
eGFR (Estimated glomerular filtration rate): An estimate of how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. eGFR is calculated from your creatinine, age and sex, not measured directly. It estimates how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. It falls slowly with age, even in healthy people.
What is a normal eGFR level?
For most adults, eGFR is typically over 60 mL/min/1.73m². Labs differ a little, so the range printed next to your result is the one to go by.
What does a low eGFR mean?
Most labs flag an eGFR below 60. What matters most is whether it stays low on repeat tests over three months. Common reasons include not drinking enough, or recent vomiting or diarrhea; a muscular build, a big meat meal or creatine supplements before the test; some medicines, including some pain relievers and blood pressure medicines; and older age, as kidney filtering slowly falls over the years.
What can affect my eGFR result?
A muscular build, creatine supplements or a big meat meal can make eGFR read lower.
What should I ask my doctor about my eGFR?
Questions worth taking to the appointment: How does this compare with my earlier eGFR results? Should we repeat it, or check cystatin C? Should my urine be checked for protein?
What this page can’t do
It reads each number on its own.
Doctors read results together — ALT with AST, ferritin with hemoglobin, TSH with free T4. A pattern says more than any single flag.
It doesn't know you.
Your age, your medicines, how you feel and your last result all change what a number means.
It doesn't remember.
Close this page and your results are gone. That's on purpose: nothing was ever sent to us.
We also make Vita: Health Coach, an app for those parts. It reads your whole report with your medicines and history in mind, answers follow-up questions in plain words, and keeps your reports in one place — for you and for the people you look after.
Vita: Health Coach on the App StoreSources
- National Kidney Foundation — Estimated GFR (eGFR)
- NIDDK — eGFR equations for adults
- Mayo Clinic Laboratories — Creatinine with eGFR, serum
Stuck on a word? See the medical words. How we choose our sources. More about Vita Health Coach.