Estimating kidney filtration
Biomarker library
Kidney Health
Estimated glomerular filtration rate
eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate) estimates how much blood your kidneys filter each minute. It is calculated from your creatinine, age and sex.
Measured in your health assessment, with a doctor to explain your result. Book yours
Why it matters
Healthy kidneys filter around 90 to 120 mL a minute, roughly 180 litres of blood a day, from which they reclaim almost everything and pass about 1.5 litres of urine. eGFR is how chronic kidney disease is staged.
What a result can mean
Lower than the range
An eGFR below 60 for at least three months indicates chronic kidney disease; between 60 and 90 it is mildly reduced, which is common with age. Many people with a reduced eGFR feel completely well, which is exactly why it is measured.
Higher than the range
A high eGFR is rarely a concern. It can be seen in pregnancy, in early diabetes when the kidneys work harder, or in people with low muscle mass.
What can help
The biggest levers are controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, not smoking, keeping to a healthy weight and avoiding regular anti-inflammatory painkillers. Doctors also check urine protein, because the two together show the full picture of kidney health.
Read it with
NoteGeneral educational illustration. Colours, sizes and movement are simplified. This is not a scan or a simulation of your body. General information, not personal medical advice: a doctor reads your own results with your history.
Know your estimated glomerular filtration rate.
Measured in your health assessment and explained by the doctor who reviews your results.