Urine Urea Nitrogen Test 2025: Cost, Procedure, and What Your Results Mean

What Is the Urine Urea Nitrogen Test?

When your body breaks down dietary protein, it produces ammonia, which contains nitrogen. This nitrogen combines with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen to form urea, a waste product eliminated through urine by the kidneys. The Urine Urea Nitrogen (UUN) test measures the amount of urea nitrogen in your urine, providing insights into your protein metabolism and kidney health.

This test helps assess how much protein your body is breaking down, evaluates kidney function, and can identify issues related to protein digestion or absorption in the gastrointestinal tract.

Why Is the Urine Urea Nitrogen Test Important?

Your healthcare provider may recommend the UUN test to monitor your protein intake and ensure it meets your body's needs. Elevated urea nitrogen levels can indicate conditions such as dehydration or heart failure, while low levels may suggest malnutrition or kidney problems.

Unlike the Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) test, which measures urea nitrogen in the blood, the UUN test analyzes urine samples to provide a more direct assessment of protein metabolism and renal function.

Additional uses of the UUN test include:

• Evaluating kidney performance and detecting kidney disease
• Tracking progression or improvement of kidney-related conditions
• Diagnosing disorders affecting kidney function and protein utilization

How Is the Urine Urea Nitrogen Test Conducted?

The test requires collecting urine over a 24-hour period, following your doctor's instructions carefully. During this time, maintain your usual diet and fluid intake unless advised otherwise.

Collection Tips

Ensure thorough handwashing before and after each collection. Securely cap and label containers, refrigerating the samples throughout the collection period. On the first day, discard your initial morning urine and record the time; then collect all urine for the next 24 hours.

Once collected, the samples are sent to a laboratory for detailed analysis.

Interpreting Your Urine Urea Nitrogen Test Results

Typical urea nitrogen levels in urine range from 12 to 20 grams per 24 hours, though reference values may vary by lab, age, and sex.

Low urea nitrogen levels may indicate:

• Insufficient protein intake or malnutrition
• Compromised kidney function

High urea nitrogen levels might suggest:

• Excessive protein consumption
• Increased protein breakdown in the body

Your healthcare provider will discuss your results with you and may recommend further testing or examinations to clarify your diagnosis and guide treatment.

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