01Markers · Kidney
BUN
Blood urea nitrogen
The nitrogen in the blood in the form of urea, a waste product of protein breakdown made by the liver and cleared by the kidneys.
- Measured in
- Blood (serum)
- Units
- mg/dL, mmol/L
- Also called
- urea, serum urea nitrogen
- Melatonin
- L-carnitine
- Vitamin D3
- Taurine
- Vitamin C
- Berberine
- NAD+
- Omega-3
- Iron
- Zinc
- Creatine
- Ubiquinol (CoQ10)
- L-theanine
- Ashwagandha
- Collagen
- Finnish sauna
- HIIT
- Lion's mane
- Magnesium
- Milk thistle
- NAC
- PQQ
- Red yeast rice
- Resveratrol
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K2
- Zone 2 cardio
AWhat moves BUN
13 of 27 studied
Moves it6
Human studies found a change. The grade reflects the studies behind it, from A (strongest) to D.
MelatoninLowersGrade A
Melatonin lowers BUN.
Meta-analysis or review · 6 studies linked
26 studies reference BUN. No MA-level data.
- PROTECTIVE ROLE OF MELATONIN FOR ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS. (2024)
- Exploring the protective mechanism of exogenous melatonin on intestine of heat-stressed chicks based on network pharmacology and intestinal microbiota analysis. (2026)
- Could melatonin prevent Vancomycin-induced nephrotoxicity in critically ill patients? A randomized, double-blinded controlled trial. (2023)
- The Effect of Melatonin on Radicular Pain in a Rat Model of Lumbar Disc Herniation. (2022)
- Renal Protective Effects of Melatonin in Animal Models of Diabetes Mellitus-Related Kidney Damage: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2022)
- Protective Effect of Melatonin for Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. (2021)
L-carnitineLowersGrade A
L-carnitine lowers BUN.
Meta-analysis or review · Modest effect · 4 studies linked
Often co-reported with creatinine in CKD/dialysis trials; direction consistent with reduced catabolism; effect size similar to creatinine
- Effects of dietary l-carnitine supplementation on the response to an inflammatory challenge in mid-lactating dairy cows: Hepatic mRNA abundance of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. (2021)
- L-Carnitine improves gastrointestinal disorders and altered the intestinal microbiota in hemodialysis patients. (2017)
- Effect of L‐carnitine on liver enzymes and biochemical factors in hepatic encephalopathy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis (2019)
- Effects of L-carnitine on leukocyte function and viability in hemodialysis patients: A double-blind randomized trial. (1999)
Vitamin D3RaisesGrade B
Vitamin D3 raises BUN.
Human trials · 7 studies linked
- Relationship between Circulating Vitamin D Concentration and the Maternal Gut Microbiota during Early Pregnancy in Japanese Women: Results of a Pilot Study of Antenatal Vitamin D (2025)
- Vitamin D3 improves iminodipropionitrile-induced tic-like behavior in rats through regulation of GDNF/c-Ret signaling activity. (2024)
- Randomized control trial of moderate dose vitamin D alters microbiota stability and metabolite networks in healthy adults. (2024)
- Clinical Effect of Preoperative 25-OH-Vitamin D3 Level in Liver Transplant Recipients. (2022)
- Increased ENaC-mediated liquid absorption across vitamin-D deficient human airway epithelia. (2024)
- Effects of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (2022)
- +1 more studies
TaurineLowersGrade B
Taurine lowers BUN.
Human trials · 5 studies linked
17 corpus studies.
- Effect of taurine on attenuating chemotherapy-induced adverse effects in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (2015)
- The influence of taurine pretreatment on aluminum chloride induced nephrotoxicity in Swiss albino mice. (2014)
- Taurine supplementation prevents hyperaminoacidemia in growing term infants fed high-protein cow's milk formula. (1996)
- Feeding the low-birth-weight infant: I. Taurine and cholesterol supplementation of formula does not affect growth and metabolism. (1983)
- Role of conserved peptide in taurine transporter inactivation modulated by protein kinase C. (1996)
Vitamin CImprovesGrade B
Vitamin C improves BUN.
Human trials · 5 studies linked
13 studies mention BUN. No vitamin C → BUN effect extracted.
- Gut microbiota links vitamin C supplementation to enhanced mental vitality in healthy young adults with suboptimal vitamin C status: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. (2025)
- The Effect of Intravenous vitamin C on Ferritin Levels in Patients Hemodialysis Patients, A Clinical Trial. (2022)
- Vitamin C reduces vancomycin-related nephrotoxicity through the inhibition of oxidative stress, apoptosis, and inflammation in mice. (2021)
- Vitamin C Supplementation in Healthy Individuals Leads to Shifts of Bacterial Populations in the Gut-A Pilot Study. (2021)
- SunGold Kiwifruit Supplementation of Individuals with Prediabetes Alters Gut Microbiota and Improves Vitamin C Status, Anthropometric and Clinical Markers. (2018)
BerberineLowersGrade B
Berberine lowers BUN.
Human trials · 4 studies linked
- Berberine alleviates metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis by enhancing the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila. (2025)
- Dissecting the Effect of Berberine on the Intestinal Microbiome in the Weaned Piglets by Metagenomic Sequencing. (2022)
- Effects of Berberine on Gut Microbiota in Patients with Mild Metabolic Disorders Induced by Olanzapine. (2021)
- Significant pharmacokinetic differences of berberine are attributable to variations in gut microbiota between Africans and Chinese. (2016)
Studied, no change6
Studies looked and found no meaningful change. That is a result, not missing data.
NAD+No changeGrade A
Studies of NAD+ found no change in BUN.
Human trials · 2 studies linked
Grade corrected from A to B: single source RCT only.
- Safety and Metabolism of Long-term Administration of NIAGEN (Nicotinamide Riboside Chloride) in a Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial of Healthy Overweight Adults. (2019)
- Nicotinamide riboside does not alter mitochondrial respiration, content or morphology in skeletal muscle from obese and insulin-resistant men. (2020)
Omega-3No changeGrade A
Studies of Omega-3 found no change in BUN.
Meta-analysis or review · Negligible effect · 2 studies linked
2 studies in corpus. BUN generally unchanged. Some CKD-specific data inconsistent.
- Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in pregnancy and early lactation: Impacts on breast milk docosahexaenoic acid and Maternal-Infant gut microbiota - A randomized controlled trial. (2025)
- Safety and tolerability of prescription omega-3 fatty acids: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. (2018)
IronNo changeGrade B
Studies of Iron found no change in BUN.
Human trials · 16 studies linked
No established effect of iron supplementation on BUN.
- The Effect of Quintuply-Fortified Salt on the Gut Microbiome of Nonpregnant Women of Reproductive Age in Punjab, India: A Substudy of a Randomized, Community-Based Trial. (2025)
- Gut Prevotella stercorea associates with protection against infection in rural African children. (2025)
- Effects of iron supplements and iron-containing micronutrient powders on the gut microbiome in Bangladeshi infants: a randomized controlled trial. (2024)
- The Effect of Iron Supplements on the Gut Microbiome of Females of Reproductive Age: A Randomized Controlled Trial. (2024)
- Prebiotics increase iron absorption and reduce the adverse effects of iron on the gut microbiome and inflammation: a randomized controlled trial using iron stable isotopes in Kenyan infants. (2024)
- Effect of dietary iron supplementation on the equine fecal microbiome. (2023)
- +10 more studies
ZincNo changeGrade B
Studies of Zinc found no change in BUN.
Human trials · 7 studies linked
Limited dedicated RCT data on BUN as primary endpoint. Consistent with creatinine pattern — no meaningful direct renal effect at therapeutic doses.
- A randomised, double-blind clinical study into the effect of zinc citrate trihydrate toothpaste on oral plaque microbiome ecology and function. (2025)
- Effects of a stabilized stannous fluoride dentifrice on clinical, immunomodulatory, and microbial outcomes in a human experimental gingivitis model. (2024)
- The Effects of Zinc Sulfate Supplementation on Serum Copeptin, C-Reactive Protein and Metabolic Markers in Zinc-Deficient Diabetic Patients on Hemodialysis: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Control (2022)
- Using Shotgun Sequencing to Describe the Changes Induced by In-Feed Zinc Oxide and Apramycin in the Microbiomes of Pigs One Week Postweaning. (2022)
- Curative Effect Observation of Applying Silver-Zinc Bacteriostatic Cream to Patients with Second-Degree Burn under Targeted Nursing Intervention and Its Effect on Wound Healing Rate. (2021)
- The effectiveness bundling of zinc with Oral Rehydration Salts (ORS) for improving adherence to acute watery diarrhea treatment in Ethiopia: cluster randomised controlled trial (2016)
- +1 more studies
CreatineNo changeGrade B
Studies of Creatine found no change in BUN.
Human trials · Negligible effect · 1 study linked
Blood urea nitrogen not significantly elevated at maintenance dosing (3–5g/day). Mild transient increases reported at loading doses (20g/day, jaramillo_2023 protocol) but within normal reference range. Returns to baseline with maintenance.
Ubiquinol (CoQ10)No changeGrade B
Studies of Ubiquinol (CoQ10) found no change in BUN.
Human trials · 1 study linked
Mixed results1
Studies disagree, or the direction depends on who was studied.
L-theanineMixed resultsGrade C
Studies of L-theanine and BUN disagree.
Human trials · 1 study linked
Not studied14
No usable human study has measured BUN with these. A gap is not a negative result: nobody has looked.
AshwagandhaCollagenFinnish saunaHIITLion's maneMagnesiumMilk thistleNACPQQRed yeast riceResveratrolVitamin EVitamin K2Zone 2 cardio