Urea Unit Converter

Urea is a waste product that forms in your liver when your body breaks down proteins from food or muscle tissue. It is the primary nitrogen-containing end product of protein metabolism.

Urea travels through your bloodstream to your kidneys, which filter it out and eliminate it through urine. The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) test measures the nitrogen portion of urea in your blood, while outside the United States, the whole urea molecule is typically measured.

Having a small amount of urea in your blood is normal. When levels are too high or too low, it may indicate problems with kidney function, liver function, hydration status, or protein metabolism.

Urea is produced in the liver through the urea cycle, which converts toxic ammonia (a byproduct of protein breakdown) into urea. The kidneys then filter urea from the blood and excrete it in urine, with small amounts also eliminated through sweat.