Vol 14, Issue 1, No 11, July 2026

Effects of Exercise as a Bio-Modulator of eGFR and Serum Creatinine in Apparently Healthy Nigerian Undergraduates

AbdulAzeez Ishola Musbau1, Biliaminu Abayomi Sikiru2, Yusuff Jameelu-Deen Omokunmi3, Mubarak Muhammed Yunusa4, Adeyemi Bashirat Abimbola5, Adeoye Oyetunji Oyewopo6

1,2,3,5Department of Chemical Pathology and Immunology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

4,6Department of Anatomy, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria

DOI: http://doi.org/10.47836.14.1.11

ABSTRACT

Acute physical exercise can transiently modify renal hemodynamic and creatinine kinetics, potentially influencing serum creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) even in healthy individuals. However, data describing these short-term biomarker shifts in young sub-Saharan African populations remain limited. This study aimed to (i) assess changes in serum creatinine before, immediately after and 15 minutes post-exercise; (ii) evaluate variations in eGFR at the same time points; and (iii) examine the relationships between renal function indices and anthropometric parameters in apparently healthy Nigerian undergraduates. A cross-sectional repeated-measures study was conducted among 40 apparently healthy male undergraduates (aged 18–25 years) at a University in north-central Nigeria. Anthropometric indices (age, weight, height, BMI, and ponderal index) were recorded. Venous blood (4 mL) was collected at three time points: pre-exercise (warm-up), immediately after exercise and 15 minutes post-exercise (cool-down). Serum creatinine was measured using the modified-Jaffe method and eGFR was calculated using the Cockcroft–Gault formula. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.0. Mean (±SD) serum creatinine decreased from 124.6 ± 57.0 µmol/L pre-exercise to 93.6 ± 53.2 µmol/L immediately post-exercise and 74.9 ± 34.9 µmol/L at 15 minutes post-exercise, though the overall change was not statistically significant (p = 0.270). In contrast, eGFR increased significantly across stages, from 81.8 ± 35.5 to 147.0 ± 67.9 and 214.0 ± 67.9 mL/min/1.73 m² (p = 0.005). Correlation analyses revealed significant associations between immediate post-exercise eGFR and serum creatinine and age, height, weight, BMI and ponderal index. An acute bout of aerobic exercise was associated with a significant increase in eGFR and a non-significant reduction in serum creatinine among healthy young men. These findings suggest that moderate aerobic exercise significantly elevates eGFR through creatinine-dependent formula dynamics rather than true hyperfiltration, strengthening the need for standardised pre-assessment rest periods to prevent misclassification during renal screening in physically active young adults.

Keywords: Exercise; eGFR; Serum Creatinine; Bio-modulation; Nigerian Undergraduates