What Should Your GFR Be At 50 Years Old?

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What Should Your GFR Be At 50 Years Old?

Men aged 50 years: Average GFR is 98 ml/min (range: 72-112 ml/min)
Women aged 50 years: GFR is 97 ml/min (72-111 ml/min)

How do we know?

In a 2025 study over 1.5m healthy Europeans Astley, 2025 this is what was found (50th percentile means the average):

Sex	Age	5th (Low)	50th (Median)	95th (High)
Men	20	78	107	122
	30	81	109	125
	40	80	108	123
	50	72	98	112
	60	66	89	102
	70	58	81	94
	80	49	74	88
	90	39	67	82
	100	29	61	78
Women	20	81	109	125
	30	82	110	126
	40	81	108	124
	50	72	97	111
	60	65	88	101
	70	56	79	92
	80	46	71	85
	90	35	63	78
	100	25	56	74

This compares to the ‘normal’ level of 90-120 ml/min, according to the CKD/GFR classification. But that is a (overly neat!) estimated average range for people of any age, gender and race.

Therefore, not surprisingly, studies show approximately one-half of adults over the age of 70 years have an estimated GFR (eGFR) <60 mL/min, the threshold below which is said to diagnose CKD3.

This would mean that the computer says they have CKD3 or worse.

But do 50% of all people over 70 years really have CKD?

No, this is absurd. Yes, some will do and need to have to their condition looked after. But for most, they probably have a natural age-related decline in GFR (appropriate for their age) that is not a disease.

Hence in such a patient, the change in GFR over time is more important that the current number, if doctors are trying to diagnose CKD.

Therefore you and your doctors, need to focus on that, and whether there are any other signs of kidney disease – e.g. symptoms of CKD, or high blood pressure and a raised protein level in the urine, or an abnormal kidney ultrasound – before coming to a judgement of whether you have CKD or not.

There is more information on MyHSN here on ‘natural age-related decline in kidney function’ – and whether CKD1-3B is really a disease in older (and some younger) people.

Other Resources

This is a good review article about this question: Mallappallil, 2014

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