Get tested with Superpower

If you’ve been postponing blood testing for years or feel frustrated by doctor appointments and limited lab panels, you are not alone. Standard healthcare is often reactive, focusing on testing only after symptoms appear or leaving patients in the dark.

Superpower flips that approach. We give you full insight into your body with over 100 biomarkers, personalized action plans, long-term tracking, and answers to your questions, so you can stay ahead of any health issues.

With physician-reviewed results, CLIA-certified labs, and the option for at-home blood draws, Superpower is designed for people who want clarity, convenience, and real accountability - all in one place.

Key benefits of SDMA testing

• Spots early kidney damage before creatinine rises or symptoms appear.
• Flags reduced kidney function even when muscle mass is low.
• Guides medication dosing to protect kidneys from drug-related harm.
• Tracks kidney health trends over time in chronic disease or aging.
• Clarifies unexplained fatigue or fluid retention linked to kidney stress.
• Best interpreted with creatinine, eGFR, and urinalysis for complete kidney assessment.

What is SDMA?

Symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) is a small molecule produced inside every cell of your body during normal protein breakdown. When proteins are recycled, an amino acid called arginine gets chemically modified with two methyl groups, creating SDMA. This happens constantly as part of routine cellular housekeeping.

Your kidneys are the only exit route

Once SDMA is released into your bloodstream, it travels to your kidneys, which filter it out and eliminate it in urine. Unlike many waste products, SDMA depends almost entirely on kidney filtration for removal. Your body doesn't break it down or reabsorb it.

A sensitive mirror of kidney function

Because SDMA clearance relies so heavily on healthy kidney filtration, its blood level reflects how well your kidneys are working. When kidney function declines, SDMA begins to accumulate earlier and more reliably than older markers. This makes it a particularly useful window into kidney health, catching changes that might otherwise go unnoticed until more damage has occurred.

Why is SDMA important?

SDMA (symmetric dimethylarginine) is a small protein byproduct released steadily by every cell in your body and cleared almost exclusively by your kidneys. It offers a remarkably pure window into how well your kidneys are filtering waste, often detecting decline weeks to months earlier than older markers like creatinine. Because it's less affected by muscle mass, diet, or hydration, SDMA reveals kidney function with unusual clarity across all ages and body types.

Your kidneys may be struggling before you feel it

Normal SDMA typically ranges from about 0 to 14, with optimal values sitting at the lower end. When SDMA begins to climb - even within the "normal" range - it signals that your kidneys are losing filtering capacity. You may notice nothing at first, but subtle fatigue, changes in urination, or mild fluid retention can emerge as filtration drops. High values often mean significant kidney impairment, raising risk for cardiovascular strain, electrolyte imbalance, and progressive chronic kidney disease.

Low values are rarely a concern

SDMA below the reference range is uncommon and generally not clinically meaningful. It doesn't indicate a specific disease state or require intervention.

A sentinel for whole-body health

Because your kidneys regulate fluid balance, blood pressure, electrolytes, and red blood cell production, declining kidney function ripples across every system. SDMA's early-warning capacity makes it essential for preventing irreversible damage, especially in people with diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease - conditions that silently erode kidney health over years.

What do my SDMA results mean?

Low SDMA levels

Low values usually reflect robust kidney filtration and adequate muscle mass. SDMA is produced at a steady rate during protein turnover in muscle and other tissues, then filtered exclusively by the kidneys. When levels are low, the glomeruli are clearing it efficiently and there is sufficient lean tissue generating baseline production. This is typical in healthy individuals with normal renal function and preserved muscle.

Optimal SDMA levels

Being in range suggests your kidneys are filtering waste effectively and your muscle metabolism is stable. Most labs define normal as under 15 micrograms per deciliter in adults. Optimal values tend to sit in the lower half of the reference range, reflecting strong glomerular filtration rate without early subclinical decline. SDMA rises earlier than creatinine when kidney function begins to drop, so staying consistently low is reassuring.

High SDMA levels

High values usually reflect reduced kidney filtration capacity. Because SDMA is cleared only by the glomeruli and is not influenced by muscle mass, diet, or hydration status, elevation signals that the kidneys are not removing waste as efficiently as expected. This can occur with acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease, or conditions that impair renal blood flow. Unlike creatinine, SDMA is less affected by age or body composition.

Factors that influence SDMA

SDMA interpretation is straightforward because it is minimally affected by non-renal factors. It does not vary significantly by sex, muscle mass, or protein intake, making it a cleaner marker of filtration than creatinine in many clinical contexts.