Modifications of gravitational interaction by the effects of quantum fields are considered. Dependence of gravitational parameters arising from regularization and renormalization of two chosen field theoretical approaches is described. This allows for use of renormalization group methods. Predictions that follow depend on identification of arbitrary scale with respect to physical scales involved in a given physical context. In order to reduce arbitrariness and eliminate the need for qualitative scale identification, a well defined procedure is used to determine the scale. The procedure is primarily based on preserving the covariance of the theory. Procedure is applied at the level of equations of motion and at the level of the action. When applied in astrophysical setting at the level of equations of motion this method results systematically in the choice of scale, which was used in the literature as an Ansatz in a rather successful attempt to explain galaxy rotation curves. Applying the procedure at the level of the action results in f(R) modifications of gravity or some other modification with higher order gravitational invariants, otherwise difficult to explain the reasons for introducing them in the gravitational action. In the fixed point regime of asymptotic safety scenario for gravity the existence of universal action for gravity is demonstrated, when starting from the action which is polynomial in R, and a new method for solving the dynamics of f(R)= Rα theories, to which the aforementioned universal action belongs, is presented.