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Before we can understand how our kidneys work, it is
important to know a little bit about the two 'bean-shaped' organs we
each have. Your kidneys are located beneath the rib cage on both
sides of the spine and have about a million nephrons each.
These nephrons contain small blood vessels contained
within a tightly-regulated system that together serves as filtering
units.
Cleaning The Blood
The primary job of the kidneys is to clean blood. They filter and
remove waste and excess fluid from thousands of pints of blood
daily. They are responsible for ensuring the body remains healthy by
retaining its chemical balance.
If both kidneys are working properly, the body
has 100% renal function. Actually, even if we only have one healthy
kidney, it is sufficient to filter the blood efficiently.
Synthesis of Red Blood Cells
One of the lesser-known functions of the kidney is the role it plays
in the synthesis of red blood cells. The kidney produces a hormone
called erythropoietin, which promotes the formation of red blood
cells in the none marrow.
There are certain cells within the kidney that
are responsible for this job and they are sensitive to sudden
changes in oxygen levels in the blood. When they detect that oxygen
levels within the kidneys are low, they release erythropoietins,
which, in turn stimulate the bone marrow to form more red blood
cells. The ability of the blood to carry more oxygen is, thus,
increased.
Blood Pressure Regulator
Kidneys also play a key role in controlling the blood pressure. Not
only do they maintain the balance of fluids, kidneys react to low
blood pressure by releasing the hormone renin, which sets off a
cascade of actions that promotes water retention.
However, kidneys are at the receiving end of
changes in blood pressure. High blood pressure not only damages the
kidneys, but may escalate further when the kidneys are damaged and
unable to excrete fluids. Thus, the kidney has an important role in
keeping blood pressure at normal levels.
High blood pressure or hypertension causes the
heart to work harder to pump blood throughout the body. Over time,
this causes significant damage to blood vessels. Once the blood
vessels within the kidney are damages, the other functions of this
organ become impaired and can no longer get rid of waste and excess
fluid efficiently. The excess fluid within the body further
increases blood pressure levels.
Bone-Strength Preserver
The kidneys also help maintain a proper balance of calcium and
phosphorus in the blood. Renal osteodystrophy is a disease that
results when kidneys fail to carry out this function.
Healthy kidneys produce a type of vitamin D known
as calcitriol. Calcitriol promotes calcium absorption from food into
the blood and bones, and works with the parathyroid hormone to
maintain a normal balance of calcium in the body.
But when damaged kidneys are unable to produce
calcitriol to absord calcium from food, the parathyroid hormone
level increases. The parathyroid hormone in turn, strip calcium from
bones to maintain body's calcium levels as it is unable to prolonged
removal of calcium from the body's storage can result in brittle
bones and osteoporosis.
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