Feeling like my body is hollowed out? You need to recognize the six important aspects of the kidney

When it comes to terrible diseases such as kidney failure, kidney transplantation, and uremia, everyone is very familiar with them. After all, we all hope for good health, and we don't want our kidneys (kidneys) to have any problems. But do you really understand the two kidneys in our bodies?

Waist - How much do you know?

Kidney, commonly known as "waist", is similar to a large broad bean, with one on each side. It is located on both sides of the retroperitoneal spine and is approximately 11 centimeters by 6 centimeters by 2.5 centimeters in size.

The weight of males is approximately 100-150 grams, while females are slightly lighter. It is an important excretory and endocrine organ in the human body.

6 Importances

Excreting metabolic waste in the body

The human body is constantly undergoing metabolism, which produces a series of unnecessary metabolic waste. And these wastes are very harmful to the body, so they must be discharged in a timely manner. Metabolic waste (such as urea, creatinine, non protein nitrogen, drugs, and toxins, etc.) is filtered through the kidneys' blood and excreted from the body with urine.

Maintain homeostasis

The kidneys control water content, blood concentration, and blood pressure in the body by adjusting the amount of electrolytes (sodium, calcium plasma). If kidney function decreases, it will disrupt the balance of electrolytes in the body, leading to symptoms such as edema, hypertension, and heart failure.

In addition, the kidneys also have the function of regulating water balance in the body. In the event of excessive water, the water in the blood will be excreted as urine. But if the body's water content decreases due to excessive sweating, dysentery, and other reasons, the kidneys will also correspondingly reduce urination.

Helping maintain acid-base balance in body fluids

The kidneys can maintain fluid balance and acid-base balance in the body, helping to maintain a normal pH value (approximately 7.4). Use the reabsorption and secretion function of renal tubules to drain excess water from the body, regulate acid-base balance, and maintain the stability of the internal environment.

P. S: The metabolism of the body is best carried out in a neutral environment!

Secreting erythropoietin

The kidneys can secrete various hormones to regulate normal physiological activities in the human body, such as the secretion of erythropoietin, which can stimulate the hematopoietic function of bone marrow stem cells. But if kidney disease is allowed to develop, the secretion of erythropoietin will gradually decrease, leading to symptoms of anemia in patients.

Regulating blood pressure

The kidneys regulate blood pressure by secreting hormones (the paraglomerular apparatus secretes renin, which is regulated by the renin angiotensin system). If suffering from kidney disease, the kidneys will excessively secrete hormones that increase blood pressure, causing the body's blood pressure to rise.

Active vitamin D3, an essential raw material for bone formation

The kidneys can also secrete active vitamin D3, which can improve the absorption of calcium and phosphorus by the body, and saturate the levels of plasma calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D3 can also promote the absorption of calcium by the human body, which is an essential raw material for bone formation and begins to function after being converted into active forms in the liver and kidneys. If kidney disease worsens, symptoms such as low kidney function and osteoporosis may occur.