Kidney is one of the important organs in the body. Everyone must have a pair of kidneys that must be maintained because of the various functions that are very important for the health of the body. Therefore, we must understand what are the functions of the kidneys, as well as how to take care of the kidneys to avoid various diseases.
The location of the kidneys is along the muscular wall of the back (posterior muscle) of the abdominal cavity. It is roughly the size of a fist-sized pea, about 12 cm long and 6 cm wide, and contains about one million nephrons (tiny blood filters).
The main function of the kidneys is to filter waste substances (wastes) in the body, both from food, drugs, and toxic substances. Kidneys also work to filter 200 liters of blood every day, and remove 2 liters of waste substances through urine. Therefore, the kidneys are equipped with a pair of ureters, a bladder, and a urethra that will carry urine out of the body.
Not only does it filter the blood, but the following are other kidney functions:
- Monitor and control the water balance in the body
- Regulates blood pressure and salt levels in the blood
- Regulates the acid-base balance (pH) of the blood
- Maintain the concentration of minerals and electrolytes
- Produces the active form of vitamin D
Not only get rid of waste substances, but the kidneys also reabsorb substances that the body needs, such as sugar, amino acids, potassium, sodium, and other nutrients. This function is also influenced by the adrenal glands which are located at the top of each kidney.
The adrenal glands produce the hormone aldosterone and function to absorb potassium from the urine into the blood vessels so that it can be utilized again by the body. The kidneys also function to produce hormones that are beneficial to the body, including:
- Erythropoietin (EPO): functions to stimulate the bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
- Renin: functions to regulate blood pressure.
- Calcitriol: the active form of vitamin D which helps maintain bone health.
We must pay attention to the health of the two kidneys that we have because there are so many functions that we should not ignore. Ways to maintain kidney health can be done by consuming more fruit and vegetables, adopting a healthy lifestyle, exercising diligently, drinking enough water, and also routinely going to the hospital so that it can be detected early if there is a disturbance in kidney function.
summarized from various sources