Do you know what the 15 million nephrons in the kidneys do?

The kidney is one of the most important organs in the human body. The kidneys filter the blood and act as the body's waste disposal system, sending waste products to the urethra. The kidneys are in the form of beans. It is about 10 to 12 cm long. Although the heart is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body, the kidneys also do their job.

The kidney filters have a cup of blood every minute. They filter 180 liters of blood every day. The kidneys filter all the blood in your body 20 to 25 times a day. Regulating the production of red blood cells. Release hormones that control blood pressure.

They produce urine by removing waste products from the body. The kidneys help keep your bones strong and healthy. Harmful wastes are formed in your body when your kidneys fail. Your blood pressure will rise. Your body retains excess fluid, which can lead to ankle swelling and shortness of breath.

Most humans are born with 2 kidneys. However, if one of the kidneys is taken out, the body loses 25% of the kidney function. For babies born with one kidney, that one kidney will grow until it weighs two kidneys. Although our kidneys average only 0.5% of our body weight, they consume more blood than any other organ except the liver.

Nephrons perform the filtering function of the kidney. Each kidney contains 10 to 20 million nephrons. As blood flows through the nephrons, it helps remove waste products called urea. At least 300,000 nephrons are needed to properly filter blood. If you take the nephrons in both kidneys and put them in long, it will be 10 km away.

The kidneys are capable of producing vitamin D in the body. It is primarily made of skin from sunlight. When the skin loses its ability to make vitamin D, the liver begins to do that work. When the liver fails, the kidneys begin to do that. Millions of people are unaware that they have kidney disease.

This is because damaged kidneys try to make up for lost function. That is, early kidney disease often does not show any warning signs. You may not realize you have kidney disease until the severity of the disease increases. You will have worse kidney trouble when you start to feel the symptoms.

The last symptom is nausea, weakness, loss of appetite and swelling in your legs and ankles. Other symptoms include itching, changes in urination and difficulty sleeping. The risk of kidney disease increases with age. You are more likely to get kidney disease as you get older. This is especially common in people 60 years of age and older. Some physical conditions that lead to kidney disease are more common in the elderly. They include heart disease, diabetes, and high cholesterol.

Kidney disease can lead to weak bones. Helps the kidneys activate vitamin D. This essential vitamin strengthens your bones by absorbing calcium and phosphorus. Your kidneys also work to maintain the proper balance of these minerals in your body. If your kidneys are not working properly, your body may not get the vitamin D it needs. Then your bones are more likely to break or weaken.

Kidney disease affects every part of your body. Kidney disease does not just affect your kidneys. This can lead to a decrease in the amount of red blood cells. That is anemia. This will make you feel weak and tired. Kidney disease can weaken your immune system. This increases the chance of infections.

When your kidneys are not able to filter your blood properly, the fluid in your body starts to increase. This causes difficulty in breathing along with your lungs. This disease can affect your heart as well. This can damage parts of your brain and spinal cord. It causes confusion and depression.