Kidney: The Unassuming Organ That's Essential to Your Health

If someone asked you to name your most important organs, you'd probably start with the heart and the brain. But there's another organ that's just as vital — the kidney.
Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located near your middle back. They're about the size of your fists and they have a very important job: to filter your blood. Every day, your kidneys filter about 120-150 quarts of blood to remove waste products, toxins, and excess water. They also help to regulate blood pressure, produce red blood cells, and make vitamin D.
Without healthy kidneys, you would quickly become very sick. Within a few days, waste products would build up in your blood and you would go into kidney failure. Dialysis or a kidney transplant would be necessary to save your life.
Most kidney problems are preventable. The best way to keep your kidneys healthy is to eat a healthy diet, get regular exercise, and avoid smoking. If you have any symptoms of kidney disease, such as back pain, fatigue, or swelling, see your doctor right away.
Here are some interesting facts about kidneys:

Your kidneys are part of your urinary system.
Each kidney has about 1 million filtering units called nephrons.
The average person produces about 2 quarts of urine per day.
Urine is mostly water, but it also contains waste products, toxins, and salt.
Kidneys help to regulate blood pressure by controlling the amount of fluid in the body.
Kidneys produce a hormone called erythropoietin that stimulates the production of red blood cells.
Kidneys help to make vitamin D, which is essential for bone health.

Your kidneys are amazing organs that play a vital role in your health. Take care of them and they will take care of you.