Kidney Function, Parts of the Kidney, and How to Maintain Kidney Health

Do you already know about the function of the kidneys in your body? It should be noted, in the body of every human being there is a kidney as one of the supporting and important organs in supporting life.

In general, there are two kidney organs in the human body. This organ will then support various metabolic systems in the body so that they can run properly. Therefore, kidney function in the body is very important.

The location of the kidney organ itself is at the bottom of the rib cage at the back of the human body. Even though the size is only the size of a human fist, the kidney is an organ that must be maintained for its existence and health.

The reason is, if the organ is disturbed or damaged, then the metabolism in the body will also be disturbed. As a result, other organs of the body will also be affected.

So, what exactly is the function of the kidney itself? Curious? To find out more about this, see the following review. Come on, get to know the function of the kidneys, one of the important organs of the body.

 

What are Kidneys?

Kidney is one of the organs in the human body. This organ has a bean-like shape with a length of about 10 to 12 cm. With such a size, it is not uncommon for this organ to be analogous to the size of an adult’s fist.

The location of this kidney organ is under the back of the human rib cage. It is also located close to the middle of the back on both sides of the spine.

The kidney is one of the organs with the most vital function in supporting human life. Just like the lungs, the kidneys also have two parts that are connected to each other. The parts of the kidney are the right and the left. In other words, the kidneys are a pair of human organs.

Inside this bean-shaped organ, there are approximately one million nephrons that work on metabolism at all times. The nephrons contained in the kidney organ consist of a blood filter with a very very small size. With a fairly small organ size and a very complex arrangement of nephrons, the kidneys still have an important role for human health.

The main task of the kidneys is to filter blood flow. Every day, this organ is even able to filter about 200 liters of blood. Therefore, if kidney function is disturbed or has problems, there will be many other problems that occur in a person’s body.

Recognize Kidney Function

As mentioned above, the main function of the kidneys is to filter the blood flow in a person’s body. With a very large number of nephrons, this organ is able to filter up to 200 liters of blood per day.

On the other hand, the kidneys can also have another function as a converter of vitamin D in the body. This organ will help supply vitamins throughout the body. In addition, regulating the balance between acids and bases in the body is also the main function of the kidneys themselves, you know .

 

Here are some kidney functions that you need to know. Check this out !

1. Controlling the balance of water in the body

The first function of the kidneys that must be known is to control the balance of water levels in the body. The kidneys will monitor the availability of water in the body and make sure that all the tissues in the body have received enough water so that they can still work very well.

In addition, the kidneys will also react if there is a change in water levels in a person’s body. When water intake is detected to be reduced and shows signs of dehydration, the kidneys are able to retain water so that not much is wasted. It is this kidney function that helps humans not to become dehydrated when they lack fluids.

2. Filter and dispose of waste in the body

The next function of the kidneys is to filter and dispose of waste that is no longer needed in the body. The waste contained in the human body itself consists of toxic substances, excess salt levels, and excess levels of minerals and water.

In addition, the kidneys also have the function of removing urea waste or nitrogen-containing waste produced from protein metabolism in the body. The formed urea will then be transported by the blood to the kidneys. After that, urea will be excreted from the body through urine or feces.

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Blood is responsible for draining all types of waste into the kidneys to be filtered and then discarded. This waste will later be converted into urine and collected in the renal pelvis before finally being excreted from the body.

Kidneys have a very important role in health. If the kidney is impaired, it will also affect other systems and organs. The reason is, if there are no kidneys, then the waste and toxic substances from the rest of the metabolism can accumulate in the blood and cause various health problems.

3. Regulating salt levels and blood pressure

Regulating salt levels and blood pressure in the body is another function of the kidneys. As a process, the kidneys will produce the enzyme renin which will then play a role in regulating salt levels and blood pressure. When filtering blood, this enzyme is what will help to stabilize blood flow and pressure in the body so that it remains normal and according to what is needed by the kidneys.

4. Regulate the circulation of red blood cells

Every blood circulation that occurs in the body, always requires sufficient oxygen. When a person’s body does not get the supply of oxygen it needs, the kidneys will help by releasing a hormone called erythropoietin .

This hormone will then stimulate the production of more red blood cells and be able to meet the oxygen levels the body needs. If the level of oxygen or red blood cells is fulfilled, then this hormone will also stop producing.

 

5. Filter blood

As previously explained, the kidneys have an important role in filtering blood in the body. When the kidneys work to filter the blood, electrolytes and various proteins will also be filtered and re-absorbed by the body.

Then, for waste or waste substances will be changed and excreted in the form of urine. The urine will flow through the ureters and be carried to the bladder before finally being discharged as urine. If kidney function is impaired, the excess protein will be excreted through the urine, this is what requires further examination from a doctor.

6. Activate vitamin D

Previously, it was mentioned that the kidneys also have a function to regulate or activate vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D is a vitamin that is needed for bone health and helps maintain the balance of chemicals in the body.

7. Regulating acid-base in the blood

The acid-base or pH content in normal human blood has a fairly small difference, which is in the range of 7.35 to 7.45. If the pH gets lower, then the blood will turn into acidosis or a condition in which the blood is increasingly acidic. Vice versa, if the blood pH is higher, the blood will turn alkaline or also known as alkalosis.

So it can be concluded, if the acid-base balance in the body is very important. It is intended that the metabolic processes that occur in each cell can run normally.

Existing Parts of the Kidney

After discussing kidney function, you also need to know the parts contained in this vital organ. When grouped or classified, the kidney in the human body actually consists of three parts, namely the renal cortex, renal pelvis, and renal medulla. The explanation of the three sections is as follows.

1. Renal cortex

The renal cortex is the outermost part of the kidney itself and is surrounded or protected by the kidney capsule. In this section, it will usually be surrounded by a layer of fat. It is useful as a protector of the inner kidney structure from damage on the outside.

2. Renal medulla

Actually, the renal medulla is the smallest structure that contains the tubules and nephrons. The renal medulla is also further divided into two parts, which are named the renal pyramids and loops of Henle.

The function of the tubules in the renal medulla is to transport fluid into the kidney and carry urine out of the kidney. As for the nephrons, their function is to take blood, metabolize nutrients, and help the kidneys excrete waste that has been filtered and is no longer used by the body.

3. Renal pelvis

The last part of the kidney is the renal pelvis. The pelvis is the deepest part of the kidney organ which has a funnel-like shape. This section is useful as a temporary container to collect urine and as a pathway for fluid transfer from the kidney to the bladder. Then, urine that is no longer needed by the body will flow into the ureters to be excreted out of the body.

How to Maintain Healthy Kidney Function

As previously explained, the kidneys have a very important role in maintaining body stability and supporting human life. Therefore, we need to maintain kidney health so that it continues to function as it should.

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It is only natural that we maintain and maintain healthy kidney function. Because, if the kidney is experiencing problems and damage, other organs of the body will also be affected. Of course, prevention is better than we have to treat later on.

Even though they have to take good care of kidney function, there are still many people who don’t know how to maintain it. Here are some ways you can do to maintain kidney health.

1. Drink more water

The first and easiest way to treat kidney health is to have enough fluid intake. Things that can be done to meet the body’s need for fluids include drinking plenty of water.

If there is sufficient fluid in the body, the process of filtering blood in the kidneys will run more smoothly. The reason is, in addition to maintaining fluid stability, drinking water is also needed to support one of the main kidney functions, which is to cleanse the remaining toxins in the body.

2. No smoking

Indirectly, smoking can impede the distribution of blood to various body tissues, including the kidneys. This can occur due to damage to blood vessels due to smoking habits.

3. Set a diet

Having a healthy diet is one of the keys to maintaining and caring for a healthy body, including the health of the kidneys. This is because most of the triggers for kidney disease come from high blood pressure and diabetes which are also caused by unhealthy foods.

To have a healthy diet, you can start by reducing the consumption of salt and glucose in food, especially processed foods and fast food. Apart from that, you can also start by consuming low-sugar menus, such as whole wheat, fish, and cabbage.

4. Exercise regularly

By doing regular exercise, you can maintain a healthy body so that you still have stable or normal blood pressure. This is because blood pressure that is too high can increase the risk of developing various types of diseases, including damage to the kidneys.

In addition to maintaining blood pressure stability, by diligently exercising, you will also make it easier for the body to control the body’s glucose and cholesterol levels. The reason is, if the body does not manage to control the three major components, then the potential and risk of a person getting kidney disease will be even greater.

5. Regulate blood sugar

The risk of damage and kidney failure is actually higher than in people with diabetes. This is none other than because insulin levels in the body of diabetics are too low, making blood sugar unable to be utilized optimally as energy.

If blood sugar is not used properly, then blood sugar must be wasted in the urine. Wasting blood sugar in vain will make the kidneys work harder to filter the blood and lead to complications in the kidneys.

6. Maintain weight

Maintaining body weight and having an ideal weight is certainly a dream for everyone. Besides being able to make a person more confident in terms of appearance, maintaining an ideal body weight is also very good for the health of the organs, especially the kidneys.

One of the benefits of maintaining body weight is to reduce the risk of damage to kidney function. Because, if a person’s weight exceeds the ideal number, then the blood pressure in the body will also increase so that it has a negative impact on kidney health.

Conclusion

The kidney is one of the organs of the body that has a vital and important function to support human life. This organ has a bean-like shape with a size of about 10 to 12 cm. Located under the back ribs and close to the middle of the back, the size of the kidneys is often analogous to the size of an adult’s fist.

Kidneys have a very important role to maintain the stability of the body’s metabolic system. The functions of the kidneys in the human body include controlling the balance of water levels, filtering and disposing of metabolic waste residue, regulating the circulation of red blood cells, and so on.

Seeing the very important function of the kidneys, it is only natural that we maintain and care for the health of these organs. One way or effort that can be done to maintain healthy kidney function is to drink more water and exercise regularly.

If the kidneys are healthy, then kidney function will work well. Conversely, if kidney function is disturbed, the body’s metabolism will not run normally and lead to various damage or disease in other organs of the body.

Well, that’s a discussion about kidney function for #FriendsWithoutLimits. Let’s love and care for our organs so that they are always healthy and strong.

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Author: Raden Putri