The kidneys perform multiple functions vital to survival. Most people are not aware of the many risk factors for kidney damage. Kidney damage can lead to chronic kidney disease and kidney failure. Over 26 million Americans have chronic kidney...
Most humans have two kidneys, vital organs that are a part of the urinary system. The kidneys filter wastes, keep a proper fluid balance in the body and help maintain blood pressure. They are susceptible to both sudden, acute damage and long-term...
The MayoClinic.com notes that signs of kidney damage may be nonspecific and mistaken for other illnesses. In many cases symptoms of kidney may not appear until irreversible damage has been sustained. Chronic medical conditions such as diabetes,...
Casein is one of the most commonly consumed proteins, making up anywhere from 70 to 80 percent of the protein found in milk. There are three or four different casein types in the milk of most mammal species, and these casein proteins play a...
Bodybuilders boast unrealistic bodies that are attributes to performance-enhancing drugs more than to a particular lifestyle. Such practices cause long-term health damage. Kidney damage is one of the most prevalent health risks of bodybuilding,...
The kidneys, a set of vital organs, function as filters by removing unwanted waste from the body in the form of urine. According to the National Kidney Foundation, these organs also control acid content and calcium metabolism, balance fluids and...
Unless an obvious cause exists, such as diabetes or hypertension, biopsy proves necessary to determine the cause of kidney damage. Imaging techniques such as electron microscopy and immunofluorescence studies have grown so much so that many cases...
A number of kidney diseases exist that cause damage to your kidneys, which can decrease your kidneys' ability to function properly. Over time, this damage results in a buildup of wastes that are toxic to your system, as stated by the National...
With over two-thirds of Americans overweight, popular diets like the Atkins diet claim to offer healthy solutions for controlling weight. Being overweight carries numerous health risks, including an increased chance of heart disease, high blood...
The kidneys are located on both sides of the body in the lower back region. They are responsible for filtering your blood and removing toxins to be excreted in the urine. In some cases, conditions like infections, kidney stones, and kidney disease...
Creatine is an amino acid produced naturally by the body, and it can also be obtained by eating certain foods, particularly meat and fish. Creatine is mainly located in muscle tissue, and is involved in creating the energy that muscles need to...
Advil is made by Wyeth, who advertises this product as "the every pain reliever." The Advil web site touts this product as relieving "headache, muscle aches, backache, and minor arthritis pain." Buried on the Advil web site is the following...
Your kidneys receive a large supply of blood per hour. They play important roles in regulating the composition of blood, such as the levels of water and electrolytes such as phosphate. Kidney damage interferes with kidney functioning and can lead...
More than 20 million Americans are reported to have some form of kidney disease and there are another 20 million individuals at risk, says the National Kidney Foundation. Along with conventional methods for treating kidney damage, a variety of...
Damage to the kidneys can result in a host of problems. Many of these problems stem from the damaged kidney's inability to maintain a proper supply of minerals, such as magnesium in the blood. Either abnormally high or low blood levels of...
Diet is an important part of treating kidney disease. While managing the intake of nutrients, such as thiamine, doesn't make the disease better, it does help manage the regulatory systems that go awry as kidney disease progresses. The National...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of 2009, there are at least 4.5 million American adults with some form of kidney disease. The kidneys have several responsibilities, including the production of the active form of...
Your kidneys perform the essential work of keeping your blood clean and chemically balanced. The most common causes of chronic damage to the kidneys are diabetes and high blood pressure. When your kidneys become damaged, they become less efficient...
Phosphorus makes up approximately 1 percent of your total body weight. Phosphorus, which is found in teeth and bones, is central to the production of ATP, the molecule that fuels the biochemical reactions that make life possible. Working with...
Patients with advanced kidney disease are often perplexed by their nephrologist's recommendation to avoid "dark sodas." As odd as this recommendation may sound, it is based on solid science. While not all dark sodas have to be avoided, some...
Caffeine consumed in moderation can lead to mild, stimulating effects that can help keep you temporarily more alert and awake; however; consuming more than 500 mg -- more than 5 cups of coffee -- a day can lead to side effects such as anxiety,...
Patients with advanced kidney disease are often given elaborate dietary guidelines. For example, patients are often told to avoid dark sodas, such as colas, and drink clear sodas instead. There are good common sense reasons for this kind of...
The liver and kidneys are vital organs necessary for the elimination of waste from the body. The kidneys allow the body to rid waste and excess fluid through urine while the liver helps metabolize food, medicine and toxins. The liver performs many...
Some promising but slim evidence suggests that taking high doses of thiamine may help prevent kidney disease in persons with diabetes. Very limited evidence points to the possibility of thiamine, or vitamin B1, reversing diabetes-related kidney...
In some patients, weight loss -- potentially combined with a general feeling of fatigue and ill health -- can represent the first sign they have of kidney damage. Since your kidneys contribute to so many functions in your body, you may simply find...
The National Kidney Foundation states that drugs can cause kidney problems. Abuse of street drugs like heroin and crack and misuse of over-the-counter analgesics can permanently damage kidneys. Various prescription drugs can also cause problems,...
Whey protein comes from cow's milk. The process of cow's milk being turned into cheese creates whey protein as a byproduct. Whey protein is a complete and high quality protein, with all the essential amino acids. Whey protein is a natural food...
Lauded for its crisp texture and nutritional abundance, raw spinach is a superstar among vegetables, containing compounds that may reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Despite its health perks, spinach also contains a type of...
As many as 25 percent of Americans over age 45 take cholesterol-lowering medications called statins, according to the April 2011 issue of the Harvard Health Letter. Although statins effectively reduce the cardiac risks of high cholesterol, the...
Kidney disease is caused by the kidney's shutting down due to damage from diabetes or high blood pressure. Learn about the best diet for kidney disease in this video.
Kidney infection or pyelonephritis is a specific type of urinary tract infection (UTI) that generally begins in your urethra or bladder and travels up into your kidneys. If not treated properly, kidney infection can permanently damage your...
Bladder stones are small masses of minerals that form in your bladder, the balloon-shaped organ in your pelvis that stores urine. Bladder stones, also called bladder calculi, often form when concentrated urine sits in your bladder. Bladder stones...
Strep throat, or streptococcal pharyngitis, is a moderately severe form of sore throat. Learn more about strep throat in this health video.
Bladder cancer can refer to any number of cancerous growths in the urinary bladder. Learn about bladder cancer and treatment options in this video.
