The kidneys perform several important functions that are vital to maintaining a healthy body. They produce vitamin D, which is needed for bone health. They secrete a hormone that increases the production of red blood cells. The kidneys eliminate...
L-arginine is one of the 20 amino acids that your body uses to make proteins and enzymes. You get arginine from the foods that you eat, and your body can also synthesize it from an alternative amino acid called L-citrulline. While rare, L-arginine...
Inflammation is a complex biological response of the immune cells and chemicals against foreign particles and pathogens. However, when your immune cells act against your own tissues and organs, it may lead to inflammatory autoimmune diseases such...
One way in which the kidneys maintain blood pressure is through the regulation of the volume of blood in the body. As the American Heart Association explains, one of the major roles of the kidneys is maintaining the proper levels of electrolytes...
The Kidney Institute at the University of Kansas School of Medicine explains that one of the functions of the urinary system is to eliminate waste products from metabolism and drugs. Normal body metabolism produces byproducts, such as urea, which...
Watermelon hydrates your body and enables your kidneys to filter out wastes and toxins from your body. Watermelon also contains substances that play a role in kidney function and prevention of certain types of kidney disease. Consult your doctor...
Your kidneys act as filters flushing wastes from the body. Your kidneys are two bean-shaped organs located in the upper portion of the lower back on either side of the spine. Kidney disease results when the filtering units of the kidneys, the...
Through its action on calcium, vitamin D has a direct bearing on the function of muscles everywhere, so deficiency can contribute to muscle problems located anywhere in your body. However there is evidence that the muscles of the lower back may be...
IVU stands for intravenous urogram and is also known as intravenous pyelogram (IVP). The examination is a diagnostic system and primary imagining procedure that locates your kidneys, uterus and bladder and discover there sizes. It also checks for...
Almost every food you eat has at least some potassium in it. Even tap water contains potassium. Despite being surrounded by potassium, most people don't have hyperkalemia, or high potassium levels, because the kidneys excrete any excess into the...
The bladder is an organ in your body that stores urine. A high acidity level in your bladder usually means that your urine is acidic. You may be at risk of developing kidney stones if your urine is too acidic. Certain vitamins may help to...
Not all kidney failures need a low-protein diet because not all kidney failures are alike. Kidney failure arising from chronic kidney disease requires adjustment in protein intake depending on the stage. The earlier stages of chronic kidney...
Glucose is a carbohydrate found in most foods that your body uses for energy. Its levels in your blood are tightly regulated by hormones, including insulin and glucagon. All of your glucose is eventually filtered by your kidneys and reabsorbed...
Inflammatory bowel syndrome is a set of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It causes the gastrointestinal tract, or gut, to become inflamed, resulting in poor nutrient absorption, diarrhea and vomiting. The cause of inflammatory bowel...
The decreased atmospheric pressure at high altitudes reduces the oxygen pressure gradient between your lungs and your blood, making it difficult to absorb enough oxygen to support cellular aerobic respiration. Under these conditions, your tissues...
Your kidneys are comparable to a set of advanced multifunctional machines. They regulate your blood pressure, maintain your body's water volume, release essential hormones and, most importantly, filter about 200 qts. of blood every day and remove...
Hyperglycemia, or high blood sugar, is a potentially serious health condition affecting individuals with diabetes. Hyperglycemia can trigger a severe depletion of potassium, a mineral that serves many critical functions in the human body....
Like many nutrients, potassium provides both health benefits and risks, depending on your intake. The negative effects might be temporary, or they can result in damage to your body. Part of the reason lies in the unique nature of potassium. It is...
Sodium deficiency, also known as hyponatremia, is when the levels of sodium in the blood are dangerously low. Normal levels of sodium in the blood are important for maintaining blood pressure and for nerve and muscle cells to function correctly....
Vitamin D may be used in the treatment of hyperparathyroidism and hypercalcemia; the rationale for this therapeutic approach lies in the physiology of parathyroid hormone and calcium. Always consult with your physician when considering taking...
Clinical data suggest that curcumin may have anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects, which has renewed scientific interest in its potential for helping to prevent and treat a number of diseases. Elevation of arterial blood pressure,...
When your body metabolizes fructose, it does so in a way different from how it breaks down other sugars. The result is an increase in the chemical uric acid, which could have serious health consequences at high levels that could include obesity,...
The much-maligned high-fructose corn syrup is a major suspect in the development of many health problems. Evidence is mounting that the consumption of high amount of fructose may trigger problems that can ultimately lead to chronic kidney failure....
Malnutrition and high serum potassium levels often occur together. Although there is a relationship between the two, malnutrition doesn't cause high potassium levels. Treating high serum potassium levels can cause malnutrition. Both are...
The kidneys are paired organs in the lower back. They have many functions in the body. Some of these include releasing hormones to signal red blood cell growth, regulate blood pressure, mineral balance and fluid balance. They filter blood to make...
Healthy kidneys help eliminate waste and maintain proper fluid volume and electrolyte balance in your body. Your protein intake should not significantly affect blood flow to your kidneys if your kidneys are working properly, but in some cases,...
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...
Casein protein is the primary protein found in milk, and is essential for human growth and development. It contains all of the essential amino acids your body needs and cannot synthesize on its own. According to the Protein...
According to a 2009 survey by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 4.5 million Americans suffer from a diagnosed kidney disease. This alarming number may drive home the importance of proper nutrition with regards to...
