Cheers: At a festival in Eisleben, visitors toast with beer. What does the kidney think of this? Image: dpa
In millions of Germans, the kidneys no longer function optimally – and the symptoms are only recognized late. With an early diagnosis, however, good help can be provided – answers to the most frequently asked questions about the kidney.
Both of your kidneys are located in the upper back area of the abdomen. Strictly speaking: towards the spine in the flank area. They are surrounded by a capsule of fat and connective tissue. In their shape and indeed color they are reminiscent of kidney beans (which is why they are named after the English word for them) – only that the organs are much larger: in adults about ten to twelve centimeters long and six centimeters wide. Blood laden with waste products is carried into the kidneys through the renal artery. The renal vein ensures that the cleaned blood flows back into the circulatory system. Inside the kidney, the blood passes through a system of around one million filter units, the so-called nephrons. They do the real work of the kidneys.
What exactly are they doing?
Lucia Schmidt
Editor in the “Life” department of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sunday newspaper.
They have numerous tasks in the body – many of which one does not even suspect at first. The kidneys detoxify and drain the body. They are responsible for keeping the salt and acid-base balance in balance. They influence blood pressure in different ways, both hormonally and by controlling the water balance. In general, the kidneys are production sites for vital hormones such as renin and erythropoietin. The erythropoietin is known from the doping scene, it is responsible for the blood being able to transport enough oxygen through the body. The kidneys also influence bone metabolism. In it, vitamin D is converted in such a way that it can be used by the body. If the kidneys are not working properly, this can quickly lead to brittle bones, the so-called osteoporosis.