Know your SoyBean

HEALTH

Kidney’s Many Roles:

1. Cleaning the blood-Everyday, our kidneys filter out about 2 quarts (1.89 L) of waste products and extra water from about 200 quarts (189 L) of blood.

2. Balancing water volume-depending on body size, adults generally have around 7-8L of blood in the body.

3. Producing red blood cells- The kidney produces a hormone called ‘erythropoietin’ (EPO), which promotes the formation of red blood cells in bone marrow when the certain cells in the kidney detects there is sudden changes in oxygen levels in the blood.

4. Regulating blood pressure.

5. Preserving bone strength-Healthy kidneys produce a type of vitamin D known as calcitriol. Calcitriol is an active form of vitamin D that promotes calcium absorption from food into blood and bones. It works with the parathyroid hormone to maintain a normal balance of calcium in the body. Hypertension is a major risk factor for chronic kidney diseases.

When Kidneys Fail Completely…

End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is when the kidneys fail to function. But, there are treatment options available. If a person’s kidneys stop working completely, the body fills up with extra water and waste products. This condition is called uraemia. Hands or feet may swell, and the person will feel tired and weak because the body needs clean blood to function properly.

Treatment?

1. Dialysis- There are 2 major types of dialysis:

a. Haemodialysis- uses a special filter called a dialyser that functions as an artificial kidney to clean the blood. The dialyser is a canister connected to a haemodialysis machine. Take about 3-4 hours each time.

b. Peritoneal Dialysis(PD)-A dialysis solution is introduced into the abdomen to capture waste products from blood. After a few hours, the fluid is drained through a catheter. A fresh bag of fluid is then dripped into the abdomen to continue the cleansing process.

*Continuous Ambulatory PD-patients are required to change the fluid 4x a day.

*Continuous Cycling PD-can be performed at night with a machine that drains and refills the abdomen automatically.

2. Transplantation- A denoted kidney may come from an anonymous or known person who recently died or from a living person, usually a relative. The kidney must be a good match for the patient’s body. The more the new kidney matches that of the person receiving it, the less likely the immune system will be rejected.