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For many years, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has listed kidney disease as one of the top 10 causes of death by disease in the United States. Kidney disease also plays a significant role in hypertension and diabetes, two other diseases also included on the CDC's list of top ten causes of death each year. End-stage renal (kidney) disease (ESRD) is growing at a rate of 4-8% each year in the United States. Someone with advanced ESRD may require either therapeutic or regular dialysis, or both, and may eventually require a kidney transplant. When kidney function is reduced to 10-15% or less, dialysis is started in ESRD patients. Sometimes ESRD patients are placed on a waiting list for a kidney transplant.
According to statistics compiled by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (NIDDK 2001), kidney conditions such as inflammation, kidney stones, and cancer affected over 2.5 million persons; ESRD affected 424 179 people; polycystic kidney diseases affected 600 000 people; and other urinary conditions such as kidney infections, bladder infections, and cystitis affected millions more, costing billions of dollars in medical care funded by public and private individuals (NCHS 1999; Grantham 2000; USRDS 2001).
Due to the limited scope of this protocol, we will briefly describe some of the more common kidney disorders and treatments. However, two conditions will be described in greater detail: autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and kidney stones. ADKPD is a common human genetic disease, resulting in many cases of ESRD, and eventually the need for kidney transplantation. Kidney stones affect approximately 10% of the United States population at some point in their lives (LaPorte 1990). Unfortunately, about 60% of persons with a kidney stone will develop another stone. In statistics reported by the NIDDK, urinary stones accounted for over 1.3 million physician visits in 1997 (NIDDK 2001b).
Attention to overall kidney health is essential. If you have healthy kidneys, take care of them. Educate yourself about how to do this. We will provide information in the paragraphs that follow to assist you in being proactive in maintaining healthy kidneys. If you have a condition (eg, diabetes or hypertension) that poses a threat to your kidneys, seek a qualified medical professional to treat and control these conditions. Carefully follow monitoring and treatment advice. Information will also be provided to assist in supporting kidneys that have already sustained damage.
http://www.lef.org/protocols/kidney_urinary/kidney_health_01.htm
Kidney Function
Kidneys are bean-shaped organs that act as sophisticated filters to remove organic waste products from the blood and then excrete these products, along with excess salt and water, from the body through the urine. We are normally born with two kidneys located on either side of the lower back, just below the rib cage. Kidneys are such incredibly well-functioning organs that only one normal, healthy kidney is required for good health. Each kidney is 4-5 inches long, weighs about 6 ounces, and contains about 1 million nephrons (ie, the working units of the kidney responsible for waste removal) (NIDDK 1998). As part of our normal aging process, kidney function diminishes as the number of functional nephrons is reduced.
Kidneys play a role in controlling the acid-base balance in the body and helping to control blood pressure. Another function of the kidneys is to produce hormones such as erythropoietin, which regulates the production and release of red blood cells from bone marrow.
Each day, kidneys filter approximately 200 quarts of blood, producing about 2 quarts of waste products and water (NIDDK 1998). The waste products and excess water pass from the kidneys, through the ureters (tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), and into the bladder where they are briefly stored before being eliminated as liquid waste via the urine. Filtered waste products include normal organic material from the breakdown of cells, proteins, excess food by-products, and various minerals, as well as individual waste excretions from cells of the body. Alcohol, drugs, excess protein, minerals, and ingested toxins are also filtered by the kidneys. These toxic agents can have a dramatic, destructive effect on the health and function of the kidneys.
The rate of blood flow through the kidneys is about 20% of the total blood pumped by the heart each minute (UNH Health Services 2012).
Kidney function is often measured by using routine blood and urine tests to indicate gross problems. These tests measure creatinine levels, possible blood in the urine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), proteinuria (protein in the urine), and mineral content, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, oxalic acid, and other elements. If blood or urine tests indicate improper kidney function, additional testing using conventional x-rays, needle biopsy, ultrasound, computed tomography scan (CT scan), or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is indicated (NORD 2002).
http://www.lef.org/protocols/kidney_urinary/kidney_health_02.htm
