The kidneys are powerful organs that play a vital role in keeping the human body healthy. What’s more, they perform not just one but three essential functions in our bodies.

First, they regulate the amount of water in our systems. Our bodies need just the right amount of water to work properly and the kidneys remove excess water that we don’t need or retain the water that we do need.

They eliminate wastes and toxins. For our bodies to function properly, we need to maintain the right mix of minerals and other substances in our blood and fluids. The kidneys help eliminate excess amounts of minerals such as sodium, potassium and phosphorus, as well as wastes such as urea (a result of protein breaking down) and acids.

The phenomenal work of the kidneys doesn’t stop there. They also produce hormones that help regulate blood pressure, produce red blood cells, and control the calcium balance in our bodies.

Kidneys are two small organs located just below the ribcage on either side of the spine. The two kidneys filter about 120 litres of blood a day, producing 1 to 2 litres of urine, which is made up of wastes and extra fluid.

A small tube called the ureter extends from each kidney down to the bladder; the ureters carry urine to the bladder, where it is held until the person is ready to eliminate it.

Each kidney is made up of about a million nephrons, which do the blood filtering work to rid the body of wastes and toxins. The nephrons send minerals the body needs back into the bloodstream and eliminate the wastes the body does not need.