Know your amazing kidneys and give it a proper water TREAT

All we know we have a pair of kidneys along the vertebral column at mid-level which are cushioned by heavy fat. I am using "amazing kidneys" because kidneys are the most complicated filter anybody can imagine. It is not only a filter but also a complicated drainage system. It regulates 180 liter of fluid each day, e.g., 64800 liter per year. If you are 50 year old, imagine it has done some 3240000 liter by this time and add 648000 for every 10 year.

Let’s have a look at its structure:

Nephron is the single functioning unit responsible for this system. We have got 1 million in each kidney. Wait wait….I am not here to teach you anatomy and physiology of the kidney. What I mean to say is, you have to be very much careful about this machine. You need to take proper care as it demands.

As we know, the basic way of cleaning any drainage system is to flush regularly with adequate water. This remains truth for your kidneys as well. You need to flush this system on daily basis. Quite often you may have heard about taking plenty of fluid to keep your kidney well-functioning. BUT I disagree… I disagree with the term ‘PLENTY’. To me, the word plenty should be replaced by ADEQUATE. Because plenty does not always mean adequate. Say for example, you need 2-2.5 liter fluid per day to maintain adequate hydration and proper drainage. If you take 10 liter a day, you are embarrassing the system which might led to certain problem. I am not sure, whether you have heard the term “WATER INTOXICATION/POISONING”! Too much water intake causes this fatal neurological event (if you are taking too rapidly).

Moreover, excess water burdens the work load of kidney and causes diluted urine formation and some changes in body salt (sodium). National Kidney foundation uses a better and interesting term “water wise.” This actually means, right amount of water according to body demand of the individuals.

Many a times when you visit a patients/relative suffering from kidney disease, you will see doctor has restricted fluid to a fixed amount. This is because, diseased kidney usually fails to drain water according to your need. As a result there is logging of fluid in the body leading puffiness and swelling.

Another issue, I would like to mention about “proper hydration.” The exact amount of fluid your body needs to maintain optimum balance in the body. Like water intoxication, “dehydration” may also led to kidney problem and most fatal part is acute kidney injury (AKI). So, optimization of the fluid should be based on individuals demand and built. That is height, weight, body surface area and body mass index (BMI).

In a nutshell, you have to decide according to your built and the appropriate “water treat” for keeping your kidney functioning well.

References:

1.    J Clin Pathol. 2003 Oct; 56(10): 803–804. doi: 10.1136/jcp.56.10.803-a

2.    J. Physiol. (I957) I39, 42-52

3. https://www.kidney.org/content/6-tips-be-water-wise-healthy-kidneys