We begin with the kidneys, which lie like bean-shaped bookends, embedded fat and fibrous connective tissue, on either side of the spine at the base of th ribs. They’re located behind the pancreas and beneath the peritoneum, the large sheet of tissue lining the abdomen that encloses and protects the liver, stomach, and bowel.
The kidneys are reddish-brown, and they’re not mirror images. The left kidney tends to be slightly longer, narrower, and situated a little higher than the right, which occupies somewhat cramped quarters just below the liver. The kidneys, on average, are about five inches long, three inches wide, and an inch thick. They are highly vascular: Pound for pound, the kidney handles three to five times more blood than the heart, liver and brain. An amazing 25 percent of the blood from each heartbeat flows through them, and the kidneys cleanse the blood of toxic wastes, excess water and salts. They play a pivotal role in maintaining the body’s balance of fluids and electrolytes (minerals such as sodium, potassium and chloride), as well as the acid-base (pH) ratio in the body. They help metabolize vitamin D, which strengthens bones. They also manufacture renin, which helps regulate blood pressure; and erythropoietin, which regulates the body’s red blood cell count.
*5\201\8*
Related Posts:
Tags: Erectile Dysfunction, Men’s Health