What do they do?
Kidneys help flush out all of the waste products in our blood. Most people are born with two healthy kidneys, but you can live well with just one.
The kidneys act as big filters, taking the waste out of your blood and flush it out in wee (urine). Kidneys are really important to keep your body healthy.
Kidneys also help:
- Keep your blood pressure normal
- Keep your bones and muscles strong
- Make new blood.
If both of your kidneys aren’t working you can become very sick needing specialist help.
How do they work?
All of your blood goes through the kidneys over ten times each hour. The kidneys filter out extra fluid, extra salt and waste from your blood turning it into wee.
Healthy wee is a clear, pale yellow colour. If the wee is dark and smelly, it can be a sign you need to drink more water, if it doesn’t go back to being pale after a while you will need to get it checked by your doctor.
