Tag: Kidneys

According to research from the Cleveland Clinic, a healthy person's urine is 91% to 96% water. While a small percentage of urine is made up of electrolytes and other compounds, this does not mean that pee is an electrolyte source suitable for consumption. Debunking the dangerous myth of drinking pee for hydration is crucial for public health.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global mean intake of sodium is more than double the recommended amount. This widespread overconsumption often leads people to wonder: can you counteract sodium intake with water? The answer is more nuanced than a simple 'yes' or 'no', and depends heavily on the extent of your sodium intake and overall health.

As the second most abundant electrolyte in the body after sodium, chloride plays a crucial role in maintaining overall health. It is found in all body fluids and is primarily consumed through table salt, or sodium chloride. The functions of chloride range from helping to control the balance of fluids to supporting nerve and muscle cell action.

According to research, the consumption of about four alcoholic drinks can cause the body to eliminate up to four times as much water as it provides, which is why does alcohol lead to dehydration. This article breaks down the physiological mechanisms behind this process, from hormonal interference to electrolyte imbalance.

Over 97% of the Earth's water is saltwater, but humans cannot consume it for hydration. The reason why humans can't drink salt water from the ocean lies in our biological makeup, specifically the way our kidneys process sodium, which makes consuming it extremely dangerous and counterproductive for hydration.

Most people know that sunlight helps the body create vitamin D, but the form produced isn't immediately active; it requires a two-step activation process. A fascinating two-step process is required, with the final and most crucial conversion happening in a specific organ, revealing exactly which vitamin D is produced by the kidneys for physiological use.

The human body is about 60% water, but this critical balance can be disrupted by excessive fluid intake, leading to a condition known as overhydration. This raises a key question: does drinking too much water wash away minerals, and what are the potential health risks?

Unlike water-soluble vitamins that are easily flushed out through urine, fat-soluble vitamins behave very differently in the body. Understanding how do you excrete fat-soluble vitamins requires looking beyond the kidneys to a more complex system involving bile production and storage in fatty tissues. This unique metabolic pathway is why excessive intake can sometimes lead to toxicity, as the body struggles to eliminate the surplus.

Over 90% of dietary protein is broken down into its amino acid building blocks, not stored, illustrating the body's highly efficient digestive and metabolic systems. This complex process is carried out by multiple organs, and understanding what organs are proteins broken down in reveals the journey of this essential macronutrient from your plate to your cells.

All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they dissolve in water and are not stored in the body, with one exception. This is why the body will pee out any excess amount, often resulting in a harmless change in urine color.