Get to Know Your Kidneys: 37 Million Reasons to Protect Them
Author : Strive Health
Today, there are 37 million Americans living with kidney disease.
Behind that number are individuals — parents, caregivers, coworkers, neighbors — whose health depends on two small organs that rarely get attention.
Your kidneys work around the clock to filter waste, balance fluids and support your heart, blood and blood pressure. When they function well, you do not notice them. When they kidney function declines, the effects ripple across your entire body.
What Do Your Kidneys Actually Do?
Your kidneys are two small, bean-shaped organs located just below your rib cage, on either side of your spine. Each one is the size of a fist, but their impact is anything but small.
Their primary job is to filter waste and excess fluid from your blood, turning it into urine. In fact, your kidneys filter about 200 quarts of fluid every day (enough to fill a bathtub) quietly removing toxins and keeping your body in balance.
But filtering waste is only part of the story. Your kidneys also:
- Help regulate blood pressure
- Maintain healthy levels of minerals like sodium and potassium
- Produce hormones that support red blood cell production
- Help keep your bones strong
Every kidney contains about one million tiny filtering units called nephrons, which work around the clock to keep your body functioning normally.
You Can Live with One Kidney, But Protecting It Matters
One surprising fact about kidney health: you can live a full, healthy life with just one kidney. Some people are born with a single kidney, while others donate a kidney or lose one due to injury or disease. The remaining kidney can adapt and take on the workload.
But that adaptability doesn’t mean kidneys are invincible. When kidney function declines, the body compensates until it can’t anymore. That’s why protecting kidney health early is so important, especially for people who may already be at higher risk.
Who Is at Risk for Kidney Disease?
Kidney disease doesn’t have a single cause, but certain factors increase risk significantly.
These include:
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Being age 60 or older
- Obesity
- A family history of kidney disease
- Belonging to communities that experience higher rates of CKD, including Black, Hispanic, American Indian, Alaska Native, Pacific Islander and some Asian populations
Because symptoms often don’t appear until kidney damage is advanced, routine screening and early detection are critical.
Signs Your Kidneys May Need Attention
Kidney disease symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for other health issues.
Some signs to talk to your provider about include:
- Swelling in the face, hands, ankles or feet
- Foamy or bloody urine
- Changes in urination, including pain or difficulty
- Persistent fatigue
- Puffiness around the eyes
- Increased thirst
If you notice these symptoms, or if you’re at higher risk, asking for kidney testing can make a meaningful difference.
A Simple Test Can Reveal a Lot
Two common tests help providers understand how well your kidneys are working:
- A blood creatinine test, which estimates how efficiently your kidneys are filtering waste
- A urine test, which checks for protein leakage, an early sign of kidney damage
These tests are quick, routine and often part of regular lab work. Yet many people aren’t screened until later stages of disease, when options become more limited.
Why Kidney Health Is About More Than Kidneys
Kidney disease doesn’t exist in isolation. When kidneys aren’t functioning well, the risk of heart disease, hospitalization and other complications increases. As kidney disease progresses, treatment options become more intensive, often involving dialysis or transplant.
That’s why kidney care is shifting toward earlier intervention, coordinated support and prevention-focused models to identify risk sooner and help people stay healthier longer.
37 Million Reasons to Rethink Kidney Care
The 37 million Americans living with kidney disease aren’t statistics. They’re people, living active lives, raising families, building careers and managing multiple health priorities at once.
Kidney health deserves the same attention we give to heart health, diabetes and cancer screening. Understanding how your kidneys work, recognizing risk factors and advocating for early testing can change the trajectory of kidney disease, often before it becomes life-altering.
This National Kidney Month, take a moment to appreciate the organs that work tirelessly for you.
- Ask your provider about kidney screening if you are at risk.
- Learn your numbers.
- Stay proactive.
Because kidney health shapes overall health.
And there are 37 million reasons to get it right.
Source: National Kidney Foundation, Kidney.org
