Why are the kidneys important? Your kidneys remove wastes and extra fluid from your body. Your kidneys also remove acid that is produced by the cells of your body and maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals such as sodium, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium in your blood.

 

The kidneys are powerful chemical factories that perform the following functions:

 

-remove waste products from the body

-remove drugs from the body

-balance the body's fluids

-release hormones that regulate blood pressure

-produce an active form of vitamin D that promotes -strong, healthy bones

-control the production of red blood cells