Kidney Questions Answered in Plain Language

Your kidneys do much more than make urine. They filter your blood, balance your fluids, control blood pressure, and support bone and red blood cell health. But how exactly do they do all this?

This page is your one-stop resource for understanding how the kidneys work—one question at a time. Whether you are curious about how much urine is normal, what kidneys remove from the blood, or what happens with only one kidney, you will find simple, science-backed answers here.

Each topic below links to a short article that explains one key question in plain language. These articles are designed for anyone to understand—no medical background needed.

As new articles are published, they will be added to the list below. Bookmark this page and check back often for the latest updates.

• What do the kidneys do in the human body?
• How do the kidneys filter blood?
• Where are the kidneys located in the body?
• Can you live a normal life with one kidney?
• How much urine do healthy kidneys produce in a day?
• What waste products do kidneys remove?
• How do kidneys control blood pressure?
• What is GFR and what does it tell you?
• How many nephrons are in each kidney?
• What is the role of kidneys in balancing body fluids?