WHAT THEY DO
THE KIDNEYS HAVE a few important jobs, but primarily they're waste-removal experts. Inside your kidneys, blood passes through filtering units called nephrons. The nephrons remove excess nutrients like salts and potassium and send them to the bladder to be peed out.
HOW TO KNOW IF THEY'RE OKAY OR NOT
YOU CAN HAVE pretty advanced kidney problems without any symptoms, says Blaise Abramovitz, D.O., a nephrologist with the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Mercy Hospital.
If waste buildup and high blood pressure reduce these organs' function, you can end up with fatigue, shortness of breath, and swelling, especially in the feet and ankles. Kidney decline is often permanent, leading to the need for dialysis or an organ transplant. That's why two blood tests-one for creatinine and another for eGFR-are crucial steps in any diagnosis:
CREATININE is a waste product of muscle metabolism that your kidneys should filter out of your blood; this test measures the remainder. A high number (above 1.35 mg/dL for men) is bad. If you have a lot of muscle or take creatine, your blood may undergo other tests that account for this.
This story is from the September - October 2024 edition of Men's Health US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September - October 2024 edition of Men's Health US.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE BOYS (MOSTLY) ARE ALRIGHT
STAT AFTER STAT says boys are in crisis, with lower grades, worse life skills, and higher rates of death by overdose and suicide. But a view from the front lines says not so fast.
THE SPORTS DOCUMENTARY REVOLUTION IS UPON US
Filmmakers with access to teams and players are churning out athlete-centric streaming content. But is it all worth watching?
THE NEW(-ISH) FIGHT OVER FLUORIDE
What to know about the controversial mineral in your water and toothpaste.
JAYLEN BROWN
The Celtics guard doesn’t put in four-a-day workouts just to win championships.
YOUR BRAIN ON CREATINE
The supplement was once stigmatized as a pseudo-steroid for bodybuilders. Now it's being marketed as a brain health must-have that some experts say is more important than a multivitamin.
THE ART OF BODY RECOMPOSITION
Yes, you can LOSE FAT and BUILD MUSCLE at the same time. The key: A NEW KIND OF PLAN that leverages the latest GYM AND NUTRITION SCIENCE—and sets you up for future success.
WE CLIMB HIGHER
WHEN WE CLIMB TOGETHER
TRANSFORMATIONS 2025 READY.SET.GO!
LOSE FAT. GAIN MUSCLE. ESCAPE ADDICTION.| Over five years, comedian and actor LIL REL HOWERY changed how he looks. But the biggest changes were on the inside.
GOOD SOBER FUN
IT'S NOT JUST TOM HOLLAND AND BERO. A NEW GENERATION OF N/A BEERS, MOCKTAIL BARS, AND ALCOHOL-FREE GETAWAYS ARE MAKING THE WHOLE BEING SOBER (OR SOBER-ISH!) THING EASIER AND MORE EXCITING THAN EVER.
ANOTHER ROUND FOR THE RIZZ MASTER
The Marvel bosses see it. The Internet sees it.
