A dietitian, Motunrayo Oduneye, says increased water intake improves kidney function and can also prevent kidney diseases.
Oduneye, an Assistant Chief Dietitian at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, made the assertion on Thursday in Ibadan while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
The wikipedia says “the kidneys are two reddish-brown bean-shaped organs found in vertebrates.
“They are located on the left and right in the retroperitoneal space, and in adult humans are about 12 centimetres (41⁄2 inches) in length.
“They receive blood from the paired renal arteries; blood exits into the paired renal veins”.
According to Oduneye, there is evidence which supports that increased water intake will protect the kidney and help the kidneys function optimally.
The dietitian said that keeping the urine clear helps to stop waste products getting too concentrated and forming stones in the kidney.
“For instance, drinking more water is an effective therapy for preventing kidney stones.
“Kidney stones can form in people who don’t drink enough water on a daily basis.
“You can tell how diluted your urine is by looking at its colour. The darker your urine is, the more concentrated it is.
“Also, those who consume excessive salt and protein can have kidney stones.
“So, increased water intake helps to clear sodium and urea from the body,” she told NAN.
The dietitian said that concentrated urine was an evidence that one could be dehydrated or not taking enough water.
“Under conditions of low hydration, the kidneys produce more concentrated urine.
“Mild dehydration can make you feel tired, and can impair normal bodily functions.
“Severe dehydration can lead to kidney damage, so it is important to drink enough when you work or exercise very hard, and especially in warm and humid weather,” she said.
Oduneye said that unhealthy lifestyle and poor eating habits increase the risk of chronic kidney diseases.
She said while drinking at least eight glasses of water a day was recommended, some people would need more than eight glasses of water daily. (NAN)
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