ROLE OF THE KIDNEYS

Your kidneys cleanse your blood as it passes through their many capillaries (small blood vessels), removing waste and producing urine so the waste can be removed from the body. They also produce the hormone called erythropoietin which is crucial for normal red blood cell production. Erythropoietin stimulates the bone marrow to manufacture red blood cells. If your kidneys fail to produce adequate amounts of erythropoietin, the bone marrow doesn't receive the signals, the red cells are not produced properly and anaemia can develop. Many people with kidney disease develop anaemia because their kidneys produce inadequate amounts of erythropoietin.