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DR. SAM STEA, MD Approximately 26 million American adults have chronic kidney disease and millions of others are at risk but may not know it. Kidney disease is often called the “silent killer,” because it has no symptoms until the advanced stage of the disease. In fact, one in nine Americans has chronic kidney disease and are unaware that they have it, because they do not feel ill. Function of the Kidneys The kidneys help our bodies remove wastes, fluids, and toxins; regulate the body’s supply of water and certain chemicals in the blood (such as calcium, sodium, and potassium); and release hormones into the bloodstream that help to regulate blood pressure, create red blood cells, and produce vitamin D – helping maintain strong bones. According to the National Kidney Foundation, the kidneys perform their life-sustaining job of filtering and returning to the bloodstream about 200 quarts of fluid every 24 hours.