THIS WEEK WE ARE WORKING ON THE URINARY SYSTEM. IN OUR DISCUSSIONS SO FAR IN THE CLASS, THE KIDNEYS HAVE ALREADY BEEN MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES. LET’S SEE IF OUR WORK TOGETHER THIS WEEK INCREASES YOUR INTEREST IN THE KIDNEYS–THEY DO LOTS OF THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND OUT HOW FAST YOU SYSTEM PROCESSES THINGS THROUGH YOUR KIDNEYS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO TEST THIS. A SUBSTANCE IN ASPARAGUS IS EXCRETED THROUGH THE KIDNEYS, AND IT HAS A DISTINCT ODOR. HOWEVER, WHETHER OR NOT YOU CAN SMELL THIS ODOR TURNS OUT TO BE GENETIC. SOME PEOPLE CAN; SOME CAN’T. IF YOU CAN SMELL IT (IT’S NOT UNPLEASANT),

PLEASE DO #1 OR #2 AND WRITE ABOUT IT

1) EAT SOME ASPARAGUS AND SEE HOW LONG IT TAKES FOR THE ODOR TO APPEAR. IF YOU GET ANY INTERESTING RESULTS, POST THEM IN THE COMMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS CONFERENCE.

OR

2) A SECOND EXPERIMENT YOU CAN DO IS COMPARE THE AMOUNT OF URINE PRODUCED (APPROXIMATE AMOUNT AND FREQUENCY) WHEN YOU DRINK ONE LITER OF WATER COMPARED TO DRINKING ONE LITER OF A SODA CONTAINING CAFFEINE. (YOU MAY SUBSTITUTE YOUR FAVORITE CAFFEINE CONTAINING COFFEE BEVERAGE HERE)

IMPORTANT GUIDELINE TO FOLLOW….

!!***COMMENT ON THE PHYSIOLOGY INCLUDING EFFECTS OF WATER VS CAFFEINE ON ADH PRODUCTION AND RENAL PERFUSION. BE SURE TO ALSO INCLUDE ANY EFFECTS ON RENIN, ANGIOTENSIN, AND ALDOSTERONE PRODUCTION THAT MAY AFFECT THE FINAL AMOUNT OF URINE PRODUCTION.!!!