Facts

• The kidneys process roughly 200 quarts of blood each day, filtering out roughly 2 quarts in waste materials and excess water, according to the National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
  
  

Breakdown of Protein

• When you eat foods that contain protein, the body breaks the protein down into amino acids that make enzymes and other proteins, according to the Mayo Clinic. However, the body does not store extra dietary protein, and unneeded amino acids get broken down and processed by the kidneys and liver.
  
  

Amino Acid Wastes

• Amino acid wastes can injure the structures of the kidneys, and over time diets high in protein may promote the development of kidney stones.
  
  

Microalbuminuria

• Under normal circumstances, whole proteins in the bloodstream are filtered from kidney wastes and returned to the body. Impaired kidneys cannot perform this function properly and begin to allow small amounts of the protein albumin to pass into urine, a condition called microalbuminuria.
  
  

Proteinuria

• When kidney function worsens, albumin and other proteins appear in urine in larger amounts, creating a condition called proteinuria (a primary sign of chronic kidney disease).