He has written for Foreign Policy,The Guardian, Foreign Affairs, Politico and a host of other publications. The Interpreter Joins RFE/RL. We are proud to announce that, starting January 1, 2016, The Interpreter will be a special project of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.
1 Sodium plays a large role in fluid balance, with different variations of sodium determining the shift of water by osmosis from one area of the body to another.  Along with chloride and bicarbonate, sodium is important for the proper regulation of the acid-base balance of the body.
A major job of the kidney is to filter out excess phosphorus. The Renal Function Panel can detect increased phosphorus, which may be a sign of kidneys with reduced blood supply or kidneys that are not functioning well. Sodium is important in water balance, and part of the kidney's function is to maintain it at the right levels in the body.