All about Water

Constant body water content is essential as water comprises about 60% of our body weight and is vital to all physiologic and living processes. Adequate hydration is necessary for ideal physiological functioning and maintaining optimal health.

Water balance in the human body is dependent on the difference between water intake and water loss. Sources of water intake are the consumption of liquids and food (~85%) and the production of metabolic water (~15%). Water loss occurs through respiration, gastrointestinal and kidney functioning, and sweat loss. The normal body water turnover rate in human’s ranges from 1-3 liters per day.

Roles of Water in the Body

Cellular Health
Function of Cell Fluids
Healthy Joints and Cartilage

Recommended Water Intake

Humans are advised to consume a daily water intake of 8-12 glasses of total water, i.e. from drink and food, per day. Approximately 80% of total water intake comes from drinking liquids and the remaining 20% from eating foods.

How much water each human needs to drink can vary tremendously depending on gender, body size, physical activity level and heat exposure. When the volume of water loss is greater than the volume of water intake, dehydration occurs.

Your recommended daily intake of fluid for hydration can come from anything you drink such as tea, coffee, coke, fruit juice, even beer (though we don't recommend drinking two litres of beer each day). We also get approximately half a litre from the food we eat each day, most of that coming from fruit and vegetables. Of course, hydration alternatives to water do tend to have more calories, so it makes sense to get at least some of our daily fluid needs from water. Some studies have also indicated that drinking mostly water for your fluid intake is beneficial to the immune system, good for the skin, alleviates constipation, and can reduce the risk of kidney stones.


Coffee, Alcohol & Soft Drink

It is a common belief that the consumption of alcohol, caffeine and caffeinated soft drinks should not be counted as part of your recommended daily intake of fluid. While alcohol can have a dehydrating effect on the body because it causes you to urinate and perspire more than normal, there is no scientific evidence to indicate that caffeine has the same effect. Do however limit your consumption of alcohol, caffeine and soft drink to avoid the other health risks associated with their excess consumption, and to leave plenty of room for the benefits of drinking good old fashioned water.                                     


Mild Dehydration Risks

Dehydration may be caused by restricted water intake, excessive water losses, or a combination of both factors. Mild dehydration is typically defined as loss of 2-5% of body weight due to water losses. Mild dehydration produces predictable effects in humans including weight loss, thirst, mouth dryness, and swallowing difficulty.

As dehydration becomes more severe, body tissues begin to shrink, the skin dries and wrinkles and fever may develop. Blood plasma volume and stroke volume decrease, which results in decreased blood flow to the skin.

The heart rate will increase in an effort to maintain an adequate cardiac output. Sweating will decrease or stop altogether, which limits the body’s ability to effectively dissipate heat. Consequently, body temperature will rise exponentially to dangerous levels. Urine production decreases, which hinders the body’s ability to excrete waste and causes toxic levels in the bloodstream to increase.


Severe Dehydration Risks

Severe dehydration (loss of > 10% of body weight from water losses) is characterized by extremely high body temperature, low cardiac output, and kidney failure. Risk for irreversible brain damage and shock increase due to these effects; these complications will ultimately lead to death if not quickly reversed.

Dehydration that results in 15% loss in body weight typically causes death from irreversible brain damage caused by high body temperature, cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart beat patterns) caused by low blood volume, or kidney failure with accompanying increases of toxins in the bloodstream.


The Signs and Symptoms of Dehydration

Symptoms of dehydration usually begin with thirst and progress to more alarming manifestations as the need for water becomes more dire. The initial signs and symptoms of mild dehydration in adults appear when the body has lost about 2% of its total fluid. These mild dehydration symptoms are often (but not limited to):

• Thirst
• Loss of Appetite
• Dry Skin
• Skin Flushing
• Dark Colored Urine
• Dry Mouth
• Fatigue or Weakness
• Chills
• Head Rushes
  
  

If the dehydration is allowed to continue unabated, when the total fluid loss reaches 5% the following effects of dehydration are normally experienced:

• Increased heart rate
• Increased respiration
• Decreased sweating
• Decreased urination
• Increased body temperature
• Extreme fatigue
• Muscle cramps
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Tingling of the limbs

When the body reaches 10% fluid loss emergency help is needed. 10% fluid loss and above is often fatal. Symptoms of severe dehydration include:

• Muscle spasms
• Vomiting
• Racing pulse
• Shriveled skin
• Dim vision
• Painful urination
• Confusion
• Difficulty breathing
• Seizures
• Chest and Abdominal pain
• Unconsciousness

Drink up!

 

Comments

[lose baby weight]

Thirst can be mistaken as hunger. If you think you're hungry, try to drink water. Maybe your just thirsty and not hungry. This way, it helps you loss weight.