Water is essential component for life. It comprises from 75% body weight in infants to 55% in elderly and is essential for cellular homeostasis and life.
The recommended daily fluid intake should be minimum of 3000 ml for men and 2200 ml for women.
Why are human water requirements are elusive?
Water is a must to maintain normal physiological functions like Blood pressure, pH, internal body temperature etc. It plays an important role to deliver essential substances like oxygen, water, glucose, sodium, potassium to the cells via complex mechanisms.
What can happen in case of lack of water or dehydration?
PHYSICAL PERFORMACE:
Dehydration can reduce the physical performance related to reduced endurance, increased fatigue, altered thermoregulatory capability, reduced motivation etc. Hypohydration has more significant impact on high-intensity and endurance related activities than on anaerobic activities such as weight lifting or on shorter-duration activities, such as rowing.
Rehydration can reverse these deficits, and also reduce oxidative stress induced by exercise and dehydration
COGNITIVE PERFORMACE:
Lack of water can influence cognition. Mild Dehydration can cause disruptions in mood and cognitive function such as concentration and alertness while moderate levels of dehydration can impair performance on tasks such as short-term memory, perceptual discrimination, arithmetic ability, visuomotor tracking, and psychomotor skills.
DELIRIUM:
Dehydration is one of the major risk factor for delirium and delirium presenting as dementia in the elderly.
GASTROINTESTINAL FUNCTION:
Inadequate fluid consumption is found to be a common culprit in constipation and increase in fluid intake is a frequently recommended treatment.
KIDNEY FUNCTION:
Kidney is crucial in regulating water balance and blood pressure as well as removing waste from the body.
- In case of dehydration there will be less filtration of waste from the blood stream and excretion via urine.
- Chronic dehydration can lead to the formation of crystals which can affect kidney function and contribute to certain kidney diseases, such as kidney stones.
HEADACHE:
Water deprivation and dehydration can lead to the development of headache. In addition to impairing concentration and increasing irritability, can serve as a trigger for migraine and can prolong the duration of migraine.
Adequate water intake causes reduction in intensity and as well as duration of headache.
SKIN:
Dehydration contributes to reduced plumpness, elasticity, and resiliency and increased dryness, acne and skin infections.
Good hydration gives more moisturized to the skin surface and minimize acne by flushing toxins from the skin
Other benefits seen with good hydration are reduced incidence of exercise asthma, hypertonic dehydration in the infant, and hyperglycemia in diabetic ketoacidosis.
Good hydration is also associated with a reduction in urinary tract infections, hypertension, fatal coronary heart disease, venous thromboembolism.
Now, we can conclude that water is needed for proper functioning of almost each and every organ of our body.
So, Stay Hydrated and Glow From Inside Out😊