The importance of hydration.
Water is the most forgotten nutrient because your body can not work without it. As we are aware of the fact that our body is made up of 60- 50% water.
Drinking enough water each day is important for many reasons, to regulate body temperature, keep joints lubricated, prevent infections, deliver nutrients to cells, and keep organs functioning properly. Being well-hydrated also improves sleep quality, cognition, and mood.
Distribution of water in the body- Total body water which is 60% is divided into two parts intracellular and extracellular. Intracellular means the water present inside the cell which is 40% of total body water and the remaining 20% is in the extracellular fluid. let me tell you that our body is made up of millions and trillions of cells. each and every part of our body is a cell.
Composition of body water:-
- The body water percentage is different for men and women, 60% of the bodyweight of males is water, and 55–57% of the body weight in females is water. this is because male bodies have a higher proportion of lean tissue and a lower proportion of fat.
- Muscular people have a higher proportion of water than less muscular or obese people because muscles have a high holding capacity while fat has a lower holding capacity.
- Bone is more than 20% of water, muscle is 75% of water and teeth are about 10% of water.
How Much Water Do I Need?
Water is an essential nutrient at every age, so hydration is a key component for good health. Water accounts for about 60% of an adult’s body weight.
We drink water when we feel thirst, the major signal our body gives us when our body runs low on water. We also drink beverages with meals to help with digestion. But sometimes we drink not based on these factors but on how much we think we should be drinking.
One of the most familiar sayings is to aim for “8 glasses a day,” but this may not be appropriate for every person.
Preventing Dehydration: Is Thirst Enough?
A healthy body is designed to send thirst signals when the body becomes depleted of fluids. Thirst is the desire to drink.
As we age, however, the body’s regulation of fluid intake and thirst decline.
Symptoms of dehydration that may occur with as little as a 2% water deficit:
- Fatigue
- Confusion or short-term memory loss
- Mood changes like increased irritability or depression
Dehydration can increase the risk of certain medical conditions:
- Urinary tract infections
- Kidney stones
- Constipation
Is It Possible To Drink Too Much Water?
There is no Tolerable Upper Intake Level for water because the body can usually excrete extra water through urine or sweat. However, a condition called water toxicity is possible in rare cases
