Ajit Karn
What role does water play in your body? Water is essential to survival. It maintains cellular homeostasis and accounts for up to 75 percent of a baby’s body weight and up to 55 percent of a senior’s.
When we refer to water, we mean the liquids you consume directly. 20% of total water ingestion comes from food, whether in its unadulterated form or as milk, juice, beer, wine, or even caffeinated beverages.
However, these other forms of fluids should not be used as a primary source of water. Plain water is the best option because it is calorie-free, inexpensive, and readily accessible.
A limited quantity of metabolic water derived from the oxidation of macronutrients is also absorbed by the body. Here are defining What role does water play in your body?
What role does water play in your body?
Importance of water in the body
Water is essential because it conducts a number of vital functions in the body, including the following:
It is necessary for the production of hormones and neurotransmitters in the brain. Sweating and respiration aid in temperature regulation. It also helps transport oxygen to the tissues of the body.
Water aides in the distribution of essential nutrients such as minerals, vitamins, and glucose to cells and lubricates joints.
In addition to these benefits, water aids in waste elimination and maintains the hydration and viability of mucosal membranes.
With the aid of water, growth, reproduction, and survival of body cells are promoted.
Water consumption promotes physical activity and keeps the epidermis supple and delicate.
Effects of dehydration:
Now that we comprehend the significance of water in the human body, let’s examine what can occur if there is insufficient water in the body.
Low levels of dehydration have been shown to have detrimental effects on physical performance in athletes. Studies indicate that even modest dehydration (as little as 2% of body mass) can result in a 20% reduction in performance in temperate conditions and a 40% reduction in high temperatures.
A 20% reduction in water volume results in decreased endurance, increased fatigue, altered thermoregulatory capabilities, decreased desire, and an increased perception of effort.
Hyperthermia, a decrease in stroke volume, a decrease in cardiac output, a decrease in blood pressure, and a reduction in blood flow to the muscles are all associated with exercising in humid weather without adequate fluid replacement.
Cognitive performance:
Mild dehydration can disrupt affective and cognitive functions such as concentration, alertness, short-term memory, perceptual discrimination, arithmetic ability, visual-motor tracking, and psychomotor skills.
Dehydration may impair certain aspects of cognitive performance, including vision, attentiveness, tension, anxiety, fatigue, and visual memory.
Delirium:
Dehydration increases the likelihood of delirium. Delirium manifests as dementia in the elderly and terminally ill.
GI functions:
Constipation is characterized by a slow gastrointestinal transit, small, solid feces, and difficulty passing faeces. Constipation can be caused by a number of factors, including a lack of fiber, a poor diet, illness, medications, and, in the majority of cases, dehydration.
Heart function:
Blood volume is adjusted based on the amount of water consumed and lost. It is possible to observe a decrease in blood volume when the outflow of water increases, as in the case of exercise and perspiration.
Kidney function:
Kidneys help in maintaining water balance in the body. There was initial evidence that chronic kidney functioning may be related to inversely proportional to high water intake.
Headaches and Skin:
Dehydration leads to headaches. Our skin contains 30% water which gives its plump appearance and gives it elasticity and resilience.
Adequate intake (AI) of Water:
The adequate amount of water for women is about 2.2 L and that for men is around 3L though this changes with age and other factors like exercising, pregnancy, breastfeeding and other health statuses.
Below mentioned is the AI of water age-wise.
