Author : Dr. P. D.GUPTA
Former Director Grade Scientist, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, India
www.daylife.page
Water Is essential for life; all living things need water to survive. Without water, life as we know it would not exist. And life exists wherever there is water. All organisms, like animals and plants, use water: salty or fresh, hot or cold, plenty of water or almost no water at all.
On an average our body contains water about 70% of our weight. Up to 60% of the human adult body is water. According to Mitchell and others (1945), the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%. Among population males have around 60%, females55% young ones, 65% and infants 75%.
• A vital nutrient to the life of every cell, acts first as a building material.
• It regulates our internal body temperature by sweating and respiration
• The carbohydrates and proteins that our bodies use as food are metabolized and transported by water in the bloodstream;
• It assists in flushing waste mainly through urination
• acts as a shock absorber for brain, spinal cord, and fetus
• forms saliva
• lubricates joints
Water Balance in the Body
Water balance is the daily relationship between the amounts of water entering an organism versus the amount of water lost. Water is essential to life, and a healthy intake of water must be sufficient to maintain the correct amount of water within the tissues of an organism. Insufficient hydration will slow the digestive process and chronic poor hydration can lead to constipation. Fluids are important for healthy heart function and the correct regulation of water balance is essential to keep blood pressure within the healthy range.
Water balance in the body is important. We are constantly reminded that drinking enough water is vital for our bodies to function properly. Though most of us worry about getting dehydrated, overhydration is just as dangerous. Drinking too much water can result in water intoxication, also known as hyponatremia, which causes the inside of cells to flood due to abnormally low sodium levels in your blood. In severe cases, this can lead to debilitating health problems such as comas, seizures, and even death.
Below are 8 signs that you’re drinking too much water.
1. Never Leave the House Without a Bottle of Water and Constantly Have One in Hand If you carry around a water bottle all day and immediately refill it when it’s empty, you might be drinking too much water. Constantly adding water to your body will result in low sodium levels in your blood, which can cause all the cells in your body to swell; this is particularly dangerous when your brain starts to swell. “Your brain can only swell about 8-10% before it reaches your skull and it pushes your brain stem out.”
2. Drink Water Even When Not Thirsty The best way to know whether your body actually needs more water is to be consciously aware of whether or not you feel thirsty. “Our bodies are so programmed to fight against dehydration because we’ve always been living in fear of scarcity or not having enough, so we have all these built-in mechanisms to protect us against that. One of these mechanisms that all animals have is thirst. Thirst is everybody’s individual monitor that lets them know if they need more.
3. Continuously Drink Water Until Your Urine is Clear If you’ve been drinking a healthy amount of water, the colour of your urine should be straw-coloured to transparent yellow. Though most people believe that clear urine is the healthiest sign of hydration, having urine with no pigmentation at all may be a sign that you’re drinking too much water. For most people, 8-10 glasses of water per day is considered a normal amount.
4. Urinate Frequently, Including During the Night You might be drinking too much water if you find that you often wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. Most of us urinate between 8-10 times a day, so if you find yourself urinating more than 10 times per day, you’re probably drinking more water than your body needs. To prevent night time urination, have your last glass of water a few hours before bed to give your kidneys time to filter the water through your body
5. Feel Nauseous and May Experience Vomiting The symptoms of over hydration are similar to those of dehydration, says Hew Butler. When you drink too much water, your kidneys are unable to get rid of the excess liquid and water starts to collect in the body. This can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
6. Notice Swelling or Discoloration in Your Hands, Lips, and Feet In many cases of hyponatremia, people will experience noticeable swelling or discoloration in the hands, feet, and lips. When all the cells in your body start to swell, your skin will start to swell as well. Those who drink too much water may suddenly gain weight, due to swelling and excess water in the bloodstream. If you’re drinking more than 10 cups of water per day and notice swelling or discoloration in your hands, feet, and lips, consider cutting back on your water intake.
7. Feel Tired or Fatigued Your kidneys are the organs responsible for filtering the water you drink and making sure that your fluid levels in the bloodstream stay balanced. When you consume too much water, your kidneys have to work a lot harder, creating a stressful reaction from your hormones that leaves your body fatigued and stressed. Therefore, if you’re constantly drinking water and find yourself struggling to get out of bed, it might be because you’ve added unneeded stress to your kidneys.
8. Muscles Feel Weak and Cramp Easily Having a healthy and fully-functioning body is all about balance. When you consume too much water, your electrolyte levels drop and that balance is compromised. Low electrolyte levels can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, such as muscle spasms and cramping. You can help prevent muscle problems by replacing a couple of glasses of water with coconut water, which is full of electrolytes and 100% natural. (The author has his own study and views)
