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Water balance in the human body (7)

Optimum level of physical and mental human performance depends on the correct water balance in the body. Dr James Rippe, one of America's leading authorities on health and fitness, warns: "What many people fail to recognise is that even a small drop in the level of our body fluids can have adverse effects." Research has shown that:

• a reduction of only 1% can have a significant impact, while
• a decrease in water levels by only 4% (or 1.68 litres of water for a person weighing 70kg) can result in a drop of normal body function by as much as 22%.
• a water loss of 6% (or 2.52 litres of the water for person weighing 70kg) results in symptoms of dehydration, such as weakness, dizziness and headaches.

How does the body maintain constant water level?

One of the mechanisms is sensation of thirst. In order to satisfy this need we go to the tap, but if the water tastes or smells slightly offensive, we tend to put off drinking it and opt for something more palatable. The condition may become worse if we ignore this early warning signal of physical distress.

However, thirst is not always a good indicator of the body's need for water. In order to maintain proper hydration, adults, who are not exposed to high heat, require at least 1.5 - 2 litres of water every day, about six big glasses. That sounds simple enough to achieve but because of the deteriorating quality of most tap water, voluntary dehydration has become a widespread condition, one that my have serious long-term medical consequences.

Dr. Batmanghelidj, a water expert, reported that an age-dependant loss of the thirst sensation in humans could lead to:

dyspeptic pain reheumatoid joint pain anginal pain hypertension

asthma, allergy raised cholesterol chronic fatigue syndrome diabetes in the elderly

Dr. Batmanghelidj states that many of these disorders can be exacerbated or caused by dehydration. In order to consider this, it is necessary to briefly outline the known physical functions, which water serves.

Water role in the human body

The body uses water for virtually all its functions:

 

digestion absorption circulation excretion

transporting nutrients building tissue and maintaining constant body temperature

Instead they usually rely on medication or patient remedies which force the rest of the body to return water from its own limited supply to the intestinal tract.

'Dry mouth' caused by decreased salivary gland function, can also result from low water intake. On the other hand, a person who drinks enough water seems not to need much during meals, since his or her saliva glands operate properly. (9).

Dr John Rodman, a kidney specialist and clinical instructor at Cornell Medical Center in New York City, explains: "Proper water intake is crucial for people who are prone to kidney stones, urinary tract infections and constipation. For many people, drinking of generous amounts of fluid can help prevent these conditions." (10)

Not drinking enough water can actually manifest the above mentioned disorders: kidney stones are a result of urine's highly concentrated mineralised products; urinary tract infections are sometimes an outcome of infrequent emptying of the bladder; and constipation can be due to a change in stool consistency caused by inadequate water intake. If these warnings are ignored, more difficulties may be experienced.

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