Water Consumption and Dehydration, Essay Example

Abstract

This paper is intended to explain the importance of hydrating oneself and the negative effects of not doing so. It will explain dehydration in detail, give the definition and attempt to explain why it is so important to keep yourself hydrated at all times. Water consumption play an essential role in the healthy lifestyle of every person and this paper will provide the benefits of keeping oneself hydrated at all times. It will also explain electrolytes, specifically sodium, potassium and chloride and how they make an impact on a person’s body and water consumption. The paper will conclude with recommendations on prevention of dehydration and will restate how important it is to consume water on a daily basis.

Water Consumption and Dehydration

Water consumption is one of the largest, most important aspects of a person’s life. The consumption of water on a daily basis helps a person live a healthier, more productive life. Without it, our bodies would not be able to function properly. Our bodies are mostly made up of water; however, it is also always important to consume as much water as possible on a daily basis to avoid dehydration. Dehydration is defined by dictionary.com as “an abnormal loss of water from the body, especially from illness or physical exertion” (“Dehydration”). Dehydration is the most common way to lose water out of the body, especially if a person is not putting enough water back into the body as they are going about their daily lives. When this happens there can be grave consequences and dehydration can be detrimental to the body.

Water is essential to maintaining a person’s overall health. It is needed in order for the body to function in many ways. The consumption of water helps maintain almost every cell in the body and keeps the bloodstream flowing properly so that the blood can easily flow through the blood vessels (Better Health Channel, 2011). Water also helps regulate the body’s temperature especially after the secretion of sweat and helps “eliminate the by-products of the body’s metabolism, excess electrolytes (for example, sodium and potassium), and urea, which is a waste product formed through the processing of dietary protein” (Better Health Channel, 2011, n.d.). These are just a start to the importance of water in a person’s body and the reasons in which everyone should drink water. Water consumption also aids in carrying specific nutrients and oxygen to cells throughout the body and helps digest foods. Consuming water on a daily basis is important to maintaining a person’s overall health, but it is important to understand the ways in which water functions in a person’s body.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), water helps keep the body at a normal temperature, “lubricates and cushions your joints, protects your spinal cord and other sensitive tissues, and gets rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements” (n.p.). Water is one of the most important nutrients for a person’s body as it helps each and every part of the body function. When the body does not get enough water, it becomes dehydrated and many of the important components of the body begin the fail.

Without the replenishment of water, the body can go into shock. If the body is not getting as much water as needed it can shut down and cause itself to go into heat exhaustation and dehydration. When this happens, the results can not only be harmful to the body, but can also be fatal if a person is not careful. A person needs water throughout the day, however, it is most important during physical activity. It is important that a person hydrates himself or herself with enough water to keep their bodies functioning properly. Holdsworth (2012) states the following in reference to the importance of hydration and what could happen to the body if it becomes dehydrated:

Dehydration affects health, wellbeing and performance, as well as contributing to morbidity in several chronic disease processes. Fluid losses of between 1% and 4% lead to progressive reductions in athletic performance, thermoregulation and appetite (16).

Dehydration also causes short-term memory loss, visual perception, and psychomotor ability. It also causes a person become more fatigued and unable to process specific things that may be happening in their bodies (Holdsworth, 2012). Dehydration also causes kidney and cardiovascular problems as well as mood disorders. According to Holdsworth (2012), there are many benefits to hydrating the body with water consumption such as the following:

Adequate water intake is a fundamental part of abalanced diet and in addition to its importance for physical performance and mental function, there is evidence that proper hydration status is associated with a number of health benefits. These include a lower risk of urolithiasis and urinary tract infections, and a reduction in hypertension, fatal coronary heart disease, thromboembolism and cerebral infarcts (17).

It is very important to keep your body hydrated no matter what you are doing, whether going about your daily activities or participating in sports. However, electrolytes have an important role in hydration as well.

Electrolytes are important for the body’s functioning as well. The most common electrolytes include sodium, potassium and chloride. Jacob S. (2010) states the following in reference to sodium and potassium in the body:

The online medical library Merck states that these compartments include intracellular fluid inside of cells, extracellular fluid in the space around cells and the blood. Sodium is concentrated in your extracellular fluid, and potassium is concentrated in your intracellular fluid (n.p.).

Sodium is the positive ion within the body that functions as fluids outside of the cells. It regulates the amount of water that is in the body and helps keep the brain, muscles, and nervous system functioning properly. On the other hand, potassium is the positive ion that functions inside the cells and is “essential for normal cell function” (MedicineNet.com, 2013, n.p.). It is important as it regulates the heartbeat and helps with the muscle functions. Just as sodium and potassium play important roles in the body, so does chloride. Chloride is the “negatively charged ion found in the fluid outside cells and in the blood” (MedicineNet.com, 2013, n.p.). Chloride is responsible for helping the fluids maintain a normal balance. It is also important for maintaining the electrically conductive flow throughout the body (Jacob S, 2010).

Although there are clear benefits to keeping a person’s body hydrated the best he or she can, the use of caffeine and alcohol is not the way in which the body responds positively to hydration. The best course for hydration is water as caffeine and alcohol tend to dehydrate the body more quickly even though they are liquids. According to Maughan and Griffin (2003), there are many studies that “support the idea that caffeine should be avoided on account of its diuretic action” (p. 413). The consumption of alcohol and caffeinated drinks such as colas and teas tend to make a person urinate more. Due to this, the body becomes dehydrated more quickly and, if not replenished with water, can be detrimental to a person’s overall health. Maughan and Griffin (2003) make it clear that there is no direct reasoning not to consume caffeinated drinks, but that it could be unhealthy to do so in large amounts throughout the day in the following paragraph:

From the results, it would appear that there is no scientific evidence to support advice to the general population to avoid consumption of caffeine containing drinks on the grounds of their diuretic effect, except when total daily consumption of caffeine from all sources is regularly in excess of 300 mg (417).

Preventing dehydration is very simple if only people will take the time needed to think about their health. The best way to prevent dehydration is to drink plenty of fluids and eat foods such as fruits and vegetables that are high in water content. By drinking plenty of fluids and eating high water content foods, dehydration and other specific illnesses will not occur (Mayo Clinic, 2013). WebMD (2011) also gives other great dehydration prevention ideas such as drinking as much water as possible before, during and after exercising, avoiding caffeinated drinks such as coffee and sodas, avoiding high protein diets, and avoiding alcohol, including beer and wine.

In conclusion, hydrating one’s body with water is of utmost importance to their mental, physical, emotional, and cognitive health. Without proper hydration, many serious problems can occur including but not limited to memory loss, fatigue, failure of organs and even death. If a person continues to hydrate themselves on a daily basis and makes it so that they do not even have to worry about dehydration, he or she has nothing to worry about. The amount of fluids that a person takes in is depleted just as quickly as they put it in their bodies. Therefore, a continuous amount of hydration is important to keep all organs and bodily functions operating normally.

References

Better Health Channel. (2011, July). Water – a vital nutrient. Retrieved from http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Water_a_vital_nutrient

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2012, October 10). Water: Meeting your daily fluid needs. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/water.html

Holdsworth, J. E. (2012). The importance of human hydration.British Nutrition Foundation, 37, 16-24. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-3010.2011.01942.x

Jacob, S. (2010, September 27). How electrolytes, sodium, potassium and chloride function in the body. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/262255-how-electrolytes-sodium-potassium-chloride-function-in-the-body/

Maughan, R. J., & Griffin, J. (2003). Caffeine ingestion and fluid balance: A review. The British Dietetic Association, 16, 411-42.

Mayo Clinic. (2011, January 07). Dehydration. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/dehydration/DS00561/DSECTION=prevention

MedicineNet. (2013, November 21). Electrolytes. Retrieved from http://www.medicinenet.com/electrolytes/article.htm

WebMD. (2011, November 10). Dehydration – prevention. Retrieved from http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/tc/dehydration-prevention