Water is essential for our body because the body uses it to attend to chemical reactions, eliminate waste, regulate temperature and distribute nutrients . In addition, it controls body temperature and lubricates the joints and eyes. Therefore, not drinking water can cause the absence of essential functions in our body. In this article we tell you what they are.
How much water do we lose per day?
Our bodies are constantly losing water, even though we try to stay hydrated. In fact, an adult with a normal standard of living who does not do a lot of sports activity loses around 2 or 3 liters of water a day:
- 1500 ml when urinating when the kidneys excrete.
- 500 ml when the skin perspires and evaporates.
- 300 ml from the lungs.
- 200 ml in the digestive canal.
To maintain the level of water that the body needs to function on a day-to-day basis, the intake of water must be balanced with the loss of water . We regulate the water level in our body through food and drink, which is often triggered by thirst and appetite. Not replacing the water lost from our body can lead to dehydration.
Dehydration, the greatest danger of not drinking water
Water plays a fundamental role in all the primary tasks of the body. It controls the temperature, gets rid of waste, distributes oxygen and nutrients to the cells, provides protection to the tissues and reduces the impact of the joints. Dehydration occurs if you don’t drink enough water.
We can define dehydration as the loss of body weight of 1% or more due to the loss of fluids. Serious health problems can appear if the fluid in our body is not replaced. Although the amount will vary depending on the food we eat – a steak does not hydrate the same as a piece of watermelon – normally we should drink around 6 to 8 glasses of water daily . In the case of very active people or who live in hot areas, they may need more water per day.
Symptoms of dehydration
Thirst is not the only one that alerts you to dehydration: when the body begins to feel thirsty, it has already lost between 2 and 5 glasses of water and other symptoms begin to appear. The first signs of dehydration are headaches, thirst, dizziness, or irritability.
If you go a long time without drinking, they can become more severe and can lead to blurred vision, tiredness, fatigue, and fainting . In the event that a person is dehydrating, short-term memory is reduced by 7% and concentration and memory by about 13%.
When our body becomes dehydrated, the nerve endings in the hypothalamus of the brain, where the thirst center (OCPTL) is located, emit alerts to release an antidiuretic hormone. It reaches the kidneys and produces aquaporins, proteins found in cell membranes that transfer water molecules, enabling the blood to store more water in the body. When this happens, the urine darkens and smells stronger.
If dehydration continues its process, vomiting and nausea appear , as well as the performance is reduced by 30%, along with the loss of body weight by 5%.
How does not drinking water affect athletic performance?
Exercise causes us to lose more fluids : in the event of days with intense activity, the loss can reach 4 liters per hour. The problem with this is that 90% of our water comes from blood plasma, so not drinking water during exercise minimizes the amount of blood in the body , causing the circulatory system to work harder to pump blood and supply enough oxygen to the muscles that are activated.
Therefore, by having to use more energy and blood for basic functions, exercise will not be as efficient since our body does not work properly, as it does when we consume enough water. As a consequence, our performance is greatly reduced.
Long-term consequences of not drinking water
Fluid retention
Surprisingly, not drinking enough water is one of the main culprits for the dreaded fluid retention that makes us gain so many unwanted pounds. If you don’t drink enough, the kidneys cannot drain the concentrated fluids from the body, and this will put extra work on your liver . The liver works hard to convert body fat into energy, but if it has to do the kidney’s work, it holds onto the extra fat that it would have burned had it had enough water.
Joint problems
About 80% of cartilage is made up of water. Constant dehydration can deplete cartilage and cause joint problems , with diseases such as arthritis. Dehydration can also cause the discs that make up the spine to become prone to hernias.
Loss of elasticity in the skin
Dehydration will fight the benefits of any moisturizing product that we use, such as creams or other skin fluids. This tissue needs to be hydrated from within . Drinking water can save us a lot of trouble and money.
Heartburn
The digestive system needs water to do its best work. Almost 99% of the stomach lining is made up of water. This mucus prevents acid from breaking down the stomach lining. Suffering from heartburn, indigestion and constipation are other problems of not drinking water. When we suffer severe dehydration, headaches, nausea and vomiting appear.
Abdominal swelling
The abdominal area swells as a result of dehydration. If the body does not get enough fluid, the cells will hold the fluid. Even if we do sports and eat a reduced-fat diet, the liquid that is stored can accumulate in the stomach.
Constipation
Water promotes good digestion and regular bowel movements, keeping stools soft and moving easily through the digestive tract. Not drinking enough water can cause your body to draw water from your stool to make up for the loss of fluid , leading to harder and firmer stools and more difficult to pass . If your bowel movements are irregular and infrequent, try drinking more water to loosen them and relieve constipation.
