Why water is so important for our body?

Water is the most abundant constituent of the body. In male the amount of water present is 60% while in the female body water present is 50% due to the high percentage of fat. 

Distribution of water in different age groups:

GROUPS	TOTAL BODY WATER (%)
Infants & Children (i)                          At birth (ii)                       At 1 year (iii)                    2-15 years	75.0 58.0 58.9
Males (i)                          16-30 years (ii)                       31-60 years (iii)                    61-90 years	58.9 54.7 51.8
Females (i)                          16-30 years (ii)                       31-90 years	50.9 45.2

 

You can just have a look at: how much water should people drink per day 

Functions of water in our body: water have different functions in our body -

Water as a medium – The main function of a water is acting as a medium. It controls all the physicochemical functions taking place in our body within the cells. It takes part in the reaction and is end product in several reactions. Water is thus a medium where all reactions take place.

Water as a solvent – Water acts as a solvent in the body of living organisms. Due to the presence of water as a solvent chemical reactions takes place which helps to generate the integrated chemical complexity in living body. Water is the solvent for electrolytes, waste products and respiratory gas. So when food enters into the body the saliva and digestive juices reacts with it and the digestive products are absorbed and transported to the water medium of the blood, hormone, and antibodies.

Water as lubricant: Water acts as a lubricant and prevents friction between the moving parts. Saliva in the mouth helps us in swallowing food. The fluids around joints, mucous secretions of the gastrointestinal tract are some other examples.

Water as a temperature regulator: Water plays an important role in the distribution of heat throughout the body and the regulation of body temperature. Its cooling effect is necessary to get rid of metabolic heat generated in the body. Each liter of water lost through perspiration represents a heat exchange of about 600 kcal.

Benefits of water: Water has many benefits especially when you drink it in the morning. Let’s have a look:

1) Drinking water on an empty stomach improves bowel movement and cleans the stomach easily.

2) The excretory substances or toxins that accumulate in the kidneys throughout the night, in the morning on an empty stomach, the toxins are excreted from the body through the excrement.

3) Water on an empty stomach in the morning increases hunger.

4) Many people get headaches when they wake up. Dehydration is one of the causes of headaches. The body does not get enough water throughout the night. So if you get up in the morning and drink a lot of water on an empty stomach, the headache will go away.

5) As a result of drinking water on an empty stomach, since the bowel movement is good, the colon is also clean.

6) Drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning also increases digestion.

7) Those who want to lose weight through diet, they must maintain this habit because the more water you eat, the better the digestion and the body will not accumulate excess fat.

8) New energy is transmitted to the body by eliminating sleep fatigue.

9) The more toxins are removed from the body, the brighter the skin will be. Most toxins accumulate at night, at bedtime. So if you regularly remove toxins from the body by drinking water on an empty stomach in the morning, the skin will be brighter.

10) Drinking water on an empty stomach increases the body's resistance.

Deficiency of water: Deficiency of water leads to dehydration which means loss of excess water and fluids from the body. This can lead to fatigue, headache, and in extreme cases collapse.

Steps in the progress of dehydration are:

 Thirst

2.    Stronger thirst, vague discomfort, loss of appetite.

3.    Decreasing blood volume, impaired physical performance.

4.    Increase effort for physical work, nausea

5.    Difficulty in concentrating

6.    Failure to regulate excess temperature

7.    Dizziness, laboured breathing with exercise, increased weakness.

8.    Muscle spasms, delirium, wakefulness

9.    Inability of decreased blood volume to circulate normally

          Failing renal function, less or no urine formed

Excessive loss of water takes place due to vomiting, diarrhea, haemorrhage, excessive perspiration, fever, strenuous exercise and hot weather.

It can be fatal and causes death in several children which could be easily avoided by proper fluid intake or oral rehydration therapy.

Water intoxication: Water intoxication results due to excess intake of water. This results in an increase in the volume of intracellular fluid. This condition can lead to headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle twitching, and convulsions. It can even be fatal.

Complications of water intoxication:

1.    Sometimes H₂O contains significant amounts of heavy metals like Arsenic, Pb, etc which are dangerous.

2.    Pesticides, insecticides may also be present which are extreamly harmful.

3.    Water may accumulate into the body producing Oedema, hypertension, Kidney problems.

4.    Accumulation of water can also cause dilution of minerals.

 

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