Water not only quenches the thirst, it’s vital for organs to function.  It’s needed for digestion, to carry nutrients and oxygen, control blood pressure, and to even lubricate joints. Without enough water, skin, the largest organ in the body, can become dry and wrinkled. Do you drink enough water every day?

UPDATE: About 55 to 80% of a person’s body weight is water. Water is lost during breathing when humidified air leaves the body as well as through daily urination, sweat, and stool.

Percentage of Total Body Water Lost

In a day’s work, the body loses about 8 to 12 cups of water and all of that fluid needs to go back in. When you become dehydrated, your blood loses volume and your heart can’t circulate blood effectively. The eventual result… heart failure.

A loss of just 2% of total body water will result in stronger thirst, vague discomfort, and a loss of appetite. This percentage of can impair your exercise performance:

• Decreases your sweat rate
• Increases your core temperature (causing exhaustion from heat strain)
• Decreases maximal cardiac output (i.e., the highest pumping capacity of the heart that can be achieved during exercise)

NOTE: A loss of only 20% of total body water could result in death.

Continue reading “Staying Hydrated” →