Water and Hydration

Home , Body water, Dehydration, Water intoxication

Water and Hydration

Water Types of Dehydration ▪ Water is the most abundant liquid on There are two basic types of earth and makes up 55% to 65% of body dehydration: weight ( 1). ▪ Water loss dehydration —your ▪ Water makes it possible for your body to body loses too much water, but does perform virtually every function that your not lose other minerals. It is caused by body needs to perform for life. It is responsible hot or dry weather, severe illness or in - for waste removal, transport of nutrients, hormones jury, excessive sweating, fluid restriction, and everything else your body needs, as well as joint fever, and diarrhea ( 1-5 ). Symptoms include: 3 lubrication and regulating your body temperature ( 1). ○ Anxiety, restlessness and altered mental status ( ) ○ Low blood pressure ( 3) ▪ Almost all liquids that you consume contribute to your ○ Weak, fast heartbeat ( 3) body’s total supply of water, including foods. All of ○ Cool, clammy skin ( 3) these combine to make up total body fluids. However, ○ Thirst and dry mouth ( 3) water is one of the best sources of fluids because other ○ Extreme tiredness ( 3) sources often contain less healthy ingredients such as added sugars. ▪ Water and salt loss dehydration —your body loses both salt and fluids. Water and salt loss dehydration is Consequences of Dehydration caused by certain medications such as diuretics, vomit - 1-5 Dehydration is when your body loses too much water ( 1). ing, diarrhea, and altitude ( ). Symptoms include: It has consequences to your body: ○ Headache ( 6) ○ Dry mucous membranes (like your nostrils) ▪ Changes in mood and brain function may occur with ○ Dry tongue and mouth only mild dehydration, such as increased fatigue, ○ Tiredness ( 6) decreased ability to concentrate, dizziness, speech ○ Upper body weakness incoherence, anxiety, panic attacks, agitation, delu - 1 sions, hallucinations, and lower reaction time ( 1,3,4,6 ). ○ Dry arm pits ( ) These consequences may not be reversible ( 7). ○ Difficulty speaking ○ Confusion ( 5), learning problems, and impaired ▪ Dehydration can contribute to blood clots, kidney short-term memory ( 7) stones ( 9), kidney diseases, hypertension ( 5,10 ) and ○ Sunken eyes ( 1) constipation ( 11 ). ○ Extreme weakness ( 1) ▪ Chronic dehydration, or low levels of dehydration over ○ Decreased muscle strength ( 5) a long period of time, has been linked to colon and blad - People at increased risk for dehydration include those der cancers, obesity, lung illnesses, fever, diabetes, heart who are ill, the elderly and young children ( 8). Older failure, ulcers, medication overdose, and falls ( 4,5,9 ). individuals may not adequately sense thirst because these ▪ Coma and death may occur with the loss of 20% to mechanisms may weaken with age ( 1). 30% of body water ( 4,8 ). CONTINUED ON REVERSE CONTINUED FROM REVERSE Water Intoxication THe pee TesT sports Drinks ▪ It is possible to get too much water. A simple way to estimate Blood is not only full of water and When you do, it is called water whether you are getting cells, but also small molecules called intoxication . Water intoxication is rare, enough fluids is to pay electrolytes . When you lose water in but this is why it is best to pay atten - attention to the color of sweat or vomit, you lose electrolytes tion to your body signals about thirst. your urine. Urine should too, which can also lead to severe be a pale yellow. If it is consequences. Sports drinks can help ▪ Sodium, a mineral that helps control darker, you most likely replace lost electrolytes, but they also the fluid balance in your body, needs to need to drink more contain sugar and salt, so you will be kept within a specific range in your water and fluids. usually only need water blood. When your blood becomes too to rehydrate. Following watered down from drinking too much are times when you might water too quickly, or from drinking only water when want to have a sports losing both water and salt, sodium levels get too low. drink instead of water: This can cause severe consequences, including death. ▪ When you are exercis - Water Needs ing for a very long time (more than 1 hour) ▪ To calculate how much fluid you need in a day, divide your body weight in lbs. by 2. This is the amount you ▪ When you will be out - should drink every day in ounces. If you then divide side in the heat for a long that number by 8, you will know the number of cups time of water you need in a day. ▪ When you have severe ○ For example, if you weigh 150 lbs., you need at least vomiting or diarrhea 75 oz. (150 ÷ 2 = 75), or 9 –10 cups (75 ÷ 8 = 9.4) of fluids every day. REFERENCES ○ But if you weigh 250 lbs., you would need at least 1. Thomas DR, Cote TR, Lawhorne L, et al. Understanding clinical dehydration and 125 oz. (250 ÷ 2 = 125), or 15 –16 cups its treatment. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2008;9(5):292-301. 2. Cheuvront SN, Kenefick RW, Charkoudian N, Sawka MN. Physiologic basis for (125 ÷ 8 = 15.6) of fluid every day. understanding quantitative dehydration assessment. Am J Clin Nutr. 2013;97(3):455-462. ▪ Follow your thirst. Your body is generally very adept 3. Bryant H. Dehydration in older people: Assessment and management. Emerg Nurse. 2007;15(4):22-26. at sensing your body’s need for water. Paying attention 4. Maughan RJ. Impact of mild dehydration on wellness and on exercise perform - to and following your body’s signals for water is one ance. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57 Suppl 2:S19-23. 5. Wotton K, Crannitch K, Munt R. Prevalence, risk factors and strategies to prevent of the most important things you can do to prevent dehydration in older adults. Contemp Nurse. 2008;31(1):44-56. 6. Lieberman HR. Methods for assessing the effects of dehydration on cognitive dehydration. However, in adults over 50 years, these function. Nutr Rev. 2012;70 Suppl 2:S143-6. mechanisms may not work adequately. You should 7. Wilson MM, Morley JE. Impaired cognitive function and mental performance in mild dehydration. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57 Suppl 2:S24-9. make sure that you drink at least your calculated water 8. Lieberman HR. Methods for assessing the effects of dehydration on cognitive function. Nutr Rev. 2012;70 Suppl 2:S143-6. needs every day. 9. Armstrong LE. Challenges of linking chronic dehydration and fluid consumption to health outcomes. Nutr Rev. 2012;70 Suppl 2:S121-7. 10. Bouby N, Fernandes S. Mild dehydration, vasopressin and the kidney: Animal Caffeine and human studies. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57 Suppl 2:S39-46. Caffeine is a diuretic . In other words, it causes you to lose 11. Arnaud MJ. Mild dehydration: A risk factor of constipation? Eur J Clin Nutr. 2003;57 Suppl 2:S88-95. fluids. Caffeinated drinks are not good for helping you re - hydrate if you are dehydrated. However, if you regularly drink caffeine, caffeine will probably not increase your risk for becoming dehydrated.