Relationship of water with our body

The relationship between water and life has been studied by human beings since the beginning of civilization. Each time, knowledge about the place that water occupies in biological systems and in the human body has been deepening. In fact, among the first so-called pre-Socratic philosophers, Thales of Miletus wondered about the origin of life, and this attributed it precisely to water.

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Functions in the human body

Relationship of water with our body. Depending on its peculiar chemical-physical properties, water is involved in almost all the functions of the human body. This acts in the body as a solvent of inorganic and organic compounds, favors the dissociation of electrolytes, works as a thermostatic liquid with thermoregulatory capacity, allows the development of metabolic transformations, among others.

Its regulation in the human body

The regulation of fluids in the body is basically due to homeostatic control, thanks to the mechanisms that mainly regulate excretion and stimulate intake through thirst. The feedback mechanisms that act mainly on the kidney are also capable, although in a limited way, of regulating the tone of intracellular body fluids.

Relationship between water intake and other body functions

Water has a function regulating body temperature, since, due to the reduction in sweating and cutaneous blood flow induced by dehydration, it causes an increase in body temperature. In this sense, it is important to emphasize that a loss of body water equivalent to 1% is normally compensated in 24 hours, and the absence of this compensation and the increase in its loss compromises not only physical but also cognitive functions.

Dehydration

Dehydration, caused by a fluid intake of less than the loss of water, also has serious effects on the activity and physical performance of the body. In the milder forms, thermoregulation is affected, increasing the feeling of thirst, and gradually cramps, apathy, asthenia, greater irritability appear. The most serious forms cause general malaise and even hallucinations, which carries risks of insolation and lethal effects. The persistent state of dehydration is associated with a significant increase in the risk of many pathologies, even serious ones, that mainly affect the kidney.

We are more water than we think

Water is the main element of which the human body is composed and represents approximately 60% of the body weight in adult males, 50-55% of females, who are characterized by a higher percentage of body fat unlike males, and 75% in a newborn.

Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that the water we consume is of excellent quality, since it plays a fundamental role in maintaining water balance, facilitating metabolic processes and promoting health in general. Opting for quality water ensures that our body receives the necessary benefits to function optimally, thus contributing to our well-being and vitality.

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