DAY 2 – Water Does What?
A typical male is made up of around 58-65% water, a woman around 50-55%. According to Mitchell and others (1945)(1), the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.
Daily water intake is extremely important in helping to replenish water lost through bodily processes including urination, sweating and breathing.
When the water is not replaced, we become dehydrated. Check out these stats:
- 1 % dehydration – we become thirsty with reduced concentration
- 5% dehydration – we become hot and tired with decreased performance
- 10% dehydration – delirium and blurred vision
- 15-25% dehydration – may result in death
It’s clear that even a small amount of dehydration can hold us back from being our best. As a performance seeking person, being dehydrated is never a wise option. Water does plenty aside from simply quenching our thirst.
TRANSPORTS NUTRIENTS THROUGH THE BODY
Once a substance is dissolved, water becomes vital for transporting it throughout the body. Blood is about 83% water and transports oxygen, CO2, nutrients, waste products and more from cell to cell. Urine, another important transporter, is also mostly water and removes waste products from the body.
MOISTENS EYES, MOUTH AND NOSE
Water is needed for protection, keeping your mouth moist and washing away dirt and grime from your eyes. Water even lubricates our joints, keeping them from getting stiff and
making sure motion is smooth.
CAN HELP MAINTAIN PH AND ELECTROLYTE BALANCE
Our bodies must maintain a very specific pH level of 7.4. pH values of less than 6.9 or greater than 7.6 are life threatening so it is essential that we have ways to keep pH from deviating too far from normal.
Water is a reactant within a very important process that maintains pH at 7.4. Water is essential to maintaining electrolyte balance within our bodies.
Electrolytes are charged ions (such as Na+ or CI-) which must be kept at certain levels to maintain the proper amount of water in our cells.
PARTICIPATES IN MANY CHEMICAL REACTIONS
As a chemical reactant, water is involved in many processes and pathways of the body. We use it to digest food in the gastrointestinal tract, to access stored energy for muscles and organs, and for countless other reactions.
- Helps maintain normal body temperature
- Reduced chances of kidney stones
- May reduce constipation
- Hydrates our skin
- Ensures adequate blood volume
- Forms main components of body fluids
As you can see, it’s pretty important stuff!