Water is a liquid element of hydrogen and oxygen atoms that is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. The scientific name for water is H2O, an essential substance for the survival of any life on planet Earth. In Latin, this is also referred to as Aqua.
Drinking water has almost zero calories. The Human body is comprised of 60% water. It assists in rejuvenating fluids lost by breathing, metabolism, sweat, and body wastage. It also plays a prominent role in regulating body temperature and physical performance, lubricating joints, tendons, tissues, muscles, and skin, and digesting the food we consume.
It is an irreplaceable beverage that provides hydration to our body and quenching our thirst. This drink is responsible for maintaining the optimal health of organs, including the brain, heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. All bodily functions, whether it may be the muscular system, nervous system, skeletal system, lymphatic system, and so on everything, rely on water.
1. Hydration Calculator
When it comes to drinking water, everybody does not know when and how much to drink. Nowadays, people drink water only when they feel thirsty. Being thirsty signals that the body is already dehydrated and demands water intake.
Under the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), the sufficient consumption of water is 125.1 ounces per day, which is equivalent to “3.7 liters per day for men” and 91.3 ounces a day, which is equivalent to “2.7 liters a day for women”. The NAS outlined that 81% of fluid comes from water and other drinks, and 19% is absorbed from the moisture of food, sports drinks, sugary drinks, and energy drinks.
Here’s an online hydration calculator that calculates your daily substantial water intake.
- First, you must assess your weight to calculate the water intake without a calculator. This is because 100-pound men and 100-pound women have different water intake.
- Second, you need to multiply your weight in pounds with ⅔ two third, which is 67%.
For instance, if your weight is around 175 pounds, multiply 175 x 0.67 to get 117. And that is the exact number of ounces to drink daily: 117 ounces. Thirdly, when excreting water through sweat, you should add up to 12 ounces of water every 30 minutes of the workout. If you exercise for 45 minutes daily, add 18 ounces of water daily.
2. Benefits of Drinking Water Sufficiently
There are abundant health benefits to drinking water at the right time in considerable amounts. Water is a way of life. Without it, we cannot live. Every organ, bone, muscle, tissue, ligament, skin, nerves, and every part of the body. Increasing fluid intake can help us live life longer.
2.1. Healthy Kidney Function
Water assists in removing waste from your blood via urine. It keeps the blood vessels clear so that the blood can flow freely through the kidneys by providing vital nutrients. However, if you become dehydrated, it becomes hard for your kidneys to work.
We form stone-like crystals in our kidneys if we consume less water than our daily intake. Being low on water can also cause urinary infections and bladder infections. The kidneys’ main role is to purify the blood from bodily waste and excrete waste via urine. If we do not drink enough water, the waste part builds up crystals in the kidneys and gradually stops the free flow of urine.
2.2. Proper Digestion of Food
Whatever the solid food we ingest cannot simply digest on its own. Our digestive enzymes need water to multiply and break down food molecules. It helps to extract nutrients from the food and deliver the body directly into the bloodstream.
It makes our stool soft and gets rid of constipation. Healthy gut bacteria, known as lactobacillus, cannot be sustained without adequate fluid intake. Our gut needs to maintain healthy bacteria in balance.
2.3. Boost Brain Function
Drinking water using electronics such as laptops, computers, or reading books can avoid laziness and bolster productivity. People who drink water at each interval during work can complete their tasks efficiently without having headache symptoms.
Keeping our bodies hydrated can prevent loss of memory and improve cognitive function. Every glass of water we drink at different times of the day increases oxygen in our bodies. The brain cells in our body need fluids to activate neurons that absorb information and store it in our memory. The more fluid, the better we can recall anything we concentrate on.
2.4. A Healthy Heart Rythm
The Heart is an organ that pumps the blood and delivers it to each nerve endings in the body. Considerable water consumption can dilute blood and open up the blocks of cholesterol and blood clots in our bodies. Moreover, it also assists in regulating the metabolism by burning extra calories.
Drinking water contains trace amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium as electrolytes that maintain the blood pressure in the body at an average level. Further, it also keeps our heart rhythm at an average bpm (beats per minute).
2.5. A Healthy Glowing Skin
We lose water every day from our body through vigorous exercise and sweat. Our skin pores release water along with sodium in the form of sweat. Drinking water regularly can add elasticity to the skin.
Proper water intake can slow aging and add moisture to our skin layers. Not only does it hydrate the tissues of the skin, but also it can rejuvenate the inner layers of the skin.
2.6. Strong Bones and Smooth Rotation of Joints
Extremely low hydration can cause the cushioning and curvation of the joints to become ruff and fluidless. Sipping water and maintaining optimal hydration between exercise and work can lubricate the joints and bones by creating smooth friction between them.
Maintain Performance with Hydration
Joshua Bartlett, a Running Coach at Your Next Run, suggests practical strategies for maintaining hydration during athletic training and competitions:
“Adequate hydration is crucial for maintaining athletic performance, as even a small degree of dehydration can lead to a significant drop in endurance and strength, and can impair cognitive function.
Proper hydration helps regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and transport nutrients to cells, all of which are essential for peak performance.
To maintain optimal hydration levels, I advise athletes to develop a hydration plan that starts well before training or competition, drinking fluids regularly throughout the day, not just during exercise.
During training and events, I recommend drinking according to thirst and using scheduled breaks to consume fluids, especially in longer sessions or races.
Post-exercise, it’s important to replenish any fluid losses by drinking water or an electrolyte solution and to monitor urine color as a general indicator of hydration status.
A lighter color typically indicates better hydration, while a darker color suggests a need for increased fluid intake. These practical strategies ensure that athletes can maintain hydration, which is integral to their overall performance and recovery.”
2.7. Flexible Muscles
Our muscles consist of almost 70% water. Together with glycogen, our muscles store water when they consume liquid-rich food. Tight and stiff muscles are a sign of dehydration and muscle soreness. A sufficient amount of water can soothe the inflamed muscles and speed up the recovery.
3. Moderate to Intense Side Effects of Not Drinking Water
Not drinking enough water or avoiding water can be bothering and sometimes life-threatening. When there is no water in our body than needed, some consequences may affect our daily lifestyle. These side effects can be moderate to intense.
3.1. Kidney Stones Due to Less Water Consumption
If the water supply to the body is not optimal and the solid food diet contains lots of fats and high protein, the kidney cannot filter the wastage created by the diet. As a result, crystal deposits form in the kidney, and if left un-noticed or untreated, it can become a stone and block the waste from passing through the urinary tract.
Furthermore, if undiagnosed, the kidneys stop working, and the person follows up with dialysis to function the same as the kidney does for a lifetime. Urinary infections and urinary pathway stones are also causes of dehydration.
The Importance of Hydration for Kidney Health
Lisa Richards, the Nutritionist at The Candida Diet, discusses the role of hydration in kidney function and recommends strategies to prevent kidney stone formation:
“Poor hydration significantly impacts kidney function, as the kidneys rely on adequate fluid intake to perform their essential roles effectively. When the body is dehydrated, the kidneys receive reduced blood flow, impairing their ability to filter waste and toxins from the blood efficiently.
As a result, waste products can build up in the bloodstream, leading to various complications such as kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and even kidney damage over time.
Inadequate hydration can increase the concentration of urine, potentially causing irritation to the bladder and urinary tract.
Chronic dehydration may contribute to the development of kidney disease and decrease overall kidney function. Therefore, maintaining proper hydration levels by drinking an adequate amount of water daily is crucial for supporting optimal kidney health and function.”
3.2. Poor Digestive Health
If there is an insufficient water intake in the body, the digestive health in which the stomach holds natural acids and digestive enzymes is decreased. Consequently, the healthy gut microbiota, also known as healthy bacteria, is diminished. The lesser the good bacteria, the harder it is for the food to digest and absorb nutrients.
In some cases, avoiding water for a prolonged time can develop ulcers. The body produces a lot of heat and has a chance of getting diarrhea and other digestive disorders.
3.3. Slow Brain Function
Excluding water from our diet more than usual can cause brain fog that causes less attention and concentration. In today’s fast-paced world and environment, people forget to care for their health. They even forget when they must drink water.
Eliminating or minimizing water from the diet can also cause problems later in life, such as dementia, cognitive disorders, and memory loss. Not sipping water and even mild dehydration can slow down brain function.
3.4. Heart Problems or Diseases
Not Having an adequate amount of water can increase blood pressure as well as create blocks in the valves of the heart. Bad cholesterol, also known as low-density lipoprotein, also increases in the absence of fluids in the body.
The high amounts of sodium we get from our diet are controlled by water only. The water dilutes the sodium in the body and slows down blood pressure. The heartbeat can become
High or low because of the absence of essential minerals, including calcium and potassium. The heart beats faster than usual if there is no sufficient water intake.
3.5. Skin Problems and Infections
Our skin needs moisture to maintain elasticity, and the body loses fluids and excretes waste through sweat from skin pores. The skin gets ruff and loses its moisture if we do not drink ample water. The bacteria sits on the skin pores and blocks sweat, resulting in skin infections.
There are many other skin problems related to dehydration. When skin becomes dry due to lack of fluid, the fungi and bacteria grow and multiply due to the dry surface of the skin. Rashes and redness also occur due to dehydration.
3.6. Weak Bones and Joint Problems
Fragile bones are also accompanied due to a lack of fluidity between the joints of the bones. The joints have a cartilage-type bone that is flexible and has cobalamin that helps them to rotate freely. If one is not drinking enough water, then there is a high chance of developing osteoarthritis and chronic diseases.
The cartilage bones between the joints, also known as flexible bones, need fluid to maintain flexibility. Without the fluid in cartilage, it would become hard to walk, fold, and rotate our joints.
One way to ensure adequate hydration and support joint health is by incorporating a supplement powder into your daily routine. Simply mix the powder with water and drink it regularly to provide your body with the necessary nutrients to maintain healthy joints and bones. This simple practice can help promote fluidity in the joints and prevent conditions like osteoarthritis.
3.7. Sore Muscles
After we exercise or workout, we release a lot of fluid through sweat and urine. After that, the micro-tears of muscle fiber demand glycogen, the fluid absorbed by carbohydrates in our diet. If fluid is absent in the body after a vigorous and intense workout, the muscles take longer than usual to heal themselves fully.
The delayed onset muscle soreness increases if we do not drink enough water.
FAQ’s
Can we drink too much water in one go?
There is no limit on water intake; however, in some rare cases, drinking much more water than usual can cause hyponatremia, in which sodium levels in the blood drop down to very low. This can cause lightheadedness or faintness temporary.
People with kidney problems should not consume large amounts of water at once. It is suggested to drink one glass of water for every 75 minutes.
What is the correct time to consume water?
The right time to drink water is in the early morning on an empty stomach, right after we wake up for the day to start. Drinking water right after waking up clears toxins from our bodies.
Drinking water before breakfast in the morning can increase the natural digestive enzymes in our stomach and promote healthy digestion. Additionally, drinking water half an hour before and after meals keeps the digestive in a proper and healthy condition.
What minerals must exist in drinking water?
The drinking water must be neutral or alkaline to prevent acidity in our bodies. We can use a water purifier with mineral stones in its purification system to make water mineralized.
The essential minerals in water are sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. These minerals support our nervous system, heart, and bones to function correctly.
What is the ideal TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) of drinking water?
The TDS of water can range between 0 to 600 depending on the water source. The suggested TDS of the water should be between 50 and 150 because, at this level, the water is neutral and slightly alkaline. Any value below or above this range can be acidic or highly alkaline, which is terrible for our health.
What is the average pH level in drinking water?
The average pH level of drinking water is between 6 and 8, which is neutral and slightly alkaline. The pH value between 0 and 5 is acidic, and 9 and 13 is alkaline.
Avoid Sugary Hydration Drinks
Lindsey Wolf, Marketing Manager, SportingSmiles, suggests alternative hydration methods compared to drinking water:
“There are a couple of other methods that you can add to your hydration routine to improve your overall wellness. Turmeric has been proven to help with inflammation and keep you feeling lighter.
For extra hydration, electrolytes have also been known to help boost your hydration. Combining them with water can maximize your hydration to the next level.
The combination can boost your mood, help with inflammation, and keep you hydrated. Drinking hydration drinks such as Gatorade won’t hydrate you as much as you’d think. Consuming sugary and artificially colored beverages can do more harm than hydrate.
For years, this has been the poster drink for hydration. It’s beneficial to investigate the ingredients in your drink to see what harmful ingredients they include.”
So, How Much Water Do You Need to Drink?
Our body is composed of 60% to 70% of water. So, we need to multiply our body weight in pounds by 0.67, which is 67%. Whatever the value we get is the ounces of water we need daily. Drinking water requirements vary from person to person according to body weight and gender differences.
Suppose your weight is 175 pounds. If you multiply 175 with 0.67, then you get 117. So, you need to consume 117 ounces of water daily. If you get confused about how to measure ounces, then there is a small trick to measure it. 1 liter of water bottle can hold 33 ounces of water. If your body requirement is 117 ounces of water, you need to drink 3.6 liters of water every day (33 x 3.6 = 118).
If you drink water using a glass, one glass contains 8 ounces. Similarly, to calculate water intake with a glass rather than a water bottle, multiply 8 by 15 to get across 117 ounces (8 x 15 =120). As a result, you need to either drink 15 glasses of water or 3.6 liters of water bottle each day. Using this simple trick, you can measure your daily water intake.
To make hydration more palatable, especially for those who find it challenging to drink plain water in one go, flavored electrolyte powder can be a convenient option. Adding this powder to water enhances the taste and helps replenish electrolytes lost through sweating, making it a more enjoyable and effective way to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Guest Author: Saket Kumar
Last Updated on by Saket Kumar
