The Importance of Hydration in the Human Body
Wouldn’t it be grand if you could help ward off fatigue, irritability, headaches, and even “brain fog” or cognition problems with a relatively inexpensive elixir? There is a good chance that these symptoms arise out of a very basic and prevalent problem — dehydration. Dr. Adam Olson, a family physician at ThedaCare Physicians-Darboy, says water, juice, coffee, soup, or even a juicy slice of watermelon are all good sources of the water our bodies need to function properly. “The majority of patients I see are not drinking enough water, and symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, and inability to focus can often be fixed when they pay better attention to their water intake,” he said. Consider these facts:
- Our bodies are over two-thirds water, and even our bones are composed of more than 20 percent water.
- Water is needed to transport all nutrients, hormones and even wastes through our bodies, so it’s important to avoid dehydration, an often overlooked aspect of disease.
- Exercise performance is impaired when an individual is dehydrated by as little as two percent of body weight. Losses in excess of five percent of body weight can decrease the capacity for work by about 30 percent.
- An active person who is dehydrated will suffer from reduced blood volume, decreased sweating (the body’s natural cooling system), increased core temperature, and increased muscle glycogen use, the primary fuel that muscles use for energy production.
Hydration becomes even more important as we age. We slowly begin to lose kidney function and are less able to conserve fluid, and this condition often becomes acute after age 70. Older people also experience an increasing disassociation between how hydrated their bodies are and how thirsty they feel because of changes in the hypothalamus portion of their brain. Coupled with medications or diseases that increase a person’s fluid needs, it’s no wonder that elderly dehydration is one of the ten most frequent admitting diagnoses for Medicare hospitalizations. Keeping hydrated helps improve kidney function, maintain clear cognition, and optimize medication absorption.
How Much Water Do I Need? A good rule of thumb is to take your body weight (in pounds) and divide it by two. This is the number of ounces of water that you should be drinking each day. For example, if you weigh 150 pounds, you will need 75 ounces of water per day.
“If you have kidney or heart problems, though, it’s important to talk to your doctor about the right amount of fluid intake for your situation,” said Dr. Olson. These chronic health conditions require special monitoring for both fluid intake and retention. Not a bottle-bringer? Then Dr. Olson says you should drink a full glass of water at dawn, at meals, and once between each mealtime. Or try these tips to keep you or your family members from wilting like faded lilies:
- To track your water intake, take a water bottle with you throughout the day and wrap rubber bands around it that correspond to the number of bottles of water you need to ingest in a day. Move the rubber bands from the top of the bottle to the bottom as you finish each portion.
- Choose from a variety of healthy beverages (water, tea, juices) to keep you hydrated. Avoid alcohol, because it dehydrates you, and remember to avoid caffeine for at least four hours before bedtime. Avoid sugary sodas and energy drinks because the empty calories will cause weight gain.
- Involve young children in your family’s hydration program. For fun, drink straight out of a measuring cup and chart your progress, or drink enough water to earn a popsicle at the end of the day, both of which provide needed fluids.
Are you looking for a doctor to help you find clear, straightforward solutions to your health concerns? Dr. Adam Olson of ThedaCare Physicians-Darboy is accepting new patients. Call his office directly at (920) 358-1900 to schedule an appointment or call ThedaCare On Call at (920) 830-6877 or go to www.thedacare.org and click on “Find a Doctor.
