Hydration 101

Everyone has probably heard that a human being can live for more than 3 weeks without food but only 3-4 days without water. Even with this knowledge, water is the most common nutritional deficiency in the American population. It may surprise you to know that water is a nutrient but it is actually the most important nutrient in our body and makes up 55-60% of our body mass. Some of water’s many roles include:

Improving oxygen delivery

Transport of nutrients

Cushions bones and joints

Absorbs shocks to joints and organs

Enables cellular hydration

Regulates body temperature

Removes wastes

Flushes toxins

Prevents tissues from sticking

Maintains normal electrical properties of cells (electrolytes)

Empowers the body’s natural healing process

Moistens oxygen

The ideal amount of water is bio-individual but the general recommendation is to drink half of your weight in ounces of water. For example, a 140-pound individual would aim for about 70 ounces of water per day. Those who are more active may need more water and very sedentary individuals less. If you consume a large amount of diuretic beverages such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, soft drinks, and alcohol, you will need to drink more water

As a functional nutritionist in Colts Neck, NJ, when someone tells me that they are having issues with constipation, headaches, joint problems or fatigue, the first questions I ask is how much water they are drinking. We don’t normally make the association of being dehydrated to any physical issues but many symptoms we have on a daily basis can be related to just that.

What are some signs of dehydration?

Some early signs of dehydration are:

Fatigue

Anxiety

Irritability

Depression

Cravings

Cramps

Headache

Mature signs of dehydration are:

Heartburn

Joint pain

Back pain

Migraines

Fibromyalgia

Constipation

Colitis

About 8% of water is produced when the body processes (metabolizes) certain nutrients. The body loses water primarily by excreting it in urine from the kidneys. The remaining 92% must be ingested through the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. Also, water cannot be stored in the body - we are not camels!

In order to absorb water, we need to have appropriate electrolytes, such as:

potassium

sodium

calcium

bicarbonate

magnesium

chloride

phosphate

Electrolytes are chemicals that form ions in body fluids. They help make sure specific bodily functions run smoothly. The electrical energy that is carried by these ions is necessary for many functions, including muscle contractions and transmission of nerve impulses. For example, muscle cramping can be an indication of low electrolytes.

Sports drinks that claim to replace electrolytes are not the best choice for hydration because most of them contain an abundance of sugar or artificial sweeteners plus artificial colors and flavors. Your best bet is filtered, spring water or coconut water with a pinch of unrefined sea salt or Himalayan pink sea salt.

It is best to drink filtered or spring water. If you drink bottled water make sure the bottle is BPA free. Distilled Water, which is free of dissolved minerals and other particles has the ability to absorb toxic substances but pulls minerals from the body and can be dehydrating. It can be

used for short term detoxifying of heavy metals if indicated but should not be consumed as drinking water.

How much water loss causes dehydration?

If the body’s water content drops by as little as 2%, it will cause fatigue. A drop of 10% will cause significant digestive, cardiovascular, immune and musculoskeletal problems. Losses of greater than 10% can cause death.

There is something else to keep in mind regarding hydration and age. There has been research that seems to indicate that as we age there is a change in the way our body regulates thirst. Due to this, elderly people may need to drink regularly even when they do not feel thirsty.

So, other than feeling thir