Crystal Nelson
Lack of water: When the body becomes a desert
Our body is made up of around 70 percent water – converted to around 49 kilos for a person weighing 70 kilos. That sounds like a lot, but the truth is: every single drop is precisely measured, divided, and monitored by our organism. Because nothing works without water: we could not see, hear, smell, feel or taste; don’t think or move. Our cells could not exist at all without water.
Dehydration can have devastating effects on our bodies
The rule of thumb is: We need 30 ml of water per day for every kilogram of body weight. Because that corresponds pretty much exactly to the amount that we excrete every day – through the breath, as sweat, as a metabolic product. Even a deficit of 0.7 liters means a lack of water and has devastating consequences. Because: As soon as there is an imbalance in the water balance, our organism initiates an emergency program – the so-called renin-angiotensin (RA) system. It instructs the organism to retain water under all conditions. The kidneys shut down and no longer adequately flush toxins out of the body; the vessels constrict and thus restrict the oxygen supply to all areas that are not acutely vital. At the same time, the neurotransmitter histamine is released, which redistributes the water that is still present in the system. The histamine moves again and again via the nerve tracts that are responsible for the perception of pain – and thus triggers, among other things, persistent pain.
Doctors now know that the list of diseases that a simple lack of water can cause in the long term is very long. These include back and joint pain, rheumatoid arthritis, neuralgia, depression, angina pectoris, gastritis, asthma, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heartburn.
Lack of water: why thirst is an alarm signal
The recommended amount of water should be drunk in small amounts throughout the day. 40 ml every quarter of an hour is ideal – this way the water reaches all cells. Under no circumstances should you drink more than half a liter at a time – this amount flushes the kidneys vigorously, but is excreted too quickly to reach all parts of the body. By the way: If we feel thirsty, there is already a slight lack of water – so make sure to drink continuously.
In our picture gallery “Lack of water: When the body becomes a desert” you can find out what effects a lack of water can still have on the body.
