Many sources claim that the bodya person is approximately 80% water. However, the latest numerous studies by scientists indicate that this figure is, to put it mildly, slightly elevated. Although this does not at all cancel the truism that a person needs water much more than even food. Do you want to know how much water a person actually has, what its role is in the body's vital functions, whether the percentage of water content can change, and other interesting facts? Then this article is for you, because this is exactly the issue we will sort out today.
Percentage of water content in the body
It is impossible to give a clear answer to the question of how much water a person contains, since the figure is very unstable and depends on many, many factors. For example, water content depends on:
- Age of the person
The amount of water in the human body directlydepends on his age, and therefore changes throughout a person's life. The younger he is, the more water there is in his body. For example, a one-month-old human embryo consists of 98% water. A figure that staggers the imagination, isn't it? The same percentage ratio for a newborn baby is 80%, for a five-year-old baby - 78%, and for a sixty-year-old - only 43%.
- Internal organs
In addition, we must not forget thatThe water content varies greatly in different organs of the body. For example, in bones there is no more than 34% water, but in the brain - up to 90. However, this ratio is also unstable and changes as a person ages.
- Human health
Many diseases lead to dehydration.of the body, sometimes very strong. This is especially typical for those diseases that cause an increase in body temperature. By the way, this is why doctors strongly recommend sick people to drink as much water as possible, because dehydration aggravates the course of the disease and slows down recovery. By the way, these days even healthy people very often have mild dehydration. This is why nowadays no one is surprised by chronic fatigue syndrome, excessive drowsiness, absent-mindedness, forgetfulness. In addition, doctors say that even mild but constant dehydration increases the chances of developing bowel cancer by about 27%, bladder cancer - by 19%, and breast cancer - by as much as 47%. The statistics are not just depressing, but even creepy. After all, for the development of these terrible diseases only 3% deviation downwards from the normal level of water content in the body.
Normal amount of water
So what is the normal amount of water inbody? Doctors believe that this figure fluctuates within 65%. But this is true only for people with normal body weight. Doctors calculate this weight using a simple formula: a person's height minus 100 centimeters, plus or minus five kilograms. For example, if a person's height is 165 centimeters, then their normal weight fluctuates within 60-70 kilograms. Some people believe that an overweight person is not at risk of dehydration, but in fact this is not true. Lipids (fat tissue) contain practically no water, so the more fat tissue in the body, the less water it contains. In especially severe cases, the water content can drop to 50%.
Why do we need water?
Why does the human body need water?Why is its reduction so critical? It is impossible to answer this question unequivocally, since water in the human body performs quite a lot of functions.
- Structure of cells
Every cell in the body consists of water, andAccordingly, a normal water level ensures the reproduction of healthy cells, without any "breakdowns". And this is very, very important, since the cells of our body are renewed daily. And the health of your body cells depends on how much water you drink.
- Normal concentration of substances in the body
Our body contains a huge amounta wide variety of substances necessary for normal functioning: vitamins, minerals, hormones. But in order for these substances to perform their function, their concentration must be adequate. This is another role that nature has assigned to water in the human body.
- Detoxification of the body
Every second something happens in the human bodya huge number of metabolic processes. And their side effects are excreted from the body, mainly with the help of the kidneys. But in order to excrete them, you need a sufficient amount of water, in which all these wastes will dissolve. That is why dehydration is fraught with chronic poisoning of the body - intoxication. As you can see, if you want to maintain your health, you cannot allow dehydration. On average, an adult should drink about two liters of water, including hidden - vegetables, fruits, soups. But pay attention - if you suffer from hypertension or any kidney and bladder diseases, consult your doctor first. Only a doctor knows the specifics of the course of your disease, will be able to assess the condition and understand how much water per day you can drink so as not to harm your health.
Basic misconceptions about water
So, we are convinced that water is vitalnecessary, learned how much water should normally be in the body and how much liquid an adult should drink per day. But there are so many different misconceptions about water! How can you avoid making a mistake? We will tell you about the main ones:
- Water contributes to the appearance of edema
People prone to swelling tryreduce the amount of liquid consumed to the minimum possible. But in reality, this is not entirely true - a decrease in liquid often provokes the appearance of even more severe edema. Therefore, discuss your drinking regime with your doctor - he will probably advise drinking at least a liter of liquid per day.
- Water with food
Вот уже не одно поколение людей свято верит, что пищу необходимо запивать. Врачи же гастроэнтерологи в один голос утверждают, что этого делать ни в коем случае нельзя! Попадая в желудок, вода растворяется в желудочном соке. А значит, концентрация соляной кислоты, необходимой для нормального процесса пищеварения, понижается. А тут до гастрита, а то и для язвы желудка рукой подать.
- Water instead of food
Very often you can hear a very interestingAdvice: to dull the feeling of hunger, drink a glass of water. This is especially often resorted to by representatives of the fair sex, fighting extra pounds. However, this should not be done - if you drink more than three liters of liquid per day, sooner or later health problems will begin. In addition, excess water in the body can lead to acute alcohol intoxication.
- Do not drink at night
Very often you can hear a warning aboutreasons for drinking water before bed - they say, the same old edema. But in fact, a glass of clean drinking water at room temperature will help you sleep soundly, and in the morning will provide a beautiful complexion. And there will be much less edema. And it is not surprising - if the body is constantly not getting enough water, at any convenient opportunity it hides it in reserve. And if there is enough water, what is the point of storing it? And finally, I would like to remind you - tea, coffee, lemonade and other liquids, of course, are also water. But if you want the liquid to benefit your body, try to drink plain clean non-carbonated drinking water. Coffee and tea, for example, contain substances that provoke excessive excretion from the body, thereby provoking the development of dehydration, carbon dioxide contained in soda - also does not have the most favorable effect on the body, not to mention the huge amount of sugar. So it’s time to remember the children’s fairy tale: always and everywhere eternal glory to water.
