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Low fluid intake by a person. What happens if you drink little water: possible consequences, causes. Why is it recommended for people to drink more water?

maintain a drinking regime... This allows you to avoid dehydration and is an excellent prevention of many diseases. But what happens if you don't? What could be the consequences if a person drink little water?

Many of us simply don't know the answer to this question. That’s why people still don’t pay enough attention to hydrating their body. They do not fully understand the role of fluid in each of the vital processes of the body. They do not know that some diseases and disorders appear due to lack of moisture in the body. Therefore, most often it is precisely those people who suffer from them who are accustomed drink little water.

And today we will tell you what 13 problems can arise due to dehydration. This will give you a better idea of ​​what happens to your body when you deprive it of essential moisture.

What can happen if you don't drink enough water?

Weakness

When you don't drink enough water, your body begins to lose moisture, causing many processes in your body to slow down. As a result you feel weak and you get tired quickly. This weakness becomes chronic, that is, you constantly, for no apparent reason, experience incredible fatigue. And you have to overcome yourself to cope with your usual responsibilities.

Premature aging

Human body more than 60% consists of water. All internal organs need fluid to function correctly. When you drink enough fluids, you help your body fight free radicals, which are known to damage cells and lead to premature aging. Thus, thanks to drinking plenty of fluids you can avoid this problem.

Excess weight

Despite the fact that water as such does not help you lose weight, it plays a very important role important role V healthy eating. The fact is that drinking water (in sufficient quantities) helps cleanse the body of waste and toxins. In addition, it gives you a feeling of fullness and also helps keep your metabolism active. When you limit yourself to drinking, all these effects disappear, but they are very important and would only benefit you.

High and low blood pressure


Drinking enough fluid is necessary to cleanse the blood of toxic substances. Water has a beneficial effect on blood circulation in principle. After all, it depends on her total blood volume which fills the arteries, veins and capillaries.

Increased levels of “bad” cholesterol

When dehydrated, your body will try to get the missing fluid from its own cells. And in response to this, to protect cells from moisture loss, cholesterol production will increase.

Constipation

Your body needs water to form feces and their timely removal. It moisturizes food and makes it easier to digest. If you drink little water, dehydration can become chronic. The intestines will begin to experience fluid deficiency, which will not allow it to remove food debris properly. And in this case the person will begin to be disturbed constipation.

Digestive system diseases


When the human body experiences a lack of water, excretion is reduced. gastric juice. Because of this, the digestive process is disrupted, and the risk of developing diseases such as gastritis and stomach ulcers increases.

Respiratory diseases

In this case, the cause is quite easy to detect: when your body suffers from dehydration, the urine turns dark. yellow and a stronger smell.

Rheumatism


So, a lack of fluid leads to the accumulation of a large amount of toxins in the body. It causes various diseases and disorders. Studies have shown a relationship between dehydration and an increased risk of developing diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Nervous system disorders

Severe dehydration can cause significant electrolyte (sodium and potassium) imbalances. And their deficiency threatens with serious consequences for our health - disturbances in the functioning of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. A study conducted in the United States experimentally revealed a direct connection between the thirst that people experienced and irritability.

So try to maintain your drinking regime. Now you know exactly why you need to do this! And remember that each person has their own norm. According to Professor Robert Huggins (from the University of Connecticut, USA), a person’s need for fluid depends on a combination of factors: gender, climate, age, weight, physical activity, etc. Don’t look up to someone else, listen to your own body.

Why is there so much talk about water? Yes, because our body needs it in sufficient quantities every day.

If you drink little water, your body will suffer. Doctors advise drinking it as much as possible. However, many people neglect this advice without thinking about the health implications.

Due to lack of water in the body, metabolic processes, toxins are not removed, dehydration occurs. Severe dehydration occurs due to overheating and increased sweating, due to heat combined with windy weather, due to diseases that are accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, increased body temperature and sweating.

The constant shortage in the body is not so noticeable. Human body gets used to this state. But if at the same time there are prerequisites for a large loss of fluid (hot summer days, for example), then fainting, confusion, and others are possible. severe conditions requiring treatment.

Want to know if you're drinking enough water? Then check yourself for 10 signs that indicate you're not drinking enough water.

Signs that there is not enough water in the body

  1. Dry mouth. Dry mouth is the very first and most obvious symptom that your body needs water. At this point, the body is already beginning to experience dehydration. Naturally, you should not fight dry mouth with tea, soda or sweet juices from packages. The body asks for water!
  2. . Our skin, like a mirror, reflects everything that happens to the body inside. If you suffer from excessive dry skin, then most likely this is due to a lack of water in the body.
  3. Sometimes intense thirst. Has it ever happened to you that you drink and drink and still can’t get drunk. Congratulations, your body has been dehydrated. This is no longer just dry mouth, this is already quite serious dehydration of the body, during which the brain begins to send active SOS signals and simply demand water. Alcohol dehydrates the body very much, which is why you still want to drink after a hangover.
  4. Dry eyes. If you experience dry eyes, even slight itching, and the whites seem to be bloodshot, then immediately go and drink some water. When there is not enough water in the body, our tear ducts dry out. This can cause a lot of damage to the eyes. People who wear contact lenses should be especially careful about this symptom.
  5. Decreased urine volume and a change in its color (it becomes dark). Each person’s body is individual and it is sometimes difficult to determine the norm. But pay attention to the amount of water you drink if you notice changes in your urination patterns.
  6. Increased heart rate heartbeat. When blood in the circulatory system loses water, it becomes viscous, its volume decreases, and it circulates more slowly. As a result, the load on the heart increases, blood circulation is disrupted, and human organs do not receive enough oxygen.
  7. Feeling pain in . Many people, even those who are not very old, experience joint pain. For some, it appears after running or jumping. Our body is thought out to the smallest detail. Our cartilage discs are 80% water to prevent joints from rubbing or grinding against each other, especially during intense use. Therefore, chronic lack of water begins to cause pain!
  8. Decrease muscle mass. Like cartilage and joints, muscles are half water. It is natural to assume that with a lack of water in the body, when it is dehydrated, moisture is lost - the volume of muscle mass decreases. All trainers and doctors came to the conclusion that even during training it is necessary to periodically drink water.
  9. Chronic fatigue and drowsiness. If the body does not have enough water, it begins to look for it, without receiving it from the outside, it borrows it from within. Including blood. Which leads to a lack of oxygen transported to all organs. One hundred, in turn, causes a feeling of drowsiness and fatigue. And now day after day you feel more and more tired, you don’t get enough sleep even after 8 hours good sleep, and coffee no longer invigorates you, you still sleep on the go.
  10. Observed Digestive problems. It is important to moisturize the oral mucosa, but this also applies to all digestive system. Without adequate hydration, the amount and density of mucus in your stomach decreases, allowing stomach acid to harm your internal organs. This usually leads to what we call heartburn and indigestion.

The amount of water our body can hold decreases as we age. As we get older, we need to consciously increase our water intake. Although the signs premature aging While more obvious externally, the damage that dehydration causes to internal organs will ultimately be felt for a long time. To reduce the risks associated with this, you need to adhere to drinking regime throughout life.

Water in the human body is needed to cushion and lubricate joints, to regulate body temperature and to nourish the brain and spinal cord. Water is not only part of the blood; the brain and heart of an adult are almost ¾ of water. About the same percentage of moisture in a banana.

The average person consists of 50-60% water. The percentage of water in a baby is even greater - up to 75%, approximately the same as in fish. When a child turns one year old, the percentage of water in the body becomes less - approximately 65%.

What will happen to the body if you drink little water: dehydration is detrimental to the body

Human lungs are similar in moisture content to apples - 83%, and dry-looking human bones contain 31% water.

Every day a person loses about two liters of water through sweating, urination, bowel movements and even respiratory process. In this regard, the lost fluid must be replenished. Otherwise, dehydration will occur.

But water consumption should be moderate, because excess moisture, as well as its lack, are detrimental to the human body.

The first sign of a lack of fluid in the body is darkening of the urine. If the body continues to remain without water, the person will begin to lose energy, his mood will worsen, signs of dry skin will appear, and blood pressure will drop.

It will become slow due to lack of water brain activity, the brain will even become smaller in volume.

If you drink little water, what will happen to the body: in rare cases, even death is possible

Hyperhydration or hyponatremia usually occurs due to overuse water for short term. Athletes often become victims of hyperhydration due to the difficulty of regulating water levels during heavy physical activity.

IN severe cases the kidneys cannot cope with the resulting amount of hypotonic urine - this leads to water intoxication. Headaches, vomiting, convulsions may begin, and in rare cases the situation can also lead to death.

Usually, water balance It is not difficult to maintain in the body. The main thing is that clean drinking water is available. There has been a lot of talk about drinking eight glasses of water a day. Then these data were clarified and now they say that the amount of moisture required depends on the weight of a person and on the environment in which he is located.

Water is the healthiest source of moisture, although other liquids, even those containing caffeine, will help rehydrate. With food, a person receives about a fifth of the necessary moisture per day.

Scientists have proven that optimal water balance in the body can protect against stroke, diabetes and even malignant tumors. In any case, the correct water balance in the body is the key to excellent health.

Many of us drink too little water and don't even realize it. Signals of not receiving adequate fluids are easy to confuse with something else because dehydration can cause headaches, low mood, or weight gain.

Here are 24 surprising signs that indicate... dehydration that your body sends to you.

Do you feel dry mouth?

Lack of enough water in the body means that we produce less sweat and natural oils, which protect the skin from drying out. If this problem persists for a long time, the skin will become very dry and lose elasticity.

Your eyes are dry

Drinking water is important not only to moisturize your throat and mouth, but also your eyes. Water shortage It’s easy to notice by your eyes – they become red, dry and tired, this is a sign that you’re not drinking enough water. Another warning sign is the lack of tears, which can only be produced when you drink enough water.

Your joints hurt

Articular cartilage and discs are made up of 80% water. If your body lacks it, you may feel pain when moving. Drinking enough water protects the bones from rubbing against each other, and the cartilage will be able to absorb shock during running or jumping.

Extreme thirst

If you are thirsty, this is a sign that your body is already dehydrated. However, if your tongue resembles the desert, this is a sign that you are suffering from chronic dehydration, and your health is in danger. You should drink water even if you don't feel thirsty. It is best to drink it throughout the day, in small sips.

Muscles hurt

Our muscles are also made of water. The less we drink it, the less muscle mass. It is for this reason that it is so important body hydration before, during and after training. Fluids are necessary not only to quench thirst and relieve fatigue, but also for the normal functioning of tendons and muscles.

You've been sick for a long time

Water consumption allows you to quickly get rid of toxins and microbes present in the body during illness or cold. If you are dehydrated, it will take you longer to get back into shape. However, this is not the only problem - if there is not enough fluid, the body begins to draw water from the blood and organs, which can have serious consequences for good health.

You are weak and tired

Feeling tired and fatigued is often the result of not getting enough sleep, but rather not getting enough water in your diet. When the body pulls water from tissues and cells, you begin to feel worse and worse and lack energy.

Often after lunch we feel a sudden drop in energy and, as a rule, looking at coffee is a mistake because it can increase dehydration. If you feel sleepy, start the day by drinking a glass of water before looking for other ways to stimulate yourself.

You are constantly hungry

Water deficiency in the body may be manifested... by rumbling in the stomach. Very often we confuse hunger with thirst. This has consequences both for health, since the body does not receive the required dose of H 2 O, and for the figure - too frequent snacking ends in weight gain.

You have digestive problems

Water is needed not only by our skin or muscles, but also by all organs. This is especially important for the gastrointestinal tract. Dehydration dries the gastric mucosa, as a result, acids cannot perform their role properly and irritate the stomach. In practice, this means heartburn and other digestive problems.

You have frequent constipation

Water moisturizes everything gastrointestinal tract, and is very important for the normal functioning of the intestines. If you notice that you often have intestinal constipation, try to drink more water throughout the day. It's simple and effective method deal with an unpleasant and shameful problem. If increasing fluid intake does not help, it is time to see a specialist.

Go to the toilet too rarely

Believe it or not, if you go to the toilet less than 4 times a day, you are probably drinking too little water. Also look at the color of your urine - it should be pale yellow or even clear. Intense yellow color is a message that the body is dehydrated. Remember that lack of water contributes to the development of infections urinary tract, which are associated with pain and a long treatment process.

You're getting old too fast

Amount of water in the body decreases with age. This means one thing - the older we get, the more water we need. The first signs of aging are wrinkles, loss of elasticity and dry skin. However, the aging process affects not only the skin, but also internal organs. Cells, tissues, organs need more and more water with age, and its absence may mean serious problems with health.

Do you experience frequent dizziness?

Although dizziness can be a symptom of many diseases, as well as a consequence of taking certain medications, it also appears in people who drink little water. Dizziness should let you know you need water, especially if you notice other symptoms of dehydration.

You often have a headache

Headache is one of the typical symptoms dehydration of the body. If you feel light almost all the time headache, this may mean that your body is dehydrated. Instead of swallowing more painkillers, try drinking more water. You may be surprised how quickly you feel positive results.

Your heart rate is elevated

Does your heart start beating fast? This a terrible sign may indicate that your body does not have enough water. To avoid these unpleasant ailments, try to drink about 8 glasses of water a day.

Do you want something sweet?

When you don't have enough water, your body is unable to convert glycogen into glucose, resulting in increased appetite(especially for sweets).

You have bad breath

The production of saliva in the mouth requires water. If you drink too little, your body is unable to produce enough saliva, which is responsible, in part, for washing away bacteria from the mouth. When there is not enough saliva, bacteria begin to multiply, resulting in bad smell from mouth. If you want to feel comfortable in any situation and not be afraid of disgusting breath, make sure to provide yourself with fluids.

You have a fever

Although it seems strange, fever can be a symptom of a lack of water in the body. In order for all life processes to proceed normally, the body must work at increased speed, which may result in an increase in body temperature.

Are you often sick?

Do you often encounter infections? chronic catarrh and do you complain of a sore throat? The body's resistance depends on diet, exercise and good hygiene. However, great importance has adequate water intake.

You have gained excess weight

Obesity is usually blamed poor nutrition and lack physical activity However, sometimes this can be a consequence of drinking too little water. Why? When cells lack water, they perceive it as an energy deficiency. The signal that enters the brain is often confused with hunger, and instead of a glass of water, we eat a sandwich or cake.

Problems concentrating

Studies have shown that even slight dehydration affects our intellectual abilities. Concentration, memory, alertness and reaction time depend on the level of water in the body, so if you work mentally or study, then do not part with a bottle of water. Remember to drink water if you are driving. One study found that dehydrated people are more likely to be at fault in many traffic accidents.

You have a hangover

Each of us knows that if you overdo it with alcohol, the next day will be difficult. However, it is worth knowing that the cause of a hangover can be either too much alcoholic beverages or too little water. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect, so you should drink as much as possible during events ordinary water. You should also remember the use large quantity water just before bed. If you follow these tips, you will forever forget about the hangover after the party.

You are constantly irritated

Are you feeling tense and irritable? This is another one symptom of dehydration, which we usually do not associate with water shortages. It turns out, however, that water is key not only for the health and proper functioning of the body, but also for our well-being.

The human body is 60-70% water. If a person drinks little water, this can have an impact negative impact on the state of the body and its functioning. If you drink little water, it will sooner or later have an impact on your health. According to one foreign health website (NaturoDoc.com), people can go without food for entire periods.
two months, but can do without water for only a few days. Among other things, it supports vital organs"wet state" so that they can function normally.

The body gets rid of water when a person sweats, urinates, and breathes. The body's fluid supply is replenished by drinking water or other liquids and eating foods that contain water (mainly fruits and vegetables). Drinking little water will prevent normal functioning body. This condition is called dehydration. Diarrhea, vomiting, increased sweating, frequent urination, elevated temperature body and skin burns can lead to significant loss more fluids from the body. That is why, with such health problems, you want to drink more than usual. If a person drinks little water during such periods, then this serious reason will worry.

What happens if you don't drink enough water?

Weak and moderate (moderate) degrees of dehydration

If a person drinks little water or stops drinking it altogether, this can lead to dehydration. The first symptom of dehydration is thirst. If you drink little water and at the same time lose it, the body reduces the output of water from the body by reducing sweating and urination. That is, if a person drinks little water, this will manifest itself primarily in the form of fewer trips to the toilet and less sweat. To compensate for the loss of water in the body, its reserves leave the cells and enter the blood in order to maintain blood volume and pressure. A symptom of weak or moderate degree Dehydration can also occur, for example, a mild headache. This can be especially noticeable at the end of the day. The reason for this is that there is not enough water for the brain, which is 90% water.

Severe dehydration

If you drink little water, then the average (moderate) degree of dehydration will be replaced by a severe degree. Symptoms of severe dehydration: extreme thirst, very severe dryness in the mouth, dry mucous membranes, decreased blood pressure, dizziness and irregular heartbeat. If a person drinks little water, subsequent dehydration can lead to disruption of the functioning and condition of the kidneys, liver and brain. Damage to brain cells will result in delirium, loss of consciousness and coma. During such hallucinations, people see mirages in deserts, which are preceded in turn by all degrees of dehydration.

Common symptoms of dehydration (briefly)

General symptoms dehydration (in brief): dry and sticky mouth, sunken eyes that cannot produce enough tears, little or no urination, and lethargy. People who do not drink enough fluids may also experience low blood pressure and increased heart rate.

Treatment of dehydration

The only treatment is to drink enough water to replace the lost fluid. Drinking water is the best option, because juice or sweetened drinks can cause diarrhea, and milk and broth contain salts, which can worsen symptoms of dehydration. If you don't drink enough water and this leads to severe dehydration, then sometimes you have to resort to intravenous fluid replacement. This is more often practiced if a person practically cannot drink water due to his condition (being unconscious, very bad feeling)

Preventing dehydration

Dehydration can be avoided by maintaining adequate water levels in the body. Adults should drink six or more glasses of water per day. Drink more water during and after strenuous activity and in hot weather. In such cases healthy body It tells you if a person doesn’t drink enough water.

Who is most at risk of dehydration?

Certain groups of people have increased chances become a victim of dehydration. Infants, young children, elderly people, people with chronic diseases, athletes who value endurance are susceptible to increased risk lose more water than they drink.

How much water to drink per day?

Most people live in a state of dehydration and don't even know it. However, if you follow general recommendations and consume eight to ten glasses of water a day, it can be prevented. This amount of water drunk should be distributed throughout the day. In this case, the norm (how much water to drink per day) was taken from the authoritative foreign website NaturoDoc.com. But these 8-10 glasses are average. There is a method for calculating drinking water: 30 ml per 1 kg of person’s weight. If for average weight take 70 kg, then this is 2.1 liters - this turns out to be a little more than 8 glasses. But if your weight is more than 83 kg, then according to this calculation you need to drink more than 10 glasses a day.

The question “How much water to drink per day” is actually very vague. It all depends on the temperature environment, and from activity ( physical labor and playing sports), and on what percentage of water comes with food. Gender also matters - men, due to their higher muscle mass to body ratio, should drink more water.

Replenishing the body's fluid supply with drinks containing caffeine and alcohol

Although caffeinated and alcoholic drinks They are liquid and are usually based on water; they cannot be used to quench thirst. This is because foods such as coffee and beer lead to dehydration. These actually lead to increased consumption of water reserves in the body. When consuming such drinks, symptoms of dehydration may occur, as well as abdominal pain, lower back pain, headaches and depression.

Proper nutrition to get enough water

To maintain a sufficient amount of fluid in the body, you should eat at least, 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. This is important because most of The fluid that enters the body comes with food. In the absence of compliance with such proper diet, which of course is observed in most people, to replenish the supply of fluid in the body, you should drink water at room temperature or colder if your health allows. That is, you should not quench your thirst with tea or hot water. According to research, the body absorbs cold water more quickly.

“I started drinking less water!” - causes

If you notice that you have started drinking less water, then this is not necessarily a cause for concern. Especially if the signs of dehydration listed above are not observed. Perhaps you began to drink less water due to the fact that your body began to receive more of it with food (juicy vegetables, fruits, liquid food etc.), or began to move less, the air temperature around became lower than it was before.

But if you say: “I started drinking little water,” and at the same time you observe the signs described in the article “