The Importance of Water
Let’s talk about the importance of water. It is, as we all know, extremely necessary for us all. Actually it is something called an “essential nutrient” which means that your body can’t produce enough of it itself to survive, so we need to get it from elsewhere. Which means we have to drink it. If we don’t, we die. Simple as that.
Why is it so important?
Well, you may have heard that our bodies are made up of x amount of water. Let me set the record straight. It is totally different from person to person. Someone who is lean and has a lot of muscle will have a lot more water percentage than someone who has minimal muscle and lots of fat. Why? Because muscle is made up of a lot more water than fat. Also, it is very dependent on age. A young person has a higher water percentage than an older person (in part because as we grow older, we tend to lose muscle). So instead of telling you a specific number, I will tell you that it can vary between 50-80%.
Why do we have so much water in our bodies?
Water is essential for a lot of things, including:
Transportation of nutrients (Improvement of circulation: the bloodstream takes the nutrients to the organs needing them)
Digestion system (helps dissolve and absorb minerals, vitamins, and nutrients)
Maintenance of blood volume (blood is fluid, I think this one is obvious)
Regulating body temperature (sweat / perspiration)
Cushion for joints, muscle, tissues…
Excretion of waste through urination and defecation
Increases physical performance potential: affects endurance and strength (your muscles are full of water!)
Hydrated skin (so you don’t dry up)
Cognitive performance (may have negative impact on alertness and / or focus)
How much should you drink?
A woman should take in about 2,1 litres and a man 3,4 litres of fluid per day. But wait, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to drink that much. We actually take in 20% of the water we need through solid foods. To save you the math, that means you need to drink about 1,7 litres (woman) and 2,7 litres (man).
Just so you know, there are some fruits and vegetables that have a very water content: Tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, oranges, pineapples, and watermelons are some.
You can also get your water from other fluids that aren’t pure water. Like sodas, coffee, tea, milk, and alcoholic beverages. But, caffeine may cause your body to secrete more water than it would’ve otherwise. I personally don’t count my caffeinated drinks toward my water intake for this reason. And alcohol dehydrates you so much that in my opinion it doesn’t count at all when it comes to fluid intake.
When feeling thirsty, you should drink as soon as possible. It doesn’t mean that you are starting to become dehydrated, but actually that you already are. Thirstiness is your body’s response to dehydration.
When living in hot environments or during exercise, your intake should be a lot higher since your body loses so much water through perspiration. During my workouts, I drink about 100mL every 3-5 minutes, but that’s just my preference.
Some of the effects of dehydration are fatigue, lightheadedness, confusion, anxiety, and weakness.
A normal urine colour should be pale yellow. If it’s dark, it may mean you are dehydrated. Certain vitamins or things you have eaten can also impact your urine colour though.
I hope this motivated you to drink more water! There are only benefits :)