HOW MUCH WATER CAN YOU DRINK?

Many people drink too little. Liquid is very important for our body. How much water do we need a day? The water content in an adult’s body is about 50 to 60 percent. The fluid ensures that the blood can flow. It transports important nutrients to the organs, regulates body temperature by sweating and sweeps toxins out of the body.

Your body consumes two to three liters of water per day. It excretes it through the skin, through breathing and through metabolism, i.e. through urine and bowel movements. For the water balance to be correct, you should absorb as much water as the body needs every day.

Around 1.5 liters of water per day

A small part of it is pulled out of the diet, the greater part gets into your body via drinks such as water, tea and fruit juice chorale. If you drink around 1.5 liters per day, the organism will receive sufficient fluid. This quantity is recommended by the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) in Bonn.

However, in case of high heat, extreme cold, fever, vomiting, diarrhea as well as physically demanding work and sports, you need more fluid. In these special situations, the DGE recommends an additional 0.5 to 1 liter per hour. Excess amounts are excreted by a healthy organism via the kidneys.

What happens if you drink too little?

A lack of fluid is not without consequences for the body:

• The blood can no longer flow properly.
• Muscle and brain cells are poorly cared for.
• Concentration and performance decrease.
• They are thirsty, the mucous membranes in the throat are dry.
• If the mucous membranes dry out, they are more susceptible to viruses and bacteria.
• The risk of kidney disease, urinary tract infections and circulatory problems increases.
• You can get headaches.

Don’t wait for the thirst

To make sure it doesn’t happen, it’s best to drink something regularly throughout the day. Apps can also help you and remind you to drink regularly. It is also advisable that you always have a drink in sight – at work and at home. If you get thirsty, it’s actually too late. Thirst signals that the body lacks fluid.

 

Water temperature matters

If you find it difficult to consume enough liquid, you can try it with lukewarm water or tea. If the water temperature corresponds to the body heat of 36 degrees, this spares the organism. Luke warm water also has an analgesic and spasm-relieving effect and promotes digestion as it dissolves fats better. A glass of lukewarm water right after getting up brings your circulation on its toes.

Too much water harms health

But you can also overdo it when drinking. If you absorb significantly more fluid in a short time than the body needs, in extreme cases there will be “water poisoning”. The kidneys do not manage to dispose of the large amount of fluid. Extreme blood thinning confuses the electrolyte and salt balance.

Due to the low salt concentration in the blood, the water enters the cells and swells them up. This can promote the formation of edema, especially in the brain. In the worst case, water poisoning leads to death. People with kidney and liver diseases as well as extreme athletes are particularly at risk. Make sure to check ’emergency water damage restoration corona ca’ if you are having a water damage problem in your home.