Is it harmful to drink a lot of water - new facts and opinions. Are you drinking too much water? that's what it threatens! Useful or drink plenty of water

Both Western and domestic nutritionists unanimously assert: a person, regardless of the load and season, needs to drink plenty of water. It helps to improve the water-salt balance in the body. But is this statement true? It turns out that excess fluid can cause serious damage to internal organs.

How Thirst Occurs

According to biologists, the main reason why a person wants to drink is a change in the water-salt balance in the blood. On average, one liter of blood contains 9.45 grams of salt. Slight fluctuations in the content of this substance are possible, but only in hundredths of a gram. However, if the concentration of salt, for example, increases, then the activity of all cells of the body is disrupted, because they are supplied with blood. Its water component at such a moment decreases, and the blood thickens. And this, according to phlebologists, threatens with the occurrence of blood clots, which means that the nutrition of a particular area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe tissue or organ will be blocked. But this is in critical cases.

As a rule, already in the first moments of a slight increase in the concentration of salts, a person feels dry mouth. This is the first signal calling for an increase in the level of fluid in the body. This happens, for example, in the heat, when a person sweats and the liquid evaporates.

Drinking too much water is harmful

It turns out that it is better for the body to drink more liquid? Not at all. It is known that the more you drink in the heat, the more you want. The body at this moment sweats more abundantly, and along with an increased amount of evaporated moisture, more salt leaves the body. And in this case, the skin of the face and hands, as well as hair, are the first to suffer.

If a person deliberately accustoms himself to an increased consumption of water, then in normal cool weather this also harms many internal organs. Domestic gastroenterologists warn: heavy drinking seriously dilutes gastric juice, it ceases to be concentrated and harmful to microbes that enter the stomach with food. Water allows them to survive, which means that the risk of developing infections increases.

Some believe that drinking plenty of water helps improve kidney function. French nephrologist Pierre Ronceau explains in his scientific work how they actually function. In order to maintain the required level of fluids in the body, the kidneys reabsorb some of the water that has already been filtered. This provides a standard concentration of urine. But the more a person drinks, the less water the kidneys have to conserve water, and the tubules, designed specifically for reabsorption, deteriorate over time. If the body in hot weather finds itself without the usual access to water, then the kidneys will not be able to saturate it with the saved fluid, and dehydration will begin rapidly.

Excessive fluid intake soon fills the tissues of the liver, kidneys, they swell, and their functional properties weaken. Meanwhile, these organs play an important role in the excretory system, and when it fails, the body does not completely remove water from itself. The fluid is retained in the tissue cells, edema occurs, which provoke an increase in pressure in the walls of blood vessels. Then the headaches begin. The lymph nodes swollen due to increased moisture also do not cope with their task - immunity decreases, and a few hours remain before the development of gastrointestinal infections.

Does water help you lose weight?

However, many ladies, having increased the amount of fluid consumed, despite side effects in the form of small edema, declare a real weight loss. So, for effective weight loss, a lot of water is still needed?

At first, drinking plenty of water really improves bowel function, it increases peristalsis, the passage of food through the departments is faster, which means that digestion products are more efficiently excreted, weight decreases. But three months later, things have changed. The pancreas and gallbladder are saturated with water, and problems arise in their work. Food is not fully processed because the level of secreted bile and other secrets is reduced. Gradually, the intestinal mucosa also swells - more and more constipation occurs. This leads to a general slagging of the body and weight gain.

In addition, endocrinologists warn: cells of hormonal glands overflowing with moisture cannot fully participate in metabolic processes due to lack of energy.

Therefore, the burning of fat and carbohydrates slows down, and this does not contribute to weight loss.

How Much Water Do Athletes Need?

It turns out that ordinary people should not force themselves to drink a lot of fluids - this is harmful. Perhaps increased water intake is necessary for athletes. But this is not so either. Dr. Timothy Noakes, professor of sports medicine at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), in his book "Exercise Dehydration: Myths and Facts" proves that high saturation of the body with water does not improve athletic performance at all, but, on the contrary, worsens them and puts the body at risk hyponatremia (impaired water and electrolyte balance).

The professor claims that it is simply impossible to drink before the onset of thirst. This reduces the concentration of attention, the physical activity of the muscles in both athletes and ordinary people. And if we want to be vigorous and healthy, we need to drink liquids as much as the body physically requires.

Water… How much is said in this one simple word. For some, these are seas and oceans, rivers and lakes, where you can spend an excellent outdoor recreation without unnecessary worries and fuss. For others, there is no greater pleasure than taking a few sips of purified water after intense exercise.

What's this?

And what does it represent in its essence? Water is a chemical substance composed of one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms. In short, this is H 2 O. This formula is the basis of water. However, in its pure form you will meet it extremely rarely, and in nature, probably, you can’t find it at all. Indeed, during the movement of liquids on the surface of the planet, water is constantly transformed into different physical states and comes into contact with many chemicals, which make each portion absolutely unique. For the water in one glass will not be an exact copy of it, but in another glass. In science, since ancient times, it is customary to divide water into fresh (drinking) and salty. Almost 97 percent of the oceans are salty.

You can’t drink it, because due to the chemical composition, when it enters the body, catastrophic failures in its work occur, up to death. Salt water is found mainly in the oceans and seas. Fresh water is found in fresh lakes and rivers, swamps and glaciers, groundwater and evaporation. She is fit for drinking. It allows the body to maintain normal functionality, provided it is cleared or not contaminated.

Drink little water

From water, life appeared on our planet and developed thanks to it. Every living organism, be it an animal or a plant, fungi or single-celled creatures - all consist of water for more than half of its composition. To maintain the water balance in the body, it is necessary to consume water in certain quantities. If its consumption becomes below the norm, then it threatens him with dehydration. The latter entails the most terrible metabolic disorders, up to imminent death.

Therefore, in no case should such a state be allowed, and you need to drink a sufficient amount of liquids per day. According to international standards, approximately one liter of liquids is considered the minimum norm, which ideally should be water. But as for the maximum amount of fluid consumed, then on this account the opinions of experts differ. By the way, what happens if you drink a lot of water? This will be described in detail below.

weight loss

High fluid intake is recommended by many professionals such as fitness trainers, dietitians or cosmetologists. After all, it is believed that if you drink a lot of water, you can lose weight. And this refers to water, and not milk, juice, tea and coffee or alcoholic beverages. It is necessary to use water in its pure form, as it is intended by nature.

Otherwise, problems with the body begin, such as: unhealthy skin and hair, general depletion of internal organs, pollution of the body with all sorts of toxins. In order to prevent this, you need to drink at least two liters of water a day. A person who drinks a lot of it generally feels healthier and more energetic. And the body, due to the lack of imbalance, is constantly in good shape, which is in demand for a full life.

Why drink a lot?

Many people are probably wondering why drink a lot of water if you live in a not hot, temperate climate, and the work is devoid of physical exertion. Indeed, residents of southern hot countries need to drink an order of magnitude more water than residents of the north.

While the body is in hot air, moisture evaporates from it in the form of sweating. In some cases, it even leads to death. In one hot day, up to 10 liters of water evaporate from the body. And these losses must be compensated by no less consumption of fluids. Also, increased sweating can be observed in people whose work is associated with physical labor or takes place in hot conditions (which is often compatible, such as the work of a bathhouse attendant or in the metallurgical industry). With intense physical activity, a large amount of moisture is also released, which people involved in sports know firsthand. So in these situations, it cannot be said that drinking a lot of water is harmful.

An exception, perhaps, are cases of outright insanity, when people drank colossal volumes of liquid on a dare, about thirty liters at a time. This led to inevitable death.

Intense exercise and water

What happens if you drink a lot of water to a person who is actively involved in sports? It is known that professional bodybuilders during the period of active training consume about ten to twelve liters of water per day.

Intensive training affects the evaporation of fluid from the body. Exceptional cases are also known. So, for example, one girl from the UK, who consumes up to 25 liters of water per day, feels quite fine. But this is a unique case.

Benefits of water

According to various sources, the human body consists of about eighty to ninety percent water. It normalizes metabolism in the body, delivers nutrients to each cell, removes toxins. The amount of liquid consumed should be chosen for yourself based on many factors, such as, say, food intake. If the food consists of a large amount of harmful, salty and spicy, then a large amount of liquids will only help the body cope with the load.

For Vegetarians

But is it possible to drink a lot of water if a person is a vegetarian? Yes, with a large consumption of plant products, water intake can be reduced to about one and a half liters per day. It should not harm the body.

True, a separate issue is the kidneys. In some diseases of this organ, daily water intake should be limited. Since this can lead to excessive congestion of organs. In this regard, you should consult with your doctor on an individual basis.

Why should you drink a lot?

Few people realize what will happen if you drink a lot of water, and yet a significant part of the diseases in the human body occurs precisely because of its small amount. By observing the drinking regimen, you can avoid problems with joints, kidneys, and skin.

So many health problems can be avoided simply by increasing the amount of fluid consumed. Especially a lot of it is lost during gastrointestinal disorders. And during these unpleasant periods, you need to drink as much water as possible.

Young ladies know firsthand why to drink a lot of water. Because it has long been known that a full-fledged water balance slows down the aging of the skin and helps to avoid wrinkles and other unpleasant cosmetic defects.

If you don't drink enough water, what will happen?

At the first hints of a small amount of water in the body, the brain begins to switch to work in economy mode. It is pulled out of the cells to replenish the composition of the blood. A person may not want to go to the toilet for the whole day and feel fine. However, at the same time, the body works at full capacity, so to speak, for wear and tear. With such a long-term lifestyle, problems with the work of the kidneys begin in the first place. Next come the heart and brain.

With dehydration of the brain, its normal functioning is disrupted, crazy ideas, hallucinations appear, and some people have an increased level of aggression. So, if a person claims: “I drink a lot of water”, the reasons for this may be just that the body is sounding the alarm. That is, it signals that he does not have enough fluid. Some hold the erroneous opinion about what will happen if you drink a lot of water, they believe that there may be swelling. On the contrary, they are the result of low fluid intake. Since the body, sensing danger, is trying to make reserves. But most people live with dehydration and do not know about it.

Why will you lose weight?

There is an opinion that if you drink a lot of water, you will lose weight and get rid of excess weight. Although there are many shortcomings in this statement, but in general it is so. Water, of course, does not have any fat-burning properties. However, it will still help in the fight against excess weight.

Firstly, because it will actively participate in the metabolic process. Secondly, water will help reduce appetite by filling the space of the stomach, thereby preventing a person from eating more than he would like. Drinking a glass of water before meals, and preferably two, you can avoid overeating. Because it will be impossible to eat everything you want, for the simple reason that the stomach is already full.

Drink only water

Some believe that by drinking tea or coffee alone instead of water, they thereby replenish the body's supply and are in a state of rest regarding their health. However, this opinion is erroneous and detrimental to health. Coffee and tea do not replenish fluids.

Milk and juice are considered food. But alcohol, to which many are so accustomed, rather draws moisture from the body. With regular consumption of all of the above instead of water, the development of various diseases is only a matter of time.

An experiment is recommended for all lovers to avoid ordinary water - within a few months you need to start drinking its normal volume. There were no those who would complain about their well-being after such an innovation. On the contrary, everyone began to find out what would happen if you drink a lot of water. In general, health and well-being will improve.

Frequent urination

But what about the problem of urination? And can this be considered a problem? Many, having begun to consume so much liquid, complain that, they say, "I drink a lot of water and often go to the toilet." Is it normal?

It would not be normal if a person consumed two or three liters of water per day and at the same time did not go to the toilet often. Then it would be necessary to sound the alarm. And so everything is in order. After all, the body is thus cleansed, and excess toxins and toxins are removed from it, especially if you like to pamper yourself with junk food.

You can often find questions that "caring" parents pay attention to frequent visits to the toilet and begin to sound the alarm, trying to limit fluid intake in extremely persistent ways and refuting all medical opinions on this matter. In such situations, of course, it is very difficult to prove something to conservative-minded people with a Soviet upbringing. But nevertheless, one can draw conclusions for oneself that if a person claims: “I drink water and go to the toilet a lot”, then there is nothing supernatural here. And with such frequent visits to the bathroom, he only helps his body to remove all the muck that gets into it.

The obvious answer

So what happens if you drink a lot of water? The answer to this question is quite obvious. Only by transferring to a regular basis the consumption of a large amount of liquid, you can improve your health and improve the metabolism in the body.

In today's world it is extremely difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle. There are numerous temptations at every turn, such as junk food like fast food, carbonated drinks, fatty foods, and alcohol. But what about inadequate sleep, nervous stress and a sedentary lifestyle? All this leads to such health problems that were not even heard of a hundred years ago.

The life of our ancestors was filled with physical activity, and the air, food and water were pure and natural. Now everything has changed, and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is extremely difficult. You can't change the air we breathe, and you can't refuse certain foods either. But there are things that we can fix, for example, you can go to the gym, increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables.

And also drink plenty of water. And it is desirable to monitor its quality, which many regions cannot boast of. As mentioned earlier, drinking two to three liters of water per day, you can improve the general condition of the body in a few months. And if you start to actively engage in sports, then you can increase the volume to five liters, unless, of course, you have a small body weight. Everyone is strongly advised to take care of their health, without which it is so difficult in our world.

A small conclusion

Now you know what will happen if you drink a lot of water. We have considered the benefits and harms of it. We hope that this information was of interest to you.

Thirst is a natural reaction of the body, which lacks fluid. This is a signal to a person that it is time to replenish the reserves of life-giving moisture. The urge to drink water appears in the heat, after intense physical exertion, eating salty or spicy food. But not always the feeling of dry mouth and the desire to drink water are natural reactions. Sometimes a person has to deal with abnormal thirst.

When the feeling of the need to drink is constantly present in a person, and water does not save from a painful feeling, this is not normal. This symptom may indicate the appearance of dangerous diseases of the blood or internal organs. Therefore, it is very important to understand why you constantly want to drink water, the reasons for this phenomenon are sometimes too serious not to react to them.

The cause of abnormal thirst can be both diseases and harmless situations.

Thirst is one of the main human motivations of a biological nature, which provides the body with a normal existence. This sensation helps to maintain a balance between the concentration of water in the body and salts.

Severe dryness of the oral mucosa is due to a decrease in salivary secretion, which occurs due to a lack of fluid.

In addition to the true (normal) thirst, a person may also encounter a false thirst. It happens due to a long active conversation, smoking, eating too dry food. It is easy to quench it - just moisten the oral cavity. Whereas true thirst moistening of the mouth only softens, but does not eliminate.

Dehydration is an extremely dangerous process in the body.

How to get rid of ordinary thirst

To avoid thirst, it is necessary to replenish fluids regularly. But you need to know your own norm. It is calculated according to a simple formula: every day an adult should consume about 30-40 g of fluid for every 1 kg of body weight. But when making such calculations, a number of factors should be taken into account (they increase the body's need for water):

  • stressful situations;
  • active lifestyle;
  • pregnancy and lactation;
  • elevated ambient temperature;
  • colds, infectious diseases occurring with fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

Doctors say that on average a person should consume at least 1.2-1.5 liters of fluid per day. By the way, this includes not only drinking water, but also the liquid that is part of the food.

Signs of abnormal thirst

When a person experiences constant, unquenchable thirst and wants to drink all the time, this turns into a pathology. Moreover, a person experiences a desire to drink water even after drinking a significant amount of liquid..

Thirst of a pathological nature in the medical environment is called "polydipsia".

Unfortunately, most citizens completely ignore such alarm bells. But we must remember that some dangerous ailments begin precisely with such simple symptoms. Unquenchable thirst is a signal of the body that deviations begin in its work.

Thirst is the first sign of dehydration

To understand that thirst has become abnormal, remember how much water is drunk at a time. If such a quantity is not habitual for a particular person, this is a reason to think. Moreover, attention should be paid to a change in the water diet, lasting for a long time, when there are no additional culprits for increasing the daily water intake.

Thirst as a result of illness

Sometimes, looking for an answer to the question of why you want to drink a lot of water, the reasons should be sought in your own health. Sometimes a long and unquenchable thirst becomes evidence of the onset of a certain disease. This first symptom of the disease should not be ignored.

Diabetes

Often, abnormal thirst indicates the appearance of such a dangerous pathology. Therefore, if an increased craving to drink is observed for a long time, and especially if there is a predisposition, you should immediately visit a doctor and take the necessary tests.

By the way, diabetes is an insidious disease. Many of the patients for a long time do not even suspect that they have such an ailment and do not receive the necessary treatment. Sometimes it happens that the diagnosis is made only after a sharp deterioration in health, when the patient is taken to the hospital in an ambulance.

Types of diabetes

With timely diagnosis and proper treatment, a person can avoid terrible consequences. And the result of advanced diabetes is quite difficult things:

  • complete blindness;
  • death;
  • gangrene and amputation of the legs.

kidney failure

An increased desire to drink water can also indicate a person has kidney problems. When you are often thirsty, it means that the kidneys can no longer cope with their work and are not able to retain water in the body. In the presence of such a problem, a violation of the water-salt balance is observed, which causes dehydration.

Doctors define kidney failure as a pathology associated with various diseases. Depending on the intensity of changes, there are chronic and acute renal failure.

Kidney failure can cause abnormal thirst

According to statistics, acute renal failure is diagnosed annually in 100 out of 500,000 people.

The culprits of kidney failure in the work of doctors include the following factors:

  • diabetes;
  • organ injury;
  • arterial hypertension;
  • alcohol addiction;
  • severe viral infections;
  • improper use of medicines.

Liver disease

Sometimes, the reasons why your mouth dries and you feel thirsty are a variety of liver problems. One of the most common culprits for these problems is alcohol abuse. According to WHO experts, about 200 million people suffer from various liver diseases in the world today. Liver disease is one of the ten most common causes of death.

Thirst also manifests itself in liver problems

The work and condition of this organ should be checked if, along with unquenchable thirst, a person also experiences the following symptoms:

  • constant nausea;
  • severe dizziness;
  • pain in the hypochondrium.

night thirst

An insatiable craving for a drink that appears at night is a fairly common phenomenon. The causes are both unpleasant factors (diseases and disorders), and completely harmless situations.

Thirst at night as a sign of illness

Some individuals do not react to the strangeness that has appeared and ignore this symptom, which is unacceptable. Indeed, in most cases, night thirst indicates the presence of ailments. Such as:

  • diabetes;
  • aldosteronism (neoplasms in the adrenal glands);
  • hyperparathyroidism (lack of calcium), this condition is accompanied by frequent urination;
  • dehydration (a phenomenon observed in infectious pathologies), accompanied by increased dryness of the mouth and tongue;
  • pathology of the cardiovascular system, thirst appears as a result of difficulty in supplying oxygen and blood to internal organs;
  • cholera algid (with such a pathology, complete dehydration is observed), additional symptoms include profuse, prolonged diarrhea and vomiting;
  • kidney stones, formations in the organs make it difficult to separate urine, which gives rise to severe thirst due to a violation of water-salt metabolism, in the presence of stones, the patient will feel painful urination.

Other causes of nighttime thirst

Often the night craving to constantly drink water becomes the result of a banal overeating. Also, this syndrome can be triggered by high consumption of alcohol, tea and coffee the day before..

The cause of night thirst can be excessive alcohol consumption, which adversely affects the functioning of the whole organism.

Ethyl alcohol actively contributes to the washing out of the liquid, along with it, useful microelements leave the body. This provokes the development of strong thirst.

Some medications are also involved in the appearance of an unpleasant symptom. Diuretics are especially conducive to dehydration. Also, the following situations are attributed to the causes of night thirst:

  • nasal congestion;
  • viral disease;
  • intoxication of the body;
  • oncological processes;
  • alcohol abuse;
  • inflammation of the organ urinary system;
  • radiotherapy to the neck and head.

How to Avoid Night Thirst

How to return normal and healthy sleep? First of all, you should visit a doctor, conduct a complete diagnosis of your own body and take care of your own health. And what to drink so that you do not want to drink at night? There are some ways to help avoid night torment:

  1. Before going to bed, consume a glass of kefir (preferably low-fat).
  2. An excellent way to quench your thirst is pure water, where lemon juice is added.
  3. You can drink green tea the night before. But it should not be consumed before going to bed, as this product can provoke insomnia.

Tips for avoiding the constant feeling of thirst

morning thirst

Dryness of the mouth and increased desire to drink water in the morning is a phenomenon as frequent and common as night thirst. Most often, this sign indicates the presence of a disease in a person (just as in the case of night thirst). But there are a number of other reasons that are not dangerous to health. They are the following:

  1. Intense loads. Heavy physical work on the night shift and active sports in the evening lead to dehydration.
  2. Illiterate food. One of the most common reasons for this syndrome. It arises through the fault of the increased love of the individual for fatty, heavy and salty foods.
  3. Taking medications. Some of the medicines have increased diuretic properties. As a result, large reserves of moisture leave the body. And the body requires its replenishment, especially in the morning, when a person does not drink sleep for a long time.

You can overcome the morning desire to constantly drink water by adjusting the diet. It is necessary to debug the water-salt balance by adjusting the daily diet of fluid intake. This is especially necessary if the person is being treated with diuretics.

Let's summarize

Having carefully read everything that has been said, we can identify seven main culprits that provoke increased thirst in a person. There is no reason to panic if you want to drink in the heat, after increased physical exertion or after eating salty foods. But the situation changes when thirst arises completely unreasonably.

So, the most common culprits for an increased desire to drink water are the following reasons:

  1. Dehydration. The culprit of the syndrome is an illiterate diet, excessive exercise, heat, excessive consumption of alcohol, coffee and tea. The causes also become health problems, illnesses that pass against the background of high temperature, indigestion. To defeat the attack, you should drink the prescribed norm of clean drinking water every day.
  2. Diabetes. In the presence of such a pathology, the body needs an increased amount of drinking, and you always want to drink. The main reason is an increase in blood sugar levels. Well, you can get rid of indomitable thirst only with adequate and constant treatment of the underlying disease.
  3. Problems in the work of the parathyroid gland. This organ is responsible for the presence of calcium in the body. In case of malfunctions in his work, a person is faced with the problem of constant thirst. In this case, you should seek help from an endocrinologist.
  4. Long-term medication. Many medications, especially with a long course of therapy, cause a number of side effects, including increased thirst. These drugs include diuretics, antibiotics, antihistamines, and expectorants. In this case, consultation with a doctor and adjusting the course of taking the medication will help.
  5. Kidney diseases. The main task of this paired organ is to regulate the water-salt balance. Problems and disturbances in their normal operation and leads to this problem. Plus, a person in this case has pain and difficulty urinating.
  6. Pathology of the liver. One of the clearest symptoms of the development of the disease of this organ is increased thirst.
  7. Consequences of trauma. An increased and constant desire to drink often manifests itself in trauma to the head. When cerebral edema develops as a result of severe damage.

It is almost impossible to cope with any of the above problems on your own. In the case when you have to deal with such a symptom as an increased desire to drink, you need to contact a medical specialist and undergo a complete examination of your body.

In contact with

Water is the main element of the chemical constituents of the human body. She participates in the exchange processes. If there is no fluid in the body, the human body will not be able to work, the process of removing metabolic elements will be impossible. In addition, the thermal balance of the body is disturbed. Life parameters are significantly reduced even with a slight lack of water. Dehydration of the body negatively affects the nervous, mental activity of people. The impossibility of taking water for a person contributes to his irritation and oppression, fatigue increases faster, strong-willed and moral qualities weaken, and working capacity decreases. Therefore, a person needs to drink a lot of water.

Water in physiology

The percentage of water from a person's body weight is 70%. Human cells, regardless of their functions, are a kind of microcosm. It carries out a large amount of complex and ordered transformations.

Water is the carrier of elements, both inorganic and organic. They are involved in many life processes. The intracellular fluid takes on about 70% of the total volume of human water. Interstitial fluid is about 30%, which is approximately equal to 12 liters.

Water content in tissues and organs of the human body

Let's figure out why a person needs to drink a lot of water. Tissues and organs have the following water content:

  • in adipose tissue - 29%;
  • in the eye - 99%;
  • bone skeleton - 22%;
  • blood - 83%.

Water is needed for normal digestion, assimilation of useful elements, removal of harmful substances, good blood circulation. That's why you need to drink a lot of water.

How much liquid is needed for water balance

At high air temperatures, a person can live no more than five days. To create a normal water balance, a person should drink about two liters of drinking water every day. This is the answer to the question, why drink a lot of water. Its volume is needed to maintain human life at the required level. It depends directly on the ambient temperature. If the temperature outside is 32 degrees, you need to drink 3 liters of water per day, at 20 degrees, 1.5 liters is enough. With moderate physical activity, it is advisable to drink at least 5 liters of water per day.

If you work outdoors, the volume of water can be increased to 6.5 liters. Fluid loss of up to 25% of total body weight can lead to death. Metabolic processes quickly normalize if the loss of water is not more than 10% of body weight.

Is it necessary to drink a lot of water, and where does water go in the human body?

  • 1.5 liters is excreted through the excretory system;
  • 0.6 liters comes out with sweat through the pores in the skin;
  • 0.4 liters is spent during breathing;
  • 0.1 liters leaves with a bowel movement with feces.

Why do you want to drink a lot of water? Hunger appears in people from the action of a small amount of glucose in the blood. High glucose and salt parameters make the body feel thirsty.

What Causes Strong Thirst?

This feeling is a natural human reaction to changes in the balance of salt and water. Thirst increases at high ambient temperatures, during exercise, after eating salty and fatty foods. When there is a constant thirst that occurs without the influence of the external environment, we can talk about the appearance of the disease. According to the standards, an adult man needs up to 3 liters of water per day, a woman 2.7 liters. The feeling of thirst is a signal coming from the drinking center of the nervous system.

Signals for the work of this center are given by:

  • cortex;
  • limbic part of the cerebral hemispheres;
  • hypothalamus.

Violations of the drinking center cause unreasonable thirst. It analyzes signals from human fluid organs, compares the level of pressure, the content of sodium ions. In this process, the hormones of the pancreas and thyroid gland work.

A constant desire to drink can be a sign of the following diseases:

  • vomiting, poisoning;
  • chronic diarrhea;
  • hyponatremia;
  • head injury;
  • adrenal adenoma;
  • pathology and disruption of the pituitary gland;
  • kidney failure;
  • diabetes insipidus;
  • internal bleeding;
  • diabetes.

Taking certain medications contributes to the appearance of a strong feeling of thirst, dryness in the larynx and mouth.

Thirst during pregnancy and in children

During gestation, the rate of water intake should be more. Why do pregnant women need to drink plenty of water? Doctors advise pregnant women to drink 0.3 liters more water than usual. The daily norm of drinking is not more than 2 liters. Thirst may increase in the last period of pregnancy due to the entry into the blood of a special protein produced by the liver.

During the development of the fetus in the womb, her kidneys are under great stress. In this case, thirst appears from the action of a hormonal substance - angiotensin.

The health organization has determined the rate of fluid intake per day for young children, depending on the total body weight. For children weighing up to 5 kg, the norm of water together with mother's milk is 0.8 liters. If the child weighs up to 10 kg, then the rate rises to 1 liter per day. The norm of water for children depends on age as follows:

  • up to 3 years - 1300 ml per day;
  • up to 8 years - 1700 ml;
  • up to 13 years - 1800 ml;
  • up to 18 years - 1.9 liters.

In too mobile children, the presence of great thirst is the norm. However, to prevent the occurrence of pathology, you need to do a study.

Finding the cause of thirst

To diagnose the causes of thirst, the doctor must find out the reasons, taking into account the peculiarity of the patient's diet, the number of urination per day, the composition of the diet.

The following blood tests are carried out:

  • the level of density and general parameters of urine;
  • blood test for biochemistry;
  • concentration of potassium and sodium;
  • glucose level.

Based on the received data, the patient is sent to the doctor. At the doctor's consultation, you need to calculate the largest and smallest daily intake of water. Many factors depend on the characteristics of a person, his age and gender. You need to know that carbonated water and alcoholic drinks do not reduce thirst, but even increase it. Doctors do not advise drinking mineral water, which contains salt, to quench thirst. The best temperature for drinking is at least 22 degrees. Icy and cold water should not be used for drinking. Strong thirst comes from fatty and fried foods, as well as from pickles and spices.

Experts studying this problem at the present time have concluded that it is possible to take a large amount of water only:

  • athletes;
  • workers engaged in hard work with great physical exertion in the air;
  • people living in hot climates.

Scientists do not consider a large amount of water to be beneficial for the common man. Official methods of treatment do not contain advice from folk methods, which say that you need to drink 8 glasses a day. High water intake can cause sodium to be flushed out of the body. There is no official evidence that excess water has a positive effect on human organs. Excess fluid does not increase skin turgor, as cosmetics manufacturers say.

Why is it bad to drink a lot of water

Doctors in many countries argue that the daily volume of water should be normal. Advertising information about the large consumption of bottled water indicates an increase in sales. You need to listen to your body and not take extreme steps. If physical work during sports training leads to a decrease in body weight, then it should not be replenished with increased drinking of water.

A large volume of water affects the following:

  1. The functions of the digestive organs are deteriorating.
  2. An increased load on the kidneys is formed, too much water is excreted through the kidneys, this leads to the leaching of salts.
  3. The heart and blood vessels work with a high load.
  4. Decreased muscle tone.
  5. There is rapid fatigue, fatigue and muscle spasms.

Signs and causes of excess water in the body

Hyperhydration is a condition similar to water poisoning. Water accumulates in this case in human cells. The most common reasons for this are:

  1. Simultaneous intake of water in a volume of 10 liters, for example, when washing the stomach.
  2. When the excretion pathways by the kidneys are disrupted.
  3. Insufficient work of the heart.

Signs:

  • muscle spasms;
  • loss of consciousness;
  • weakness;
  • vomiting, nausea;
  • diarrhea.

What is the danger of overhydration

This phenomenon can lead to the death of a person if medical assistance is not provided. To normalize the condition, doctors use hemodialysis and prescribe diuretics.

How to get rid of excess water

Excess fluid that has accumulated in some parts of the body is visible on the face in the form of swelling of the eyes. The main task is to identify these edema, and then treat. The daily norm of fluid intake is set by the doctor's advice. To do this, carefully compose the diet and reduce the intake of salt, foods with preservatives. Sugar and alcohol, along with salt, are the main products for edema. Doctors advise including diuretic foods in the diet - green tea, beets, celery and other herbs.

Plant fiber removes fluid from the body. You can reduce the amount of water and eat more vegetables and fruits. It is better to drink only clean water, and do not drink products with chemical content. Lack of vitamin B causes water retention and swelling in the morning. On the advice of a doctor, you need to choose a complex of vitamins.

Why drink a lot of water when losing weight

On an empty stomach, drink a glass of warm water - this brings the stool back to normal. When exercising, doctors advise drinking a little water. You need to drink it, as a person is usually used to, while following a diet. However, you need to know that water will not give a feeling of satiety, although it contributes to a smaller meal. You do not need to drink a lot of water before going to bed, as swelling will appear in the morning. Drinking liquids before dinner is strictly not allowed. The liquid washes away useful elements that serve to break down products in the stomach. Water should be drunk half an hour before meals. You should not drink foods if you want to lose weight.

Where does the body's water supply come from?

For people who are thirsty, doctors advise eating apples. 50% of the volume of apples comes into the body as water. Fruits and vegetables containing water are recommended by nutritionists to be taken in food. Common sources of water include oranges, melons, and watermelons. The most water-containing vegetable is cucumber.

During a hot summer day, thirst is quenched by a cold decoction of apple peel, as well as green tea. Lemon drink should not be cold, but at room temperature. Excess fluid, as well as its lack, affects the state of human health, disrupts the functioning of organs, and negatively affects the condition of the skin and hair.

Today there are no scientific studies that could prove the positive effect of a large amount of water on human health. You can not believe traditional healers, information in advertising, and other unreliable facts. Why drink a lot of water a day? You need to remember about logic and sense, as long as this will be a good teacher for you.

Both Western and domestic nutritionists unanimously assert: a person, regardless of the load and season, needs to drink plenty of water. It helps to improve the water-salt balance in the body. But is this statement true? It turns out that excess fluid can cause serious damage to internal organs.

How Thirst Occurs

According to biologists, the main reason why a person wants to drink is a change in the water-salt balance in the blood. On average, one liter of blood contains 9.45 grams of salt. Slight fluctuations in the content of this substance are possible, but only in hundredths of a gram. However, if the concentration of salt, for example, increases, then the activity of all cells of the body is disrupted, because they are supplied with blood. Its water component at such a moment decreases, and the blood thickens. And this, according to phlebologists, threatens with the occurrence of blood clots, which means that the nutrition of a particular area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe tissue or organ will be blocked. But this is in critical cases.

As a rule, already in the first moments of a slight increase in the concentration of salts, a person feels dry mouth. This is the first signal calling for an increase in the level of fluid in the body. This happens, for example, in the heat, when a person sweats and the liquid evaporates.

Drinking too much water is harmful

It turns out that it is better for the body to drink more liquid? Not at all. It is known that the more you drink in the heat, the more you want. The body at this moment sweats more abundantly, and along with an increased amount of evaporated moisture, more salt leaves the body. And in this case, the skin of the face and hands, as well as hair, are the first to suffer.

If a person deliberately accustoms himself to an increased consumption of water, then in normal cool weather this also harms many internal organs. Domestic gastroenterologists warn: heavy drinking seriously dilutes gastric juice, it ceases to be concentrated and harmful to microbes that enter the stomach with food. Water allows them to survive, which means that the risk of developing infections increases.

Some believe that drinking plenty of water helps improve kidney function. French nephrologist Pierre Ronceau explains in his scientific work how they actually function. In order to maintain the required level of fluids in the body, the kidneys reabsorb some of the water that has already been filtered. This provides a standard concentration of urine. But the more a person drinks, the less water the kidneys have to conserve water, and the tubules, designed specifically for reabsorption, deteriorate over time. If the body in hot weather finds itself without the usual access to water, then the kidneys will not be able to saturate it with the saved fluid, and dehydration will begin rapidly.

Excessive fluid intake soon fills the tissues of the liver, kidneys, they swell, and their functional properties weaken. Meanwhile, these organs play an important role in the excretory system, and when it fails, the body does not completely remove water from itself. The fluid is retained in the tissue cells, edema occurs, which provoke an increase in pressure in the walls of blood vessels. Then the headaches begin. The lymph nodes swollen due to increased moisture also do not cope with their task - immunity decreases, and a few hours remain before the development of gastrointestinal infections.

Does water help you lose weight?

However, many ladies, having increased the amount of fluid consumed, despite side effects in the form of small edema, declare a real weight loss. So, for effective weight loss, a lot of water is still needed?

At first, drinking plenty of water really improves bowel function, it increases peristalsis, the passage of food through the departments is faster, which means that digestion products are more efficiently excreted, weight decreases. But three months later, things have changed. The pancreas and gallbladder are saturated with water, and problems arise in their work. Food is not fully processed because the level of secreted bile and other secrets is reduced. Gradually, the intestinal mucosa also swells - more and more constipation occurs. This leads to a general slagging of the body and weight gain.

In addition, endocrinologists warn: cells of hormonal glands overflowing with moisture cannot fully participate in metabolic processes due to lack of energy.

Therefore, the burning of fat and carbohydrates slows down, and this does not contribute to weight loss.

How Much Water Do Athletes Need?

It turns out that ordinary people should not force themselves to drink a lot of fluids - this is harmful. Perhaps increased water intake is necessary for athletes. But this is not so either. Dr. Timothy Noakes, professor of sports medicine at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), in his book "Exercise Dehydration: Myths and Facts" proves that high saturation of the body with water does not improve athletic performance at all, but, on the contrary, worsens them and puts the body at risk hyponatremia (impaired water and electrolyte balance).

The professor claims that it is simply impossible to drink before the onset of thirst. This reduces the concentration of attention, the physical activity of the muscles in both athletes and ordinary people. And if we want to be vigorous and healthy, we need to drink liquids as much as the body physically requires.