Dreaded Dehyration

            If you read, “I felt like I was in a whirlwind”, 2 months back, you would have read that I set a goal to consistently reach 64 ounces of water each day and complete 5 hours of activity per week. Why bring this up you ask?

            During that month of tracking how consistently I reached my water goal, I learned a few things about myself and water. I’d like to share them with you today.

 

            A few things I learned when I met at least 64 ounces of water:

                        *It was more difficult for me to reach my goal than I thought it was

*I feel clearer mentally

                        *My face and ears don’t turn as red and my ears don’t ring as often

                        *My joints don’t ache as bad

                        *I do not dip into my “ravished Hayley” state as often

                                    * “Ravished Hayley” is when I wait too long to eat and get a major crash in energy and sometimes I can become physically ill.

                        *My performance and energy during workouts felt more consistent instead of days of being dead and others feeling great.

 

            So, is there a reason to why these things felt better? Or is it just all in my head?

 

            Why is water so important and what damage can dehydration cause?

            In our cells:

                        *Water makes up nearly 60% of total body weight.

                                    *The amount of water we carry is based on how much body fat and muscle mass we have as well as our transient hydration status.

                                    *It depends on body composition because cells contain different amounts of water. Bone contains 22% water, adipose tissue (fat) contains about 25% water, muscle cells contain about 75% water, and blood contains nearly 83% water.

                        *Fluid enclosed within the cell membranes makes up 2/3 of the body’s water while fluid outside the cell membranes only makes up for 1/3 of the body’s water.

 

            It’s job:

                        *Solvent and transporter

                        *Growth

                        *Catalyst

                        *Lubricant

                        *Temperature regulator

                        *Mineral source

 

            Needs:

                        *Fluid balance is the relationship of “water in vs. water out”. The concept that water in (through food and drink) and water our (through excretion) determines our net balance. Avoiding an imbalance is important to overall health.

                                    *On average, humans get about 1 L (4 cups) of water from the food we eat. Obviously this depends on our food selections. Fruits and vegetables in their raw form have the highest percentage of water whereas foods higher in fat like oils, butter, lard typically have very low water content.

                                    *Several factors can also influence how much we drink, including climate, physical activity demands, how much we’ve sweated, overall body size, etc.

                        *Thirst is a mechanism to help signal to the body that we are in need of water. However, thirst is not the best indicator when it comes to preventing dehydration and the impact it can have on our body. Thirst usually isn’t perceived until 1-2% of bodyweight is lost. At that point, if you are exercising, performance, mental focus and clarity have already dropped off.

                        *Estimating fluid needs:

                                    *By metabolic rate:

                                                For every 100kcal of metabolic rate, ingest 80-110mL of water. So, if your BMR is 2000kcals, you require a daily intake of 1.6-2.2 L of water.

                                    *By body weight:

                                                For every kilogram of bodyweight you ingest 30-40mL of water. So if you weight 50kg (110 lb), you’d require 1.5-2 L per day. And if you’re 100kg (220 lb) you’d require 3-4 L per day.

                                    *Safe guideline based on most literature:

                                                3 L of fluid (12 cups)

                                                            Since 1 L (4 cups) comes from our food, this means 2 L (8 cups) comes from purposeful fluid intake (drinking).

 

            Fluid loss and imbalances:

                        *Percentage of body water loss and consequences:

                                    *0.5%  Increased strain on the heart

                                    *1%     Reduce aerobic endurance

                                    *3%     Reduced muscular endurance

                                    *4%     Reduced muscle strength, reduced motor skills, heat cramps

                                    *5%     Heat exhaustion, cramping, fatigue, reduced mental capacity

                                    *6%     Physical exhaustion, heatstroke, coma

                                    *10-20%          Death

 

 

            In summary, YES, there is a reason for all of the positive improvements I saw in myself when reaching my goal of at least 64 ounces (8 cups) of water. Water is housed everywhere in our body and has very important jobs. If we become imbalanced with the amount of water we take in verse the amount we are excreting, there are plenty of negative consequences that come with that. The smallest imbalance can immediately affect performance as well as mental focus and clarity. So, DRINK YOUR WATER! I prefer a larger mouthed water bottle that makes drinking effortless as well as one that I don’t have to fill up too many times in a day to reach my goal.

 

            Best of wishes in your water endeavors!

 

Until next time,

Hayley Jones, BS, CSCS, Pn1

hjones@mvhospital.net