Water is chemically the simplest, yet most important nutrient in the body. We can survive without any other macronutrient or micronutrient, but not without water for long. This guide explores all the benefits of staying hydrated, the benefits of water for your fat loss goals, how much water you need, how to know if you are fully hydrated, and the dangers of being dehydrated.
The Benefits of Water
We are mostly water, making it indispensable. The human body can be up to 70% water, the blood around 85%, and the brain up to 90%. Water has countless roles in the body and it is needed for every bodily function. This fact should illuminate the necessity of euhydration, being fully hydrated, and having adequate water flow in the body. Here are some of the major benefits of staying hydrated:
- Proper hydration protects the brain by allowing nutrients to flow thoroughly. In turn, brain cells fulfill their duties and mental sharpness takes place.
- Water is necessary for the transportation of nutrients and oxygen to all the cells of the body, as well as the utilization of water-soluble vitamins.
- It aids in digestion which is essential for colon health and active bowel movement.
- Water is crucial for energy production, cell function, and temperature control.
- It allows the kidneys to efficiently remove toxins, sparing unnecessary stress on the liver.
- Water is essential in releasing excess acidity, which takes place along with a toxic overload (high accumulation of toxins in the body). Consequently, it raises pH levels, making you healthier.
How Much Water Do You Need Daily?
Now you understand the benefits of staying hydrated but how much water do you need daily? You probably heard the “8×8 rule,” which recommends drinking eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day. This is roughly equivalent to 2 liters or half a gallon of water.
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends a daily water intake of about 3.7 liters (125 ounces) for men and 2.7 liters (91 ounces) for women, including all beverages and food sources. Yet, keep in mind that your hydration needs vary based on factors like age, sex, weight, climate, activity levels, fluid loss, excretion rate, and diet among others.
If you want to be more accurate, aim to drink at least 1/2 ounce to 1 ounce of water for each pound you weigh. For example, a 150 lb person should drink 75 to 150 ounces of water a day. Consider that being in hot climates and engaging in vigorous physical activities requires more water to compensate for the increased fluid loss through sweat. Also, pregnant and breastfeeding women need additional fluids.
Staying Hydrated When Exercising
You now know how much water you need in general. However, your hydration needs increase when you exercise. The Strength and Conditioning Journal recommends fluid replacement before, during, and after exercise as follows:
- You should drink 17- 20 oz of fluid 2- 3 hrs before working out and another 8 oz 20- 30 min before starting your workout.
- Shorter duration exercise bouts (<1 hour) require that athletes replace fluid losses by drinking 7- 10 oz of water every 20 minutes
- High-intensity events lasting longer than 1 hour or lower-intensity events lasting several hours would warrant the use of carbohydrates in addition to simply replacing fluid losses: 30 to 60 g/h (0.5–1 g/min) of carbohydrates to maintain blood glucose levels and exercise performance
- Athletes also need to replace electrolytes lost through sweating. You can do so by adding a pinch of high-quality sea or Himalayan salt to your water
- Post-workout, you should drink at least 8 oz of fluids
How Do You Know If You Drank Enough Water?
There are simple methods to assess if you are drinking enough water:
- You can assess hydration via your urine. Generally, your urine’s color should be light yellow. If your urine is dark yellow or amber, this indicates that you are not properly hydrated.
- You can also assess your thirst. Being thirsty means that you are already dehydrated and have significant fluid losses.
Want to Lose Weight? Drink More Water
Another reason to stay hydrated is to lose weight. The benefits of staying hydrated not only encompass proper body functioning but include weight loss. Drinking plenty of water can help you achieve your fat loss and fitness goals more efficiently. This is how:
- Water allows to properly metabolize food and eliminate waste.
- It accelerates your metabolism.
- A properly hydrated body is more able to burn more fat since it can function properly and allow the removal of fat breakdown.
- It enables joint lubrication, as well as higher physical performance and endurance.
- Drinking water throughout the day helps you stay full and curb overeating.
What Happens When You Dehydrated?
When your body loses fluids and you don’t replenish them appropriately, your body begins to get dehydrated. This can happen when you are not hydrating yourself throughout the day, sweating excessively, vomiting, having diarrhea, or experiencing certain medical conditions.
Dehydration can be devastating. Here’s how dehydration can affect the body:
- Decreased cognitive function: Dehydration can impair cognitive function, leading to difficulties in concentration, alertness, and short-term memory.
- Fatigue and weakness: When you’re dehydrated, your body may struggle to maintain its normal functions, leading to feelings of fatigue and weakness.
- Dizziness and lightheadedness: Dehydration can cause a drop in blood pressure, which may result in dizziness or lightheadedness, especially when standing up quickly.
- Dry mouth and thirst: One of the initial signs of dehydration is a dry mouth and a feeling of thirst.
- Dark urine: Dehydration can cause urine to become darker in color, indicating that the body is conserving water.
- Decreased urine output: In dehydration, the kidneys may reduce urine production to conserve water, resulting in decreased frequency of urination.
- Electrolyte imbalances: Loss of fluids through dehydration disrupts the balance of electrolytes and the pH in the body since dysregulates sodium, potassium, and chloride. This imbalance can lead to muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, and even seizures in severe cases.
- Dry skin and lips: Dehydration can cause the skin and lips to become dry, as the body prioritizes water for essential functions over maintaining skin hydration.
- Increased body temperature: Dehydration can impair the body’s ability to regulate temperature, leading to an increased risk of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke, especially in hot environments or during physical activity.
- Constipation: Insufficient hydration can lead to slower movement of food through the digestive system, resulting in constipation.
- Reduced performance: Fluid loss of even 2% starts to impair temperature regulation, reducing aerobic performance, muscular strength, and aerobic capacity, and causing muscle cramps.
- Life Threatening: Severe dehydration can be life-threatening. Heat illness can cause exhaustion, fatigue, temperature changes in the body, lightheadedness, nausea, stomach cramps, palpitations, hyperventilation, and vomiting. Additionally, exertional heatstroke can cause confusion, amnesia, sensory-motor deficits, visual disturbances, disorientation, headaches, inability to walk, dizziness, seizures, delirium, coma, and even death.
Besides drinking water consistently throughout the day, you should follow basic tips to stay hydrated. Additionally, you can incorporate a supplement specifically designed to hydrate you and replenish your electrolytes, such as Organic Muscle‘s Hydrator – a full organic supplement with 16 plant-based ingredients like coconut, spirulina (plus mineral salt), antioxidants, and other superfoods.
As you can see, there are many reasons why you should drink plenty of water. Understanding all the benefits of staying hydrated and how much water you need allows your body to perform at superlative levels, lose body fat, maintain an ideal slightly alkaline state, and maintain optimal health.
To a Fitter Healthier You,
The Fitness Wellness Mentor
