Water is vital to all forms of life and helps the world function in a way that makes our very existence possible. Trace amounts of water are found in the human body and all living organisms.
Table of Contents
- How Much Water Is In The Human Body?
- Where is all this water stored?
- Why is water important to humans?
- What are the benefits of drinking water?
- How do I maintain a healthy water percentage?
- What is the best water to drink?
- What happens if you don’t drink enough water?
- Can you drink too much water?
- Summary
How Much Water Is In The Human Body?
The human body is composed of about 60% water. This means that for every 100g of our body weight, 60g is water. The percentage of water in the human body decreases steadily with age. A newborn baby is composed of more than 75% water. The percentage decreases as we grow, stabilizing at approximately 60% of total body weight in adulthood.
Where is all this water stored?
Water is found in almost every part of your body. Let’s have a closer look at where all this water is stored in the human body.
| Organs and Tissues | Water Percentage |
| Brain & Heart | 73% |
| Lungs | 83% |
| Skin | 64% |
| Muscles & Kidneys | 79% |
| Skin (average) | 18% |
| Bones | 31% |
Why is water important to humans?
Water is vital for every metabolic process in our bodies. Water current is constantly ebbing and flowing through our cells, tissues, and organs. Water possesses a unique property that the elements have never achieved: the ability to create a fluid solution that is capable of carrying nutrients and oxygen into cells without rupturing them.
If you were made of pure crystalline silicon, as you read this sentence your brain would instantly short circuit because silicon cannot conduct electricity; similarly, if your bodily fluids lost their water content, they too would harden. In reality, the loss of water from the cells of our body leads to dehydration and destroys both their integrity and functionality.
What are the benefits of drinking water?
Drinking water is not a new trend. It’s been promoted for health benefits ever since we could figure out that it was essential for life. So what are the benefits of drinking water?
1. Water carries nutrients to all cells in our body and oxygen to our brain
2. Water allows the body to absorb and assimilate minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose, and other substances.
3. Water flushes out toxins and waste
4. Water helps to regulate body temperature
5. Water lubricates our joints and muscles so that they can function smoothly and easily, helping them heal more quickly when injured.
How do I maintain a healthy water percentage?
Say you’re watching your food intake or training for a marathon, or simply want to be healthier and more fit. How much water should you consume? That depends on how active you are, what you’re eating and drinking, and other factors. The answer isn’t as simple as 1 or 2 liters per day—but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t apply to everyone.
The amount of water everyone needs is the same: generally about half of your body weight in fluid ounces daily, according to the American Dietetic Association (ADA)—a figure that holds true for most people of any age.
It’s also important to keep a close eye on your activity level, age, and weight. Infants require a great deal of water because their bodies are generating more waste than that of an adult. Older adults sometimes lose fluids quickly, which can impair function. And anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding will need even more fluids than the average adult will.
What is the best water to drink?
Everyone knows that drinking enough water is incredibly important for health. But, when you’re at the grocery store and standing in front of the massive display of bottled water, you might be wondering which type of water is best for your health.
Let’s have a look at a few examples.
1. Tap Water
Tap water is convenient, inexpensive, and usually safe. You have probably seen various plaques on the wall outside the bathrooms of eating-establishments proclaiming that they use only potable water. What does this mean? All potable water is completely free from microbes, as only certain types of microbes are allowed into treated drinking-water. Tap water is usually derived from surface water bodies, such as rivers, lakes, or glacial moraines. It is also a by-product of a variety of other processes – including industrial or domestic wastewater treatment.
2. Bottled Water
Bottled water is portable, purified water that you can easily and conveniently buy whenever you’re thirsty. It’s great to have around your house, whether just to drink or if you want to make tea or coffee. It provides pure, refreshing, and convenient hydration without the risk of pollutants, chemicals, or any other impurities that might be present in tap water.
3. Distilled Water
Distilled water has many uses and is becoming more popular. There are other names for this water such as purified water, demineralized water, and deionized water. Distilled water should not be confused with the term “purified water”. Purified usually still contains minerals, but the minerals are at a safe and consistent level. In the past distilled water was very hard to come by. It was expensive and unavailable to most people. Today there are some appliances available to make it easy for anyone – these can be as simple as distillers (or you can build your own).
4. Hydrogen Water
Hydrogen water is a popular type of functional water that is believed to have beneficial health effects. The concept is simple enough – regular tap/drinking water has oxygen molecules and hydrogen ions in it, while hydrogen water contains twice as many. This difference is believed to affect your body by enhancing its natural healing abilities. Hydrogen molecules are seen as antioxidants with the ability to boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and improve overall cellular function. Moreover, according to potentially dubious researchers, hydrogen water can potentially help prevent nerve degeneration and other signs of aging, such as gray hair.
5. Alkaline Water
Alkaline water is mostly known for its potential to cure cancer. For many cancer patients, the only option is chemotherapy. It is difficult to know the effects of a cancer patient undergoing chemotherapy. What can be predicted though is the loss of appetite and diarrhea they experience. An alkaline diet could balance their pH levels which would give them a positive effect on their overall health. Alkaline water may have no direct effect on cancer though dealing with an alkaline diet not only brings along 100% clean and filtered water but also chemical-free food and beverages that ultimately lead to a more healthy lifestyle.
6. Boiled Water
Boiling is considered one of the best methods of purifying water because it destroys any bacteria and parasites. Additionally, boiling will typically deactivate viruses making water safe to drink. However, it is not fool-proof and you should check the water for sediment and particulates before drinking. Boiled water will often still contain microscopic impurities like sediments or particulates that you may not want to ingest.
7. Filtered Water
Filtered water is any type of drinking water that has been protected from chemical contamination because it has been filtered through a specific type of filter. In most cases, it is always preferable to consume water in its natural state but sometimes we can’t and we might be faced with having to drink tap water that purifies our drinks. While tap water is not generally dangerous, it often contains many impurities which is why it’s recommended to filter it before drinking.
8. Mineral Water
So, what is mineral water? It’s water that has minerals dissolved in it. These minerals are in the form of dissolved ions like hydroxide, carbonate, and silicate ions. The source of mineral water is a spring or well that has come into contact with rocks underground. Because these rocks have naturally occurring sources of mineral salts in them, the water from the spring has more minerals than tap water or even most bottled waters. Some springs will have naturally occurring high levels of sulfur in them — this is called sulfate-rich or sulfuric spring water.
9. Spring Water
Spring water is free of pollutants such as heavy metals, pesticides, or nitrates. It’s collected at the source and bottled directly. It’s usually considered better for your health compared to other bottled waters. Several studies have shown a connection between the drinking of bottled spring water and reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases and various cancers.
10. Sparkling Water
Sparkling water can help to protect your teeth from decay and cavities because it helps reduce the number of bacteria in the mouth. It is also a healthy alternative to drinking regular soda. Typically, sparkling water has fewer calories than regular soda, but this information varies from product to product.
What happens if you don’t drink enough water?
Dehydration is a serious condition that interferes with other organ systems and can lead to death. Even mild dehydration can lead to cramping, decreased performance, and fainting.
There are no specific symptoms of dehydration, but you could have one or more of the signs below:
– Headache
– Weakness
– Dizziness
– Nausea or dry mouth
– Fatigue
– Inability to produce urine
– Leg cramps
These symptoms will develop over several hours or days and should be discussed with your doctor.
Can you drink too much water?
Whether you’re an athlete or not, you’ve likely heard of water intoxication, which can lead to serious health problems and even death.
Water intoxication, or more properly hyponatremia, is most often the result of drinking far in excess of the body’s sweat and liquid needs during physical activity. Typical symptoms of water intoxication experienced by athletes include headache, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, and coma, and can be potentially life-threatening if extreme fluid levels are not treated.
While most cases of water intoxication occur among endurance athletes, there have been cases reported in the general population who have consumed copious amounts of plain tap water (some cases have resulted from drinking too much bottled water!) as well.
Summary
The human body is composed of about 60% water and there is not a single aspect of our life that does not depend on water. It helps us stay alive by keeping organs, tissues, and blood vessels all hydrating and moist. Water transports nutrients and oxygen in the body. We lose between 2~3 liters of water each day through respiration, perspiration, and urination.
Drinking plenty of water is necessary for our physical survival. If we lack hydration for just two full days, we can be at risk for numerous health complications like death. Water can also help to reduce disease risk, enhance your athletic performance, digestive functions, and even help you manage your weight.
