T EXAS A GRI L IFE E XTENSION S ERVICE
TODAY’S NUTRITION
JUNE 2009 VOLUME 6
WATER: Drink up!
Taking care of children — Dehydration in Older Folks — Mild Dehydration in Adults — Dehydration Due in Intense or Strenuous Exercise —
How Much Water Do I Need? Tips
You can live as long as six weeks without food, but you couldn’t survive more than a
week without water. Water or fluids that contain water fill virtually every cell and the spaces
between them in the body. Water accounts for approximately 60 to 70 percent of the total body
weight in a normal adult, making it the most abundant constituent of the human body. In terms
of volume, the total body water in a man of average weight ( 70 kg or 154 lbs) is roughly 40 L
(10.6 gallons).
In the body, water becomes the fluid in which all the processes occur. Water inside the
cell is responsible for the structural maintenance of large molecules like protein and glycogen.
Water, often called the universal solvent, is essential in the dissolution and dispersing of minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose, and many other nutrients. Water also plays a key role in
the digestion, absorption, transportation, and use of nutrients. Water in body fluids also:
* Carries waste products and toxins from the body
* Actively participates in many chemical reactions
* Acts as a lubricant and cushion around joints
* Serves as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord, and, in pregnancy, the
amniotic sac surrounding the fetus in the womb
* Aids in the body’s temperature regulation
* Maintains blood volume
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Dehydration…………...................3
Symptoms………. ………..………...4
Tips…………………….…………..…….5
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Every body cell, tissue, and organ needs water to function. There is no life, as we know
it, without water.
Dehydration is a condition where the body’s water output exceeds the input. Mild dehydration can occur with as little as 1 percent loss of total body weight as a result of fluid loss.
Chronic dehydration is caused by inadequate replenishment of daily water losses over time and
acute dehydration can result from intense exercise or an illness where a large amount of fluid is
lost from the body in a short period of time and not replaced.
The human body needs water to maintain enough blood and other fluids to function
properly. If your body loses much more fluid than you are drinking, you become dehydrated.
Normal fluid loses occur:
* With the elimination of body wastes (urine and feces)
* During illness with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea
* By sweating during intense exercise or activity and/or during hot or humid weather
* As we breathe
Electrolytes are also lost with body fluids.
The most common causes of dehydration are severe vomiting and diarrhea. Low intakes
of fluids or foods containing water during illness can also cause dehydration. Failing to drink
enough water during or after intense or strenuous exercise, especially during warmer weather
can lead to dehydration. A common factor in long-term or chronic dehydration are medications
(diuretics) that control excess body fluid. Dehydration can occur in anyone, but those affected
most frequently are:
* babies less than 1 year old
* elderly, most common cause of hospitalization of people over age 65
* individuals with a fever
* all age groups during hot weather
Mild dehydration is characterized by:
* flushed face
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* very thirsty
* weakness
* headache
* cramping in arms and legs
* dry, warm skin
* crying with few or no tears
* dizziness
* small amounts of dark, yellow urine
Moderate or severe dehydration is characterized by:
* fainting
* severe muscle cramps in the arms, legs, stomach, and back
* a bloated stomach
* deep and rapid breathing
* poor skin elasticity
* sunken eyes with few tears
* convulsions
Symptoms of mild dehydration in children include:
* sticky or dry mouths
* less frequent urination
* increased thirst
Symptoms of moderate and severe dehydration in children include:
* sunken eyes
* weight loss
* decreased alertness
* much less urination
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Call your doctor immediately if your child:
* doesn’t seem to recognize you
* is difficult to arouse
* appears weak and limp
* doesn’t make tears while crying
* has a dry or sticky mouth
* hasn’t urinated in over 8 hours
* is dizzy or unsteady when standing
* vomiting is worsening or lasting longer than 6 to 8 hours
* starts to act very sick
* refuses to drink fluids
Dehydration Occurs Frequently in Older Folks Because of Physiological Changes.
As we age, we lose muscle mass, which is largely protein, and replace muscle with fat.
Protein in muscle contains more than 70 percent water whereas fat doesn’t contain water.
Due to other physiological differences, women have less body water than men. So, seniors
start with less total fluids.
As a person ages the kidneys have less urine-concentrating ability. This means that
the body can’t hold water as effectively as a younger person’s.
Thirst response declines with aging. Older folks just don’t get as thirsty as the
younger folks.
Taking Care of Mild Dehydration in Adults During Illness
If you are sick with a fever, diarrhea, nausea, and/or vomiting, it is very important to
drink beverages (such as water, tea, soft drinks, juices, and milk) and eat foods with high
water content (such as broths, soups, puddings, gelatin desserts, ices, ice creams, and fruits).
Try sucking on ice chips or frozen cubes to keep your mouth moist and contribute to fluid
intake.
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Dehydration Due to Intense or Strenuous Exercise
It is important to stay hydrated during intense or strenuous exercise, especially during the warmer times of the year by consuming enough fluid to replace that lost to sweating. If you be come mildly dehydrated, drink small sips of water to replace lost fluids.
The typical American diet contains adequate minerals to replace lost electrolytes or a
sports drink can be used for electrolyte replacement.
If you are moderately or severely dehydrated, see a physician immediately!
How much water do I need?
It is generally accepted that the average sedentary adult man needs about eight 8
ounce glasses of water and the average adult sedentary woman requires approximately six
8 ounce glasses of water daily. Increased physical activity, temperature, altitude, fever,
vomiting and diarrhea increase replacement fluid requirements.
A pregnant woman has a slightly increased water requirement because of the expanding extracellular fluid space, the needs of the fetus, and the amniotic fluid. A lactating woman must replace the fluid lost in breast milk.
Only decaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages count toward meeting your daily fluid
intake. Caffeine and alcohol act as mild diuretics.
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A pregnant woman has a slightly increased water requirement because of the expanding extracellular fluid space, the needs of the fetus, and the amniotic fluid. A lactating woman must
replace the fluid lost in breast milk.
Only decaffeinated, non-alcoholic beverages count toward meeting your daily fluid intake. Caffeine and alcohol act as mild diuretics.
Tips
* Take water breaks throughout the day.
* Have a glass of water, tea, or juice with your meals.
Start off with a cup of soup.
* Never pass a water fountain without taking a sip.
* Drink water before, during, and after physical activity.
* Take a bottle of water with you in the car or on the plane.
The above information was taken from University of Arkansas, Cooperative Extension Service, - 7/11/08 - Little Rock, Arkansas
I hope that the above information is helpful to you and your families. If you have any
questions, or comments, please don’t hesitate to call, or email.
______________________________________
MaryJo Toomire, CEA - Family & Consumer Science
Ector County - TX AgriLife Extension
(432) 498-4071
[email protected]
Stop!
Take water breaks throughout
the day.