Why Is It Important To Drink Lots Of Water?

Your body consists of approximately 60 percent water. Water is the most abundant substance in your body, and as a result one of the most important. In order to maintain the correct amount of water in your body, it is important to drink lots of water every day. "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake notes that a couple of days without water could lead to death.

Functions of Water

Water plays an important role in a number of processes in the body that could not occur if you did not drink enough water on a daily basis. One of the most important roles of water is as a solvent. When substances dissolve in water, vital chemical reactions in the body are allowed to take place. Water also acts as a transport mechanism, carrying oxygen and nutrients to the cells and removing carbon dioxide and waste products.

Water also acts as a lubricant for your joints and eyes and makes up part of the saliva that moistens your mouth and allows you to break down food successfully. Water also is present in the fluid that surrounds your organs and protects them from trauma and damage. Water also helps maintain body temperature. When you get too hot, the water in your body absorbs heat and creates perspiration. When your perspiration evaporates off of your body, heat is released and your inner body temperature is maintained.

Water Balance

Water balance occurs when you drink as much water as you lose. If you lose more water than you drink, you are considered to be out of water balance. Water can be lost in various ways. You lose water every day through urination, respiration, metabolism and sweating. Water also is lost through evaporation from the skin, which differs from normal sweating. In order to stay in water balance, it is important that you replace the water that is lost.

Recommended Intake

The recommended intake for water is based on the reported total water intake of healthy Americans, according to "Nutrition and You" by Joan Salge Blake. The current recommendation is that men consume at least 13 cups of water per day and women consume at least 9 cups of water per day. MayoClinic.com notes that if you drink enough water so that you never feel thirsty and produce approximately 6 cups of urine per day, it usually indicates that you are well-hydrated.

Factors that Influence Needs

Various lifestyle and environmental factors influence your water needs. If you engage in strenuous exercise that makes you sweat, you should increase your water intake by 1.5 to 2.5 cups of water per day to replace water loss. Exposure to hot, humid weather also can increase your water needs. Those who live in altitudes greater than 8,200 feet also might require more water on a daily basis, according to MayoClinic.com. Illnesses such as food poisoning that cause you to vomit excessively or cause diarrhea also increase your need for water.

Considerations

If you do not consume enough water on a daily basis, you can become dehydrated. Although most people only experience mild dehydration, severe dehydration also can develop. Mild dehydration causes various symptoms, including thirst, dry mouth, decreased urine output, fatigue, headache and lightheadedness, and can usually be corrected with oral intake of water. If you become severely dehydrated, you might experience extreme thirst, lack of sweating, no urination, sunken eyes, low blood pressure, increased heart rate and fever. Severe dehydration also can lead to fainting and even death.