Water is very essential to maintaining our health. The average adult body weight is 60 percent water. This mineral is found in all areas of the human body and it is plays a vital role in various bodily functions. Body cells are made mostly of water and are surrounded by it. As water moves throughout the different body compartments it equalizes the concentration of dissolved particles. It is the driving force behind osmosis. Osmosis is the passive movement across a membrane to equalize the concentration of solution on both sides. This process also allows nutrients and waste products to be transported through the cell wall. Without osmosis, water would not be able to move throughout the cells in your body causing them to die and this can be harmful to your health.

Water in the body provides many functions. It helps dissolves various substances like glucose, amino acids and minerals. Acidity levels are maintained by water in the body. It cleanses the cells of the body and lubricates and rinses internal and external body surfaces. Watery tears lubricate the eyes and wash away dirt, synovial fluid lubricates the joints, and saliva lubricates the mouth, making it easier to chew and swallow food. Water cushions different body compartments such as the joints and eyeballs against shock by resisting compression. The cushioning effect of water in the amniotic sac protects the fetus as it grows inside a pregnant woman. Blood, which is mostly water, flows through our bodies, delivering oxygen and nutrients to cells and returning waste products to the lungs and kidneys for excretion. In addition, water functions in chemical reactions and helps regulate body temperature. Body temperature is regulated to maintain a temperature of 98.6 degrees. Water holds heat and changes temperature slowly; this allows the body temperature to remain constant.

To maintain water balance, the body must receive the same amount of water that is exiting the body. This is very important, so much that our body has different mechanisms to regulate our intake and outtake. When we are in need of water our body lets us know by the sensation of thirst. Failure to sustain an efficient level of water can have life-threatening consequences. The average person can survive about eight weeks without food, whereas without water there is only a survival time of a few days. This is a measurement of how vital water is to our well being. Not consuming enough water can affect the body’s ability to deliver oxygen and nutrients to cells and the removal of waste products, but can ultimately lead to dehydration. Dehydration is when the body does not have the amount of water is should have. Some of the early symptoms of this illness include; thirst, headache, loss of appetite, fatigue, dry eyes and mouth, dark colored urine. As dehydration gets worse an individual can experience nausea, difficulty concentrating, confusion, disorientation, and diminishing physical performance. On the flipside, a person can also consume too much water which can result in water toxicity. This condition shares some of the same symptoms as dehydration. To avoid this condition it is wise to consume a sports drink after any strenuous activity.

In order to regulate fluid balance and maintain acid base balance your body is dependent on electrical currents called electrolytes. These substances separate in water to form positively and negatively charged ions that conduct an electric current. The most essential electrolytes for your body are sodium, potassium and chloride. Sodium is the major positive ion in the fluid on the outside of the cell. It regulates the total amount of water in the body and the transmission of sodium into and out of individual cells. Sodium also generates the electrical signals for the nervous system, brain and muscles communication. This extracellular ion is significant in blood pressure stability and blood vessel stability. It also prevents, fatigue, swelling, irregular heart rate and low blood pressure. Potassium is the major positive ion found inside the cell. This intracellular ion is essential for normal cell function. It helps control the heartbeat and the function of muscles. Potassium helps prevents swelling, irregular heart rate, muscle cramping, abnormal nerve function, fatigue and weakness. Chloride is a major negatively charged ion, or anion, found on the outside of the cell and blood. This ion plays a significant role in the excretion of carbon dioxide waste from metabolic energy production in each cell (Taney n.d.). Acid/base pH balance in the body is maintained by chloride along with phosphate and sulfate. Chloride is needed to sustain the digestive system. This extracellular ion helps prevents swelling, fatigue, palpitations, muscle weakness and stomach problems. Medical professionals have commonly warned against dehydration effects caused by alcohol and caffeine. Recently, studies show that caffeinated and non-caffeinated drinks show no significant difference of hydration levels in the body when consumed (www.livestrong.com). This might be true but it is hard to ignore the undeniable sensation of thirst a person has after they consume a caffeinated drink. Therefore, caffeine has a negative affect on your hydration level to some extent. On the other hand, alcohol is more harmful to your hydration level. Alcohol acts as a diuretic that dehydrates the body by causing a person to lose water through urination. It decreases the hormone vasopressin, which acts on the kidneys to reabsorb water and salt into the body (www.livestrong.com). Combining caffeine and alcohol can prove to be dangerous if a person does not hydrate properly after consumption.

Dehydration can be a very dangerous illness. It is important to pay close attention to the early symptoms. These symptoms can be easily overlooked by the average person. This is because a lot of the symptoms are either unknown or associated with another illness. The best treatment for dehydration is prevention. Take into consideration your daily activities. If you know that you are going to participate in any extreme activity that will cause you sweat profusely, it is best to drink some water before your start. This will give your body a good base and a healthy water supply for the body to use while you take part in the activity. Another step is to drink water on a daily basis. Most of us rather drink something other than water, if this is the case; try a sports drink such as Gatorade or PowerAde instead. These drinks come in a variety of flavors that can help hydrate your body. Even though sports drinks are flavorful and help body hydration, water is still the best remedy.