Dehydration

1.     Assignment: Dehydration

·         Due Date: Day 7 [Individual] forum

·         Write a 1,050- to 1,750-word paper about the effects of dehydration.

·         Include answers to the following:

o    Why is water essential to health maintenance?

o    What are the functions of water in the body?

o    What happens to the body when it does not get the water it needs?

o    Compare and contrast how different electrolytes—sodium, potassium, and chloride—function in the body. 

o    What effects might alcohol and caffeine have on hydration levels in the body?

o    What steps may people take to ensure they do not become dehydrated?

·         Format your paper according to APA standards.

·         Post your paper as an attachment.118

           

Adequate water intake is probably the single most important thing that we as humans can do to live a healthy and complete life.  Water needs electrolytes to be one hundred percent effective while it is helping maintain our bodies.  Electrolytes such as sodium, potassium and chloride help in maintaining correct water balance in our bodies.  Without these major minerals our body can not properly distribute our water intake to be of maximum efficiency.  Water is essential to health maintenance because the body is about sixty percent water.  This percentage does vary depending on the age and gender of the individual.  Dehydration, which is a depletion of body water, can cause all kinds of symptoms ranging from feeling dizzy or light-headed to more severe symptoms and even organ shut down if exposed to long term dehydration. 

            Our bodies are made up of about sixty percent weight in water.  Water can be found both inside and outside our cells.  Water found inside is called intracellular fluid, and water found outside our cells is called extracellular fluid.  Water that is found between cells is called interstitial fluid.  Water uses the process of osmosis to move in and out of our body’s cells to equalize the concentration of solutes on both sides.  The electrolytes sodium, potassium and other proteins help hold water in place inside the cells and other body compartments.  When the concentration of particles is higher in place than the other, water will move between the membranes to where the substances are higher in order to equalize the particle concentration on both sides of the cell membranes. 

            Water does two main things in our body.  First, it helps with chemical reactions such as aiding in the dissolution of water-soluble minerals and acids.  Water helps small molecules to join together and bigger molecules to break apart.  It also participates in maintaining proper levels of acidity in the body. Second, water helps regulate body temperature.  It does this by increasing or decreasing the amount of heat that escapes from the surface of the body.  It also helps regulate body temperature through the secretion of sweat onto the skin.  As the sweat evaporates, heat is lost and this cools our bodies. 

            Since water is not storage in the body we need to continuously intake our water needs in order to keep the balance of water in our body.  This makes it very hard to over hydrate our bodies since extra water is simply expelled from the body through our sweat and urea.  Our bodies regulate our water intake by making up thirsty when our water level depletes too much.  Even though this safety signal is there we can not rely on thirst mechanism only in order to tell us when we need to drink.  This sensation often lags behind our actual need of water so depending on our activity level we may be dehydrating before our bodies tell us we are.  If we are engaging in high exercising activities, such as athletes during training or competitions or while we are exercising we need to drink some water every few minutes in order to keep adequate water levels in our bodies, even if you do not feel thirsty. 

            Our bodies also regulate our water loss.  Our kidneys act as a strainer that filters out small molecules and water while blood cells and large molecules are retained.  The water is then passed out of the bodies through our urine.  A hormone called antidiuretic hormone, or ADH, is used to signal the kidneys on how much water to reabsorb or allow to pass through the kidney’s filter.  If concentration in our blood is too low the ADH will tell the kidneys to allow more water to pass through and out of the body. If the concentration is too high, the ADH will say to hold or reabsorb more water.  The amount of water that is lost is also adjusted by regulating the amount of sodium and other particles dissolved in the blood.  Alcohol and caffeine can inhibit the activity in ADH and increase water loss.  Hangovers are mostly due to dehydration due to inadequate water intake. 

            Sodium, potassium and chloride are also very important to regulating proper water levels within the body.  These electrolytes are essential for nerve conduction and muscle contraction.  Nerve impulses are made by movement of sodium and potassium ions across cell membranes.  Sodium is mainly operates outside the cells and potassium inside cells.  Because of this we do not need as much potassium as sodium but both are essential for healthy living.  Proper electrolyte levels are important to keep regulated. When salt content is low we feel thirsty or might crave salty snacks.  This is a physiological response and not a needed response.  By feeling thirsty or craving salty snacks we might ingest more than we need.  However, ingestion is not the regulator of water nor our salt content.  Again the kidneys regulate our sodium content in the blood, along with chloride and potassium balances.  The kidneys excrete these electrolytes in our urine when our levels are high and decrease the amount when levels are low.  Even though our kidneys have this build in regulator it is still possible to consume too much or too little sodium or potassium. 

            Sodium helps with the regulation of blood pressure through osmosis and the kidneys ability to conserve sodium.  If blood pressure is too low the body releases an enzyme called renin and aldosterone that affect the amount of sodium and water that is retained by the kidneys.  If the blood pressure is too high the body inhibits the enzymes from being released in order that the kidneys will excrete more sodium and water.  Electrolyte deficiency can cause an electrolyte imbalance, disturbances in acid-base balance, poor appetite, muscle cramps, confusion, apathy, constipation and irregular heartbeat.

            The other side of that is you can run into health issues if you have too much sodium or potassium in your system.  Too much potassium can lead to vomiting, irregular heartbeat and even death.  Too much salt can increase blood pressure and lead to hypertension.  In healthy adults the kidneys regulate sodium and potassium levels in the blood and usually these issues will not be a problem.  However individuals that are on diuretic medications or on treatment for hypertension could be at risk.  These individuals are usually prescribed supplements to ensure proper ingestion of these electrolytes.  Individuals who have been sick with vomiting, diarrhea or fever should consume plenty of water and electrolyte added water such as Gatorade to ensure their illness does not cause an electrolyte imbalance or dehydration. 

            All in all, I think that water consumption is the most important thing we can do for our bodies.  Whether we drink it, or consume it while eating fruits or vegetables.  So, make sure to drink your weight in water and your body will do the rest.