Water is the most vital substance humans need to survive, as as much as sixty percent of our bodies are comprised of water. As such, water naturally has numerous health benefits, and if we go without water for more than a few days, it can be fatal. The common suggestion is to drink eight glasses of water a day, containing eight ounces each; while this exact amount will vary depending on the size and weight of the individual, along with the amount lost due to physical activity and sweat, this is a good recommendation to follow on average. The following research provides reasons as to how water affects the human body, and the health benefits that drinking water provides.
Beyond being essential to sustain life, water has specific health benefits. The first of these is that water has a significant impact on our overall energy level as well as brain function. The brain is sensitive to hydration levels; a lack of hydration has been shown to negatively affect the brain’s ability to focus and concentrate, even when dehydration is minor (Benelam and Wyness, 2010). Even breaking a light sweat can cause dehydration enough to negatively impact the brain’s ability to focus or concentrate, which often becomes progressively worse the more dehydrated we become. If severely dehydrated, this can result in overall confusion and disorientation. Dehydration can also negatively affect one’s mood. Conversely, being properly hydrated will boost the brain’s ability to concentrate, can result in an improved mood, and many of the negative factors resulting from dehydration will be reversed (Benelam and Wyness, 2010).
The second benefit of ensuring one is properly hydrated is that it helps ensure peak physical performance. There is a reason athletes are often seen with water bottles: physical activity causes us to sweat, which is a loss of water. The more we are active, the more we will sweat, and therefore the more we will need to drink water in order to replenish the loss. During heavy workout sessions, the human body can lose as much as ten percent of its water through sweat (Kleiner, 2009). With more water lost, the body will become less able to regulate its core temperature; it can make physical exertion more difficult, reducing the amount of motivation we have to continue, and fatigue will begin to set in. Drinking water to replace the amount being lost is essential, particularly if physical activity continues. Because athletes can become dehydrated quickly, water is necessary in order to continue performing. This would be true for any level of physical activity that causes exertion, particularly when there are warm temperatures contributing to the amount being lost through sweat.
Next, water can help with the prevention of headaches, including migraines. Some headaches, including many common ones, are a result of dehydration (Kleiner, 2009); if the body is not properly hydrated, blood vessels can constrict, which results in the dull throbbing pain associated with headaches. Drinking water ensures these blood vessels do not stay constricted, so they can either relieve a current headache, or prevent them from occurring. There are other types of headaches that might occur due to other reasons, but many common headaches are actually the result of mild dehydration.
While drinking water is essential to remain a sound body and mind, there are also a few specific health issues that can be benefitted from additional water intake. One such condition is constipation. If one is constipated, then drinking more water than one would normally drink is often recommended. Being properly hydrated helps the body digest food, and increasing the water intake can help with this process. Water encourages the digestive tract to work more quickly (Popkin et al., 2010). Constipation is more common among elderly persons, so drinking water frequently can be a way to help with this health issue.
A second specific health condition that can be aided by drinking more water than normal would be kidney stones. Kidney stones are mineral crystal deposits that collect in the urinary system, and they can become quite painful. Because the way they pass is through the urinary tract, drinking more water than normal can help with this process, making it more likely that the kidney stone will pass sooner, rather than later (Popkin et al., 2010). Water is not the cure for kidney stones, but they help with the natural process necessary for their removal.
Finally, water can also help one prevent the onset of a hangover when drinking alcohol. Hangovers are the unpleasant symptoms often experienced after drinking alcohol; often, these symptoms are the result of becoming dehydrated, as alcohol is a diuretic, which means they cause the body to lose water. Drinking water along with drinking alcohol can help make sure the body is naturally hydrated and able to counter some of the negative health consequences of drinking alcohol. Alcohol is technically a poison; the effects one feels from being drunk is the result of toxins created as the body tries to process the alcohol (Kleiner, 2009). Drinking water can help with the digestive process, which means it will help one recover sooner than someone who does not drink water while also drinking alcohol.
The best way to remain hydrated is to simply drink water, and to drink the recommended amounts. Water does come in other forms, as it is present in many foods, such as fruits and vegetables; similarly, many beverages will also have a hydrating effect, as they are commonly made primarily from water. However, certain beverages, such as alcoholic drinks and caffeinated beverages, such as coffee, have a dehydrating effect. Other beverages such as sports drinks and fruit juices do contain mostly water, but they are also loaded with sugars that can have an overall negative impact on health (Kleiner, 2009). Thus, the best way to remain hydrated is to simply drink water at regular intervals, and to increase the recommended amount based on the amount of physical activity or exertion, or even the amount being lost through sweat due to heat.
Water is the most essential element for human health; in fact, all life is dependent upon water. Therefore, it is vital to remain properly hydrated. Drinking water has numerous health benefits: these include ensuring we have proper energy levels, and proper hydration helps our ability to focus and concentrate; it helps muscles recover and results in better physical performance, including stamina; and it can help prevent or reduce pain experienced with a headache, including migraine headaches. Beyond this, drinking water can also help with issues such as constipation or kidney stones, as the digestive tract needs to be properly hydrated to function properly. Water can also help prevent the onset of a hangover, or it can help lessen symptoms if a hangover does occur, as hangovers are the result of being dehydrated. The best way to consume water is to drink, on average, eight glasses a day of eight ounces each. Some of this fluid may be replaced by water contained in foods, such as vegetables, or some beverages, but alcohol and caffeinated beverages can have a dehydrating effect, so if these beverages are consumed, one should drink an extra amount of water to counter the effect. The optimal way, however, would be to simply drink water without any additional flavorings or ingredients. Being properly hydrated results in better physical performance, better mood, and overall better health.
