With all the talk of global water shortages, it’s amazing how much water is actually on the planet – including our own human bodies. More than half of the human body is made up water – in fact, as newborns, we’re mostly water! Water is vital to the human body – without it, we die. We need it to nourish us, to cool us, to hydrate us.
It would seem that with all that water in us, we’d never go thirsty, but we use water constantly – when we breathe, when we move,when we urinate, when we sweat, when we sleep. We use up water simply by existing. And we use up a lot of it. We need to replenish our supply constantly. Our bodies are pretty good at letting us know when we need to replenish our supply of the good stuff. We get pangs of thirst that signify the need to refuel and those hunger pangs sometimes aren’t really – they are thirst pangs disguised as a need for food. We need at least eight glasses a day, but this will also depend on the size of a person, their health and their activity levels. Another way to gauge water needs is to drink half your body weight in ounces. In other words, if you weight 150 lbs, you will need at least 75 oz of water every day. It doesn’t always have to be plain water – liquids like tea or coffee also count, although liquids like alcohol actually dehydrate and cannot be considered a source of hydration.
Dehydration is a problem for many, and sometimes we don’t even realize it until major damage has been done. We’ve heard stories of young sports players dropping dead on the field from heat exhaustion and dehydration, and of older people collapsing in a heat wave. Anyone involved in strenuous activities needs to make sure their water intake is higher than their output. Children playing outside need to be continually hydrated and persons who work outside all day – especially in the summer months, need to take great care to make sure they drink plenty of water. And those of us who have diabetes, or have an illness where diarrhea or vomiting is present, are at risk.
So what happens when we don’t drink enough? Sometimes a glass or two is all we need to replenish our systems. But sometimes there’s a real danger of collapse, of worse – when our body lacks the water it needs.
Our body will preserve as much liquid as it can, so our mouths and eyes will become dry and nausea may set in. We may become dizzy, light headed, and confused. Our urine will decrease and darken in color and our eyes may yellow. Someone with these symptoms needs immediate medical attention, especially a very young child or older person.
But healthy adults can also suffer the perils of dehydration, no matter how healthy they think they are. Without adequate water, it doesn’t take long for the body to show the ill-effects. And left untreated, it can cause kidney failure, brain swelling, coma, or hypovolemic shock. This kind of shock can cause death to happen quickly, if left untreated. People from over-exerted athletes, dancers and entertainers to under hydrated kids and grandparents, can suffer this kind of shock and it’s fast and furious. Champion mixed martial arts fighter Gina Joy Carano was rushed to hospital with dehydration in 2007 and Houston Astros reliever Wesley Wright was also rushed to hospital two weeks ago, apparently suffering from the same ailment. Dehydration was a constant worry for recently deceased singer Michael Jackson who lost up to 10 lbs from exertion and heat during every concert, rehearsed constantly for his planned concert comeback, and had trouble keeping his body healthy due to a poor diet and possible drug use/abuse.
How do we avoid dehydration? By not using more water than we take in and by limiting alcohol and drugs, as well as avoiding situations of over-exertion and heat exposure. Sufferers from illnesses that cause vomiting or diarrhea, as well as conditions like diabetes need to make sure they monitor their water intake. The very young and old need to be cared for when ill or during the long summer months.
Because dehydration can be sudden - and silent – it can also be deadly. If it doubt, or when symptoms are more than just a moderate thirst or sweat, care needs to be taken to rehydrate directly. And if rehydration does not happen quickly, seek medical attention immediately.
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Did you know that dehydration can cause death? Have you experienced dehydration? How did you replenish your water supplies?
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Add a Comment6 Comments
I had a reaction to Sulfa Drugs. I started swelling bad. The doctors nurse told me to take an allergy medicine ( I had Claritin) & it would be ok to double my fluid pill ( Dyazide 10mg each). Later that night I called the drug store. I was so tight I just wanted the fluid off me. I asked if there was any difference between Lasix humans take & Lasix dogs take. I have a big Golden Retriever with a heart condition & he takes Lasix with heart & thyroid pills. I was told there was no difference & it should be ok to take one of the dogs Lasix. Woke up today & all fluid gone. I looked half my size. Spent most of night in bathroom though. I got dizzy & almost blacked out. Fell back on bed, shut my eyes until it passed. Got up slow & was ok but light headed with a weird high pitch buzzing in my ears. Called hospital to talk to a nurse & she told me to call poison control. She said there were differences like different fillers & dyes. Poison control asked how many mg. his Lasix was. I looked & it is 80mg. He takes it 2X a day. She said the normal dose for a human is 20mg. I had taken together with my own fluid pills 100mg! She asked if my chest hurt or any other symptoms so she said start drinking a lot of water & eat some fruit with a lot of potassium in it like bananas. I did not know how dangerous it was so I learned a lesson today. Hope this may help someone else.
November 7, 2009 - 5:22pmThis Comment
Anon - Thanks for sharing this important information. I'm sorry you had such a painful experience, and appreciate your willingness to share this with others.
I did some research on the use of Lasix by both humans and animals. Sometimes the exact same drug that humans use is used by animals, so I can see why it might seem like that would be okay. The dosages, however, are very different, and that can be dangerous. I'm very surprised that you weren't told that when you contacted your drug store as it's vitally important. I hope you're feeling better today, and are gaining back your strength.
November 9, 2009 - 6:56pmTake good care,
Pat
This Comment
Dehydration is something I'm acutely aware of. I have a heat-related illness and have just been ordered by my doctor to not run in extreme temperatures. Well, that's hard to do, when you live in an area of triple-digit heat. Dehydration compounds the heat-related issues. Even cool/cold weather will fool you into believing you don't need as much fluid; you do.
I'm a seasoned marathoner, but have had a terrible season because I've been dealing with heat-related illness and dehydration. It's no fun collapsing within 1/4 mile of the finish line, or going peg-legged because you're out of fluid. That hurts!
Remember when Lance Armstrong bonked during one of the stages at the Tour de France? He was foaming at the mouth and in serious trouble, because he hadn't been drinking enough. Trust me, bonking is not reserved for elite athletes; it can hit anyone.
Never wait until you feel thirsty to drink - drink throughout the day. Your body will thank you for it.
August 5, 2009 - 5:45pmThis Comment
Definitely have to agree with you about staying hydrated. ALWAYS need to carry water with you when you run or workout. (I've passed out before running in high heat.)
I found a water bottle you can fill with ice cold water (or freeze it) and wear on your wrist, which is one of the points on your body where you're supposed to put something cool to lower your body temperature if you're overheating.
It sounds weird (a wearable bottle), but it feels comfortable and works great.
Here's a link to a review of it:
http://www.traxee.com/posts/672-swiggies-solves-women-runners-problem-of-staying-hydrated
Hope that helps!
September 9, 2009 - 3:23pmThis Comment
Thanks for that link, I'd never seen the swiggies before! I gave my daughter an Amphipod bottle that has a hand strap (and a key pouch), which she likes for short runs.
Along the nearby trail I run, there are a couple of shower poles 1.5 miles apart, and several water fountains along the 7 mile length, so it's fairly convenient to cool off and hydrate.
A kool-tie is also handy to have and easy to wear as a headband until use around the neck.
September 9, 2009 - 4:24pmThis Comment
"Never wait until you feel thirsty to drink" -- You got it, Alysia! The truth is,once your body has been given the "Man, I'm thirsty" signal, your body is already going into dehydration mode and time is of the essence to get the water or gatorade (or powerade) necessary to replenish your body with fluids and electrolytes lost.
I think it's important to mention to pregnant women, that the 8 glasses of water a day, does not apply to them. For a pregnant woman, the rule is more like 20 glasses a day-- no joke. Pregnant women are unfortunately reservoirs for water retention and an increase in urine specific gravity. I will NEVER forget the pain from a urinary tract infection (that I became more susceptible to because I was dehydrated) while I was 37 weeks pregnant. Not only does dehydration cause contractions in a pregnant woman and lead to early labor, but the risk of getting a UTI multiplies.
All leading up to this: Dehydration= Bad, Bad, Bad.
Drink up, ladies!
August 25, 2009 - 5:36pmThis Comment