Every cell, organ and tissue relies on water, and without it, your body can't properly regulate its temperature, remove waste and perform many other vital functions. To maintain your supply, you need to drink water regularly. Just how long can you go without water? The answer is around three days. After that, your body ceases to function properly. Let's dive into the importance of water to life to find out the answer to the question "what does water do for the body?"
Here are 10 science-backed reasons why water is so important for your body:
Water protects your tissues, spinal cord and joints
Water hydrates the tissues in your mouth, nose and eyes to cut down on dryness, which can lead to inflammation. In your joints, water works with cartilage to act as an insulator, reducing shocks and stress as you move. This is especially important for your knees and ankles when you're running and walking. Your spinal cord also receives lubrication and impact protection from water.
Water regulates your body temperature
When you're in hot weather or engaged in physical activity, your body temperature rises. To prevent you from overheating, your body responds to the increase in temperature by producing sweat with available water and other substances. As sweat evaporates, it naturally cools the body, keeping your temperature in check. Drinking water helps replenish water loss due to perspiration. During times when you're sweating profusely, staying hydrated reduces the risk of health complications and helps to counteract the loss of electrolytes and blood plasma that occur during dehydration.
Water helps your body flush out waste and toxins
Your kidneys act as a filtration system for your body. When blood moves through the kidneys, the organs remove toxins and waste that then can be excreted from the body in the form of urine. Every day, your kidneys filter about 120 to 150 quarts of blood. To produce an adequate amount of urine to flush out the impurities, your kidneys need a regular supply of water. Without enough, the toxins and waste removed from your blood may not become fully flushed out.
Water keeps your heart and cardiovascular system functioning
More than half of your blood is made up of plasma, an amber-colored liquid that plays a role in blood pressure regulation, delivers proteins for clotting following an injury, distributes electrolytes through your body and helps maintain pH levels in your bloodstream. Around 92% of plasma is water. When you become dehydrated, the effects of water depletion on blood plasma can lead to side effects like low blood pressure, dizziness and wooziness.
Water supports your brain function
Approximately 75% of your brain is made up of water. Mild dehydration that equates to around a 1 to 2% decrease in body weight can affect your level of alertness, concentration, memory and cognitive function, making it difficult for you to work or learn.
Water aids in digestion
In your stomach, water works with acids to break down the food you eat into nutrients that your body can then absorb and put to work powering important processes like nerve cell signaling and bone production. If you don't drink water regularly, your colon starts to draw water out of your stool, and this can give rise to constipation.
Water maximizes your physical and mental performance
During intense exercise, athletes may lose 6 to 10% of their body weight through perspiration. This can lead to dehydration that can decrease strength, power and endurance. As a result, athletes and fitness enthusiasts may be able to perform at a higher level for longer when they hydrate during exercise or competition. Your brain also requires hydration to function properly. A lack of water can negatively impact your mood, and dehydration can cause mental symptoms like confusion, fatigue and anxiety.
Water keeps you from getting dehydrated
Your body removes impurities through defecation, urination and perspiration, and all three processes rely on water. Failure to replace lost water can result in dehydration. Hot weather, physical activity, fever and diarrhea and vomiting can worsen regular water loss and increase the risk of becoming dehydrated. If dehydration continues, it can lead to health complications, such as urinary tract infections, kidney stones, kidney failure, seizures and low blood volume shock, which can be fatal. Fortunately, drinking water regularly is usually all that is necessary to fight dehydration.
Water can help you eat healthier
Research indicates that drinking water can lead to healthier eating habits. One study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics revealed that people who increased their daily water intake by just 1% consumed fewer calories, saturated fat, added sugar, cholesterol and sodium. Another study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition Research found that young adults who drank water before a meal were less hungry and better able to control portion size.
Water helps combat illness
When you drink enough water, you can aid in the absorption of key nutrients that support the immune system and help it fight off illness-causing bacteria and viruses. There is also scientific evidence to suggest that staying hydrated may lower the likelihood of chronic conditions like constipation, exercise-induced asthma, urinary tract infections, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
Increase Your Water Intake with The Reservoir
span style="font-weight: 400;">So how much water is in the human body? Around 60% of you is water. Drinking water every day can help you stay hydrated so that you can fully reap all the benefits outlined above. Investing in a reusable water bottle can make meeting your body's water requirements easier. Fill it with water filtered with The Reservoir countertop water filter to enjoy cleaner, tastier water. The filter reduces up to 76 contaminants and delivers water on demand with no wait time.
At a cost of just 13¢ per gallon, The Reservoir is an affordable alternative to single-use water bottles for those who are committed to staying hydrated. With no installation required, The Reservoir is ready for use in no time, and its award-winning modern design enhances the visual appeal of kitchens. Learn more about the water filter system, and get on your way to increasing your water intake with better-tasting filtered water.