Assignment: Dehydration

Assignment: Dehydration

Laurie Searing

SCI/241

August 28, 2010

Beatrice Olanihun

Dehydration

Water is so important to our bodies that even a couple of days without it can be detrimental to our bodies and its functions. Why is water so important? What does it do within our bodies? What happens without it? How can we make sure we have enough water? These are questions that I will be answering.

Water is fundamental for our bodies to work. Without water we become dehydrated. When we become dehydrated body functions start to shut down. Our body weight is made up of around 60% water. Every organ, function, and response in our bodies needs water. Early symptoms of dehydration include thirst, headache, fatigue, dry eyes and mouth. When lack of water continues, the ability to deliver oxygen and transport nutrients to cells is compromised. Difficulty concentrating, confusion, and disorientation will soon follow. The suggested intake of water for a woman is approximately 2.7 liters a day. Our bodies are constantly losing water, so intake has to equal or surpass losses through sweat, urine, and evaporation through our skin and lungs. Intake depends on activity level, diet, and outside temperature (Grosvenor and Smolin, 2006).

Water is critical in many functions of the body. It lubricates our eyes with tears and our mouths with saliva. The compression resistance value of water makes it ideal to cushion the eye balls and joints from shock. A fetus lives in water during an entire pregnancy. Water also aids in delivery and production of blood, urine and feces. Water soluble vitamins and minerals are dissolved and transported throughout our bodies by water (Grosvenor and Smolin, 2006).

Water travels in and out of our cells to regulate dissolved chemicals within those cells. Inside the cells the fluid is called intracellular. Extracellular fluid is the water outside of the cells. There are spaces in between cells and tissue, this fluid is referred to as interstitial...