What properties does water have — 7 facts about the benefits

Water determines the possibility of life on the planet. Without it, the activity of any cell is impossible, not to mention complex organisms.

A person should regularly take sufficient fluid levels to maintain high health and prevent the development of dangerous diseases.

Studies have noted a direct link between an insufficient drinking regime and a high incidence of urolithiasis, headaches, and obesity.

7 beneficial properties of water

Let's focus on the main facts about the benefits of regular and sufficient intake of water.

1. Improves physical performance

Adequate intake of water into the body allows all organs to work smoothly, which preserves productivity.

The results of research by scientists from the USA showed that the loss of only 2% of water in the body can negatively affect Physical performance , reduce the quality of work performed and increase the frequency of breaks. However, athletes can lose up to 10% of their fluid during exercise in just a few hours (with sweat and breathing).

Decrease in body water volume knocks down mechanisms of regulation of body temperature, promotes fatigue and reduces motivation to work. Physical and psychological discomfort immediately force you to stop working and rest.

Additional minus dehydration – activation of free radical mechanisms and tissue depletion.

The body of any person consists of about 60-70% water, muscle tissue – 80%. That is why an adequate level of fluid intake is the basis for achieving the desired athletic results.

Scientists recommend drinking at least 400 ml of water before an hour–long workout and about 200-300 ml 15-30 minutes after the end of classes. Bottled still water is ideal.

2. Normalizes brain activity

The activity of nerve cells is directly proportional to the level of hydration of the body. A deficiency of even 1% of water disrupts the physiological brain work .

American experts revealed that the loss of only 1.4% of fluid worsens mood, reduces concentration and memory, and increases the risk of headaches.

Other studies show that the lack of 1.6% liquid increases feeling tired , initiates anxiety disorders and significantly reduces short-term memory.

Special healing properties of water possesses in relation to the elderly. With a small intake of water into the body, morning drowsiness persists longer, confusion and a feeling of fear may occur.

3. Relieves headaches

Installed that low hydration of the body is a frequent companion of headaches.

British scientists discovered that copious intake of fluids in the morning (after drinking alcoholic beverages) significantly reduces the severity of headaches and contributes to their complete elimination within 30 minutes.

Experts also suggest that migraines and other variants of cephalgia are directly or indirectly related to a low or irregular drinking regime.

Works of individual scientists show that water can be used even for headache therapy. It reduces the severity of the pain syndrome and its duration almost always.

4. Eliminates constipation

Constipation or delayed excretion of feces from the body is a common and dangerous phenomenon. The problem mainly affects people of older age groups and seriously ill people with low levels of physical activity.

With constipation, various toxic substances are not eliminated from the body in a timely manner, causing poisoning and reducing the activity of all organ systems. That is why it is of paramount importance to eliminate constipation in a timely manner and prevent its development in the future.

A major study conducted by specialists from Harvard Medical School, demonstrates that low fluid intake is the main risk factor for constipation in young and elderly people. In the absence of water, fecal masses thicken, and intestinal motility slows down.

Surprisingly, carbonated water counts is most useful for the prevention and treatment of constipation, although the mechanisms of its action remain unexplored at the moment.

5. Eliminates kidney stones

Urolithiasis occurs in every 20th inhabitant of the planet. It not only causes pain and discomfort when urinating, but can also critically damage the kidneys.

When taking sufficient amounts of water (at least 2-2.5 liters per day), concretions in the lumen of the urinary system are much less common.

Also accumulated there is enough evidence to assert that adequate hydration reduces the risk of recurrence of urolithiasis after treatment.

6. Fights a hangover

Hangover is an unpleasant symptom after alcohol intoxication. Headache, dry mouth, sweating and body aches occur in almost every second person after drinking alcoholic beverages.

Alcohol is a diuretic, it makes losing a lot of fluid and leads to dehydration of the body.

The easiest way to reduce harm to the body and improve overall health is to take a large amount of liquid. Doctors recommend drinking at least 1,500 ml of water during the first 6 hours after the end of alcohol intake.

7. Reduces body weight

Water helps to lose weight, because it is a natural stimulant of satiety and an activator of metabolic processes.

Intake of about 500 ml of liquid increases metabolism by a third within 1.5 hours. Consuming only 2,000 ml allows you to lose an additional 96 calories in the absence of physical activity.

Water also increases the feeling of satiety. If there is no feeling of hunger, a person eats less, and the total energy value of the daily diet decreases.

At the same time, the lower the temperature of the consumed liquid, the greater the consumption of your own calories.

Harm from excessive intake

Despite the many benefits of water, excessive intake can be harmful to health.

The fluid norm depends on many characteristics (gender, body weight, level of physical activity) and ranges from 3.1 to 4.7 liters per day for an average man, and from 2.8 to 3.6 liters per day for a woman.

The main disadvantages of excessive water intake:

1. Edema. Excess fluid may not always leave the body in a timely manner. It will begin to accumulate in the tissues, leading to an increase in body weight and increased stress on all organs.
2. Overload of the cardiovascular system. Fluid can concentrate in the bloodstream, increasing the load on the heart muscle and blood pressure regulation systems. In healthy people, such circumstances cannot lead to bad consequences, and in the elderly and weakened they will cause myocardial hypoxia and even a hypertensive crisis.
3. Increased sweating. During hyperhydration, the body activates all fluid excretion systems. The easiest way is sweating. Excessive sweating is usually not dangerous, but it can cause a lot of inconvenience.

Water intake must be normalized, decrease with a low–activity lifestyle and increase with frequent and prolonged physical work.

Tips for use

Let's consider the basic rules of proper saturation of the body with water.

1. Temperature. Icy liquid quenches thirst quickly, but can cause damage to the mucous membranes of the gastrointestinal tract, and too hot will provoke the development of burns and activate inflammatory processes in the endocrine glands (liver, pancreatic gland). Warm or slightly cool water is an ideal option.
2. Type of water. It is better to take ordinary purified (filtered), soft spring or meltwater. They are usually completely devoid of heavy metals and harmful microorganisms. It is recommended to refuse to take hard tap water (without purification) or well water. At a minimum, such water should be boiled. As a rule, boiled water has less benefit than fresh water, but the latter can cause more harm with a high content of metals or infectious agents.
3. Reception time. The best option is evenly throughout the day. Water can be drunk on an empty stomach (no more than 250 ml) and at night (up to 100 ml). It is recommended to drink a glass of water in the morning immediately after waking up.
4. The use of additives. Perfectly harmonize with water and increase its biological value: honey, berry juices, lemon, lime.

Conclusion

1. Water is a key source of life on the planet. The organisms of all creatures, including humans, consist of more than 60% of water.
2. It is necessary to carefully normalize fluid intake based on gender, body weight and physical activity level, as well as give preference to melted or purified water.
3. With normal hydration, physical and mental activity are at a high level; headaches, obesity and urolithiasis are less common.