What happens if you drink too much. Is it harmful or beneficial for a person to drink a lot of water and why. Other causes of nighttime thirst

Water is the main chemical element of the human body, it takes part in all metabolic processes. In the absence of fluid, the human body is not able to function: the process of removing metabolic products becomes impossible, and the heat balance cannot be maintained. Vital signs deteriorate sharply even with slight dehydration.

Dehydration of the organism negatively affects the higher neuro-psychic activity of the individual. The inability to replenish fluid reserves leads a person to a depressed and irritable state, a feeling of fatigue quickly progresses, moral and volitional qualities weaken, and working capacity drops sharply.

Water makes up 70% of an adult's body weight. Each cell of the body, regardless of the functions assigned to it, is a microcosm in which an innumerable number of ordered and complex transformations take place.

Water acts as a carrier of organic and inorganic elements involved in all life processes. The intracellular fluid accounts for 70% of the total water reserves in the body. Intercellular fluid is 30% (about 12 liters).

The amount of water in the composition of organs and tissues of the human body

• blood - 83%;
• skeleton - 22%;
• vitreous body of the eye - 99%;
• adipose tissue - 29%.

Water is vital for digestion, absorption of nutrients, removal of toxins and blood circulation.

The required amount of fluid to maintain water balance

In a hot climate, a person can live without water for no more than 5 days. To maintain water balance, an adult needs to consume from 1.5 to 2.5 liters daily. pure water.

The amount of water required to maintain human life at the proper level directly depends on the ambient temperature. At 32 ° C - the daily rate is 3 liters; at 21 °С - 1.5 l; for 10 °С - 1.3 l.

During moderate physical work, it is recommended to consume at least 5 liters of water per day; working on the street or in the open air, you should increase the rate to 6.5 liters.

The loss of fluid leads to death, which is 25% of the total body weight. The metabolic processes of the body quickly return to normal if the loss of fluid does not exceed 10% of the total body weight.

• 1500 ml is excreted in the urine;
• 600 ml - through the pores of the skin in the process of sweating;
• 400 ml - in the process of breathing;
• 100 ml during bowel movements.

The feeling of hunger arises in a person under the influence of low blood glucose levels. An increase in salt and glucose levels triggers a thirst signal.

What is the cause of excessive thirst?

Thirst is a natural reaction of the body to changes in the water-salt balance. Thirst increases at elevated ambient temperatures, during physical exertion, after eating fatty and salty foods.

The state of chronic thirst, not dependent on external factors, is an alarming symptom. Polydipsia - unquenchable thirst, acts as a sign of a latent disease.

Normally (according to WHO), an adult man needs 2.9 liters of fluid per day; adult woman - 2.7 liters.

Thirst is a signal that comes from the drinking center of the central nervous system. Responsible for drinking center:

• limbic part of the cerebral hemispheres;
• areas of the cerebral cortex;
• nucleus of the posterior lobe of the hypothalamus.

Violations of the drinking center - the main cause of uncontrolled thirst. The center processes the signals coming from the liquid structures of the body and compares the level of osmotic pressure, the level of Na +. The process involves thyroid and pancreatic hormones.

Taking certain medications can cause extreme thirst, dryness in the mouth and throat. Among them: antipsychotics, diuretics and antibiotics.

Intense thirst during pregnancy

During the period of bearing a child, the rate of fluid intake should increase slightly. Doctors recommend that pregnant women consume 300 ml more water than the usual daily allowance, while the daily allowance should not exceed 2 liters of fluid.

Thirst may increase in the last trimester of pregnancy due to the entry into the bloodstream of a specific protein that is produced by liver cells.

During the period of intrauterine development of the child, the mother's kidneys experience additional stress. The hormone angiotensin provokes additional thirst.

Thirst in a child

The World Health Organization has calculated the daily fluid intake for young children based on total body weight.

For a 5 kg baby, the daily fluid intake (including mother's milk) is 800 ml.

For a 10 kg child, the norm increases to 1 liter per day.

Daily fluid intake for children depending on age

• 1-3 years - 1.3 liquids (of which 350 ml of milk, soups, juices, fruits);
• 4-8 years - 1.7 l;
• 9-13 years old - 1.8 l;
• 14-18 years old - (boys: 1.9 l, girls: 1.6 l).

In especially mobile children and adolescents, increased thirst is a normal phenomenon, but in order to exclude a pathological process, one should undergo an examination.

Diagnostics

To identify the causes of excessive thirst, the therapist must collect an anamnesis and take into account the peculiarity of the patient's daily regimen, the number of daily urination, and the daily diet.

If necessary, conduct laboratory blood tests for:

• determination of plasma glucose levels;
• osmotic concentration of potassium, calcium and sodium in the blood;
• blood chemistry;
• determination of the level of general indicators and the relative density of urine.

Based on the results obtained, the thirsty patient will be referred to the appropriate specialist.

How to deal with increased thirst

At a consultation with your doctor, you should determine the optimal and maximum daily fluid intake. Much will depend on the individual characteristics of the body, gender and age.

It should be remembered that alcoholic and carbonated drinks with additives do not weaken thirst, but, on the contrary, increase it. Mineral water saturated with salts is not recommended for thirst quenching. The optimum water temperature for thirst quenching is not lower than 22 ° C. Cold and excessively chilled water is not the best solution for severe thirst.

Strong thirst is provoked by fried and fatty foods, all kinds of spices and pickles.

Benefits of drinking plenty of water

Scientists conducting research in the 21st century have come to the conclusion that consuming excess water is only permissible for:

• athletes;
• people engaged in heavy physical labor in the open air;
• residents of hot climates.

Drinking too much water causes sodium to be flushed out of the body. There is no scientific evidence that excess fluid has a positive effect on human systems and organs.

Excess water also does not increase skin turgor, which cosmetic manufacturers so stubbornly convince consumers of.

Harm of heavy drinking

Doctors of all countries agree that the daily amount of drinking should be moderate. Modern advertising of excess consumption of bottled water is aimed only at increasing sales. You should trust the wishes of the body and not go to extremes.

If physical activity during training leads to weight loss, then it is not recommended to replenish this weight due to excessive fluid intake.

Systems and organs affected by excessive water intake

• the work of the digestive system worsens;
• an additional load on the kidneys is created (the body begins to remove excess fluid through the pores and kidneys, which leads to the washing out of useful salts and trace elements);
• the cardiovascular system functions with increased load;
• muscle tone is disturbed;
• there is a feeling of fatigue, fatigue, sometimes muscle spasms are observed.

Symptoms and causes of excess water in the body (hyperhydration)

Hypotonic hyperhydration - a condition that is otherwise called water poisoning. Excess fluid accumulates in the cells of the body themselves.

• one-time intake of more than 10 liters of water (including gastric lavage);
• violation of the excretory function of the kidneys (renal failure, cirrhosis);
• heart failure.

Symptoms:

• diarrhea;
• vomit;
• apathy, weakness;
• loss of consciousness;
• muscle spasms.

Hypertensive dehydration - a condition characterized by dehydration of cells with the simultaneous removal of potassium ions from them. Accumulation of extracellular fluid. The most dangerous condition among all types of water poisoning.

• sea ​​water was used to quench thirst;
• intravenous injection of saline solutions;
• an excess of the hormone aldosterone.

Symptoms:

• strong thirst (drinking complicates the condition);
• arterial hypertension;
• increased venous pressure;
• damage to the central nervous system, mental disorder;
• muscle spasms;
• rapidly developing heart failure, pulmonary and cerebral edema.

Isotonic hyperhydration - extracellular fluid increases in volume.

• heart failure;
• liver failure;
• toxicosis during pregnancy;
• protein starvation of the body;
• violation of the outflow of fluid into the lymphatic vessels.

Symptoms:

• general swelling of the body;
• heart failure;
• arterial hypertension.

Dehydration is a dangerous condition that can be fatal if not treated immediately. To stabilize the condition, doctors use diuretics and a hemodialysis procedure.

How to remove excess fluid

Excess fluid that has accumulated in certain areas of the body is most easily seen on the face in the form of swelling under the eyes. The main task is to identify the cause of swelling and only then take appropriate measures to eliminate it. The daily rate of fluid should be established taking into account the recommendations of the attending physician.

You need to thoroughly review your diet and minimize the consumption of salt, spices and foods that contain preservatives.

Alcohol and refined sugar, along with salt, are the main puffiness-causing foods.

Vegetable fiber is involved in the process of fluid withdrawal. You can reduce your fluid intake and opt for fiber-rich vegetables and unsweetened fruits. Switch to pure water and eliminate all junk drinks.

A lack of B vitamins can cause fluid retention and morning puffiness. On the recommendation of a doctor, you need to choose a vitamin complex.

A glass of warm water on an empty stomach - normalizes the stool. During physical activity in the gym, it is recommended to drink water in small quantities.

Drinking water in the usual amount is vital during the diet. But, it should be remembered: water will not relieve the feeling of hunger, although it will help to cope with inappropriate snacks.

You should not abuse the liquid before bedtime - swelling may occur in the morning.

Drinking water immediately before eating is strictly contraindicated. The liquid will flush out the beneficial enzymes that break down food in the stomach. You need to drink liquid no earlier than 30 minutes before a meal. Drinking food is also not recommended if your goal is to reduce weight.

Additional fluid sources

Apples are an alternative for those who are thirsty. Half the weight of an eaten apple enters the body as a liquid.

The feeling of thirst in the hot summer months is perfectly quenched by a chilled decoction of apple peel and green tea. Water with the addition of lemon or other fruit should be at room temperature

Excess fluid, as well as its lack, adversely affects the general condition of the body, disrupts the functioning of internal organs, and adversely affects the condition of hair and skin.

Important information about what will happen if you drink a lot of water daily is set out in the following video:

To date, there are no scientifically sound studies proving the beneficial effects of excessive amounts of fluid on human health. Do not succumb to the inventions of traditional healers, advertising of well-known brands and other unreliable information. Remember: common sense is still your best adviser. Follow him and stay healthy.

The basic principles of a healthy lifestyle wander from one article to another almost unchanged and seem to be already established truths. Yes, you all know them very well: more vegetables, regular exercise and eight, yes, eight (!) Glasses of water a day.

Wait, about the water, is that really true? What if I don't feel like drinking so much? And do all people need the same amount of fluid?

The theory about the need for eight glasses of water every day has deep roots, so deep that it is even difficult to trace their origin. Most likely, this dogma started back in 1945 with the publication of the National Food and Nutrition Board, which, among other things, said that “the norm of fluid intake for an adult is about 2.5 liters per day ... but most of this amount is contained in the consumed food." People safely discarded the second part of this phrase, and the myth of eight glasses of water (about 2.5 liters) began to walk around the planet.

So let's immediately abandon the idea that the number eight is of some great importance for our health, and stop. It is much more important to answer another fundamental question: is the additional consumption of water really such a beneficial effect on our health?

There is a huge and indisputable advantage of consuming water - it does not contain calories. Given the epidemic of obesity that has swept almost all developed, developing and underdeveloped countries, it will be much better if the population replaces juices or even sweeter soda with plain water.

But supporters of the sect "Eight glasses of water" also tell us about the miraculous cleansing of the body, the removal of toxins and toxins, the normalization of the internal organs. However, here, too, everything is not too clear.

To date, there is no consensus among scientists about the impact of abundant additional fluid intake on human disease and mortality. For example, a very large study was conducted in the Netherlands in the 1980s. His results were published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2010. In a 10-year follow-up of more than 120,000 people, the authors found no association between fluid intake and causes of death. In other words, people who drink a lot of water and a little die from the same diseases.

Other studies support this conclusion. Here it finds no relationship between the amount of fluid consumed and the incidence of chronic kidney disease and death from cardiovascular disease. But this does not see any effect of additional hydration on the quality of our skin, so, most likely, the visual effect of rejuvenation of people drinking water is not true.

However, what to do with other scientists who offer us completely opposite conclusions in their scientific papers? For example, this study, which followed more than 20,000 Adventists, found a positive effect of drinking a few extra cups of water on overall morbidity and mortality. So where is the truth?

The truth, as usual, lies somewhere in the middle, and no costly research is needed to find it. And it consists in the fact that, moreover, it is water to drink. But you should not get hung up on any certain number of liters or glasses of the daily norm. For each person, this rate is individual and depends on many reasons, including the climate and the current diet. And the best advice I've ever heard on this subject is the doctor's answer to my question about how much and when to drink. He replied the following:

Drink when you are thirsty.

It's simple, why complicate it?

Drink at least six glasses of water daily. By the time you get thirsty, it's too late, nutrition researchers say. Is it true? Do we need that much fluid?

Water is considered to be a miraculous elixir. Drinking water is good for health, promotes slimness and awakens a healthy mind, according to dietetics and health magazines. Some mineral water companies even claim that their product promotes the elimination of harmful substances from the body, obtaining "pure joy from life" and improves complexion. According to the German Nutrition Society (DGE), you should drink 1.5 liters of water (six to eight glasses) daily. You should not drink when you are thirsty. “The feeling of thirst is a consequence of negative water balance. Only in exceptional cases should it be an incentive to drink liquids, ”the nutrition society notes.

But is it really so? Is it necessary to drink so much liquid, even if there is no feeling of thirst?

Not a single person can do without water - this is beyond doubt. “In quantitative terms, water is the most important element of the human body. An adult human is 50-60 percent water,” says nutrition researcher Antje Gahl. Water is part of all bodily fluids—tear fluid, without which our eyes would dry up; blood, which circulates in the body and supplies our organs and muscles with oxygen and nutrients only in liquid form. And in the urine, which removes from the body all the substances that it cannot process.

To ensure the proper functioning of all vital processes, the body must constantly receive fluid. According to the Institute of Nutrition, the body loses 2.65 liters of water daily during breathing, removal of fluids through sweat and intestines. Part of this deficit - about 875 milliliters - we get from food. Mitochondria, the "batteries" of our cells, also release water during certain chemical processes - about 335 milliliters per day. The rest must be replenished through drinking. The required volume for daily consumption is 1.44 liters, preferably in the form of water or unsweetened herbal or fruit teas, these are the recommendations.

Anyone who drinks 1.5 liters of water a day is on the right track. However, some experts believe that drinking more than what thirst determines is pointless. “It is hard to believe that evolution has provided humans with a chronic water deficiency that we must compensate for by forced fluid intake,” writes physiologist Heinz Valtin of Dartmouth College in an essay in the American Journal of Physiology. For some people, thirst occurs when the blood concentration increases by two percent, but we are talking about dehydration at a rate of five percent. That is, thirst never comes late, it comes just in time, notes Faltin.

You can also drink coffee

He who drinks more than his thirst does not become smarter, or more beautiful, or healthier. It should be noted that you can drink not only water. Coffee also compensates for the lack of water. Coffee drinks are not good for quenching thirst, because too much of them can increase blood pressure. But the notion that coffee dehydrates the body is wrong. In a person who drinks coffee, up to 84% of the liquid consumed during the day is excreted through the urine. For those who drink clean water, this figure is at the level of 81%. The difference lies precisely in these three percent, that is, it is quite insignificant.

Such a property of water as the removal of toxins has not yet been proven, researchers Dan Negoianu and Stanley Goldfarb note. "Increased fluid intake may have an impact on the cleansing processes in the kidneys." But whether this effect is clinically relevant, that is, whether it has a positive effect on health, has not yet been scientifically proven.

Research also shows that drinking too much water can harm the body. Marathon runners and other athletes can develop "water poisoning" if they drink too much water out of fear of dehydration. If too much water enters the cells, they can be damaged. Consequences - dizziness, nausea, vomiting. In the worst case, organ damage can occur.

Both Western and domestic nutritionists unanimously assert: a person, regardless of the load and season, needs to drink plenty of water. It helps to improve the water-salt balance in the body. But is this statement true? It turns out that excess fluid can cause serious damage to internal organs.

How Thirst Occurs

According to biologists, the main reason why a person wants to drink is a change in the water-salt balance in the blood. On average, one liter of blood contains 9.45 grams of salt. Slight fluctuations in the content of this substance are possible, but only in hundredths of a gram. However, if the concentration of salt, for example, increases, then the activity of all cells of the body is disrupted, because they are supplied with blood. Its water component at such a moment decreases, and the blood thickens. And this, according to phlebologists, threatens with the occurrence of blood clots, which means that the nutrition of a particular area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe tissue or organ will be blocked. But this is in critical cases.

As a rule, already in the first moments of a slight increase in the concentration of salts, a person feels dry mouth. This is the first signal calling for an increase in the level of fluid in the body. This happens, for example, in the heat, when a person sweats and the liquid evaporates.

Drinking too much water is harmful

It turns out that it is better for the body to drink more liquid? Not at all. It is known that the more you drink in the heat, the more you want. The body at this moment sweats more abundantly, and along with an increased amount of evaporated moisture, more salt leaves the body. And in this case, the skin of the face and hands, as well as hair, are the first to suffer.

If a person deliberately accustoms himself to an increased consumption of water, then in normal cool weather this also harms many internal organs. Domestic gastroenterologists warn: heavy drinking seriously dilutes gastric juice, it ceases to be concentrated and harmful to microbes that enter the stomach with food. Water allows them to survive, which means that the risk of developing infections increases.

Some believe that drinking plenty of water helps improve kidney function. French nephrologist Pierre Ronceau explains in his scientific work how they actually function. In order to maintain the required level of fluids in the body, the kidneys reabsorb some of the water that has already been filtered. This provides a standard concentration of urine. But the more a person drinks, the less water the kidneys have to conserve water, and the tubules, designed specifically for reabsorption, deteriorate over time. If the body in hot weather finds itself without the usual access to water, then the kidneys will not be able to saturate it with the saved fluid, and dehydration will begin rapidly.

Excessive fluid intake soon fills the tissues of the liver, kidneys, they swell, and their functional properties weaken. Meanwhile, these organs play an important role in the excretory system, and when it fails, the body does not completely remove water from itself. The fluid is retained in the tissue cells, edema occurs, which provoke an increase in pressure in the walls of blood vessels. Then the headaches begin. The lymph nodes swollen due to increased moisture also do not cope with their task - immunity decreases, and a few hours remain before the development of gastrointestinal infections.

Does water help you lose weight?

However, many ladies, having increased the amount of fluid consumed, despite side effects in the form of small edema, declare a real weight loss. So, for effective weight loss, a lot of water is still needed?

At first, drinking plenty of water really improves bowel function, it increases peristalsis, the passage of food through the departments is faster, which means that digestion products are more efficiently excreted, weight decreases. But three months later, things have changed. The pancreas and gallbladder are saturated with water, and problems arise in their work. Food is not fully processed because the level of secreted bile and other secrets is reduced. Gradually, the intestinal mucosa also swells - more and more constipation occurs. This leads to a general slagging of the body and weight gain.

In addition, endocrinologists warn: cells of hormonal glands overflowing with moisture cannot fully participate in metabolic processes due to lack of energy.

Therefore, the burning of fat and carbohydrates slows down, and this does not contribute to weight loss.

How Much Water Do Athletes Need?

It turns out that ordinary people should not force themselves to drink a lot of fluids - this is harmful. Perhaps increased water intake is necessary for athletes. But this is not so either. Dr. Timothy Noakes, professor of sports medicine at the University of Cape Town (South Africa), in his book "Exercise Dehydration: Myths and Facts" proves that high saturation of the body with water does not improve athletic performance at all, but, on the contrary, worsens them and puts the body at risk hyponatremia (impaired water and electrolyte balance).

The professor claims that it is simply impossible to drink before the onset of thirst. This reduces the concentration of attention, the physical activity of the muscles in both athletes and ordinary people. And if we want to be vigorous and healthy, we need to drink liquids as much as the body physically requires.

It is known that without food a person can live for quite a long time, but without water he will die after a few days. The fluid for the body of any living being is not only a "fuel" that starts all vital processes, but also a means of cleansing toxins. It would seem that you need to drink water often and a lot, so that the internal organs work like clockwork. Does this correspond to reality? And what happens if you regularly drink more water than your body requires?

"Vodokhleby" against "hermits"

For the normal functioning of the body and well-being, an ordinary adult needs to consume about 3 liters of fluid per day. It can be soups and compotes, juices and lemonade, but pure water should be 1-1.5 liters. With intense physical exertion or, conversely, their absence, with changing climatic conditions, these figures may vary. But doctors, nutritionists and sports coaches tend to convince people to comply with this condition on a daily basis.

Calculations regarding the amount of fluid the body needs daily are made by scientists with mathematical precision.

It has been proven that for the breakdown of food, the activation of metabolic processes and the removal of toxins from the body, along with sweat and urine, you need to drink about 1 liter of ordinary water.

But, as practice shows, every third inhabitant of the planet does not fulfill this condition for various reasons. There is a certain group of people who do not feel the need for fluids and feel great without water for hours. They consume no more than 0.5-0.7 liters per day, and an increase in volume gives them discomfort. It is expressed in intense sweating and frequent urge to urinate. Therefore, "hermits", as experts often call such people, even in the gym refuse to drink.

The second category of people, on the contrary, cannot live without water, their daily fluid intake reaches 4-5 liters. Such "water drinkers" are easy to spot in the crowd: they always have a bottle of drinking water at any time of the year. These people, on the contrary, feel comfortable when their stomach is at least a third full of liquid, and often ignore the side effects in the form of profuse sweating. However, the human body is a unique self-regulating system, so soon the signs of its oversaturation with moisture disappear. But the question remains: to drink or not to drink?

What happens if there is not enough fluid in the body

Imagine that you are constantly thirsty and quench it only partially. At the external level, this leads to drying of the epidermis and mucous membranes, rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing and, often, loss of consciousness. What happens to the body at this moment? He works in an emergency mode, as he is forced to "extract" water from cells and blood, using all available reserves. This is done to ensure the smooth and high-quality operation of internal organs and the continuation of important processes, such as:

• metabolism;
• supply of cells with useful substances;
• cleansing the body of toxins.

If there is not enough water in the body, then the processes slow down, which affects both the behavior and well-being of a person. He becomes slow, drowsy, the brain does not work as productively. A constant stay in the "hermit" mode leads to malfunctions in the cardiovascular system, the process of intoxication begins, as the decay products remain in the body and poison it.

What happens if you drink too much water

At first, the body will accept the extra 1-2 liters of fluid with gratitude, because this allows it to increase productivity and speed up vital processes. Imagine a flower when it began to be watered daily: it becomes prettier and blooms literally before our eyes. The same thing happens with the human body: its internal organs, having received enough moisture, begin to work efficiently.

But one day there comes a saturation limit - a boundary when moisture is no longer needed to stimulate and perform metabolic processes. It continues to enter the body and from a useful component gradually turns into ballast, since:

• creates an additional burden on the kidneys: they filter water, purifying it of impurities. This leads to both malfunctions in their work and an increase in blood pressure;
• leaches salts and minerals from the body, which leads to the development of various diseases;
• leads to soft tissue swelling.

Water poisoning syndrome

Many fans of a healthy lifestyle, methodically following populist instructions, know from their own experience about the dangerous syndrome of drinking water poisoning. Even if you use a purified or boiled liquid, in large quantities it can become poisonous.

To understand how the poisoning mechanism works in this case, you need to remember that water nourishes our body at the cellular level. Now imagine the situation: the kidneys are not able to cope with the huge amount of fluid that healthy lifestyle adherents pour into themselves. As a result, it accumulates in the body, and at the cellular level. What eventually happens to a cell that overflows with water? It swells and deforms, and its shell often bursts.

Lesions at the cellular level can be microscopic, and can reach colossal proportions when it comes not just to cell deformation, but to damage to internal organs. The process is accompanied by nausea and vomiting, dizziness, disorientation in space, and often loss of consciousness.

Recovery from drinking water poisoning is more difficult than from ordinary food poisoning and can take several weeks.

Myths about water

Supporters of a hard water regime with an abundance of fluid are convinced that they lead a correct and healthy lifestyle. Explaining why you need to drink plenty of water, they appeal to the advice of nutritionists who claim that this is the fastest way to lose weight.

In fact, this is a myth, since the liquid is not able to break down fats.

To be convinced of this, it is enough to throw a piece of fat into the water - and in a day, and in a week it will float on the surface in its original form. So what's the catch? Yes, water helps to lose weight due to the fact that it activates metabolic processes in the body. But she is not able to get rid of body fat, this will require intense physical activity and adjustment of the diet.

Another myth is that water is an all-purpose cleaner. Hence the practice of washing the intestines with an enema and increased fluid intake during the period of food poisoning. In fact, water is only a transporter that helps to remove all unnecessary from the body. In case of poisoning with its help, for example, you can induce vomiting and remove dangerous decay products from the stomach. But water itself cannot act as an adsorbent, since it does not have disinfectant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.