4 Side Effects of Dehydration on the Human Body

Do you know all the effects of dehydration on the body? It’s important that you drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water every day. Drinking other beverages, such as tea and soda, are not good substitutes because they contain large amounts of sugar and salt that is removed from our bodies with the assistance of water. The dehydration process begins before we even feel thirsty. Drinking water throughout the day is the best way to prevent this.

Do flavored waters ruin your teeth? Find out here.

What is the Effect of Dehydration on the Body?

There are four main dehydration effects on the body:

• Weaken your immune system
• Negative impact on your heart health
• Increased risk of obesity
• Premature aging

1. Weakened Immune System

A person can survive about a week without water because the human body consists of 75% water. Eliminating toxins and waste materials become a difficult task when dehydrated. Not being able to remove this debris, your body is more susceptible to infection. Not staying hydrated can also diminish energy levels, leading to a lack of exercise and a weakened immune system.

2. Dehydration Can Affect Heart Health

When our bodies become dehydrated our blood becomes thicker and restricts blood flow. This can lead to an increase in blood pressure and a rise in blood cholesterol. This is the body’s way of preventing any further water loss from the cells. According to the American Heart Association, high blood pressure and blood cholesterol increase your risk of coronary heart disease.

3. Increased Risk of Obesity

Drinking less water slows down our metabolism. Our bodies will also have difficulty eliminating toxins, as mentioned above, leading them to store them in fat cells. These cells will not release any fat until the body is hydrated so that they can safely remove the toxins stored. One way to combat this is to drink two 8-ounce glasses of water before breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Doing this regularly can help increase your metabolism, decrease your appetite and promote your overall health.

4. Premature Aging

If you continuously allow yourself to become dehydrated, you may notice some unwanted wrinkles. The body’s organs wrinkle and weaken when dehydrated, including your largest organ: the skin.

The skin consists of approximately 20% water, but when dehydrated can drop below 10%. This affects the collagen in your skin, which keeps your skin firm. Therefore, less collagen increases premature aging.

Learn More About the Effects of Dehydration with Baptist Health

Dehydration can take a toll on your body. Staying hydrated can boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy, battle obesity and slow unwanted aging. It’s important to drink the recommended water intake to avoid these unwanted effects. To learn more healthy living tips, or to address current health concerns, get connected with a Baptist Health primary care provider near you.

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Long Term Effects of Dehydration

Long Term Effects of Dehydration

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Dehydration can lead to some scary side effects.

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We all know that drinking enough water is important and most of us probably try to fit in our eight glasses a day when we can. That’s a good thing because the consequences of dehydration can actually be pretty terrifying. If you don’t keep your body hydrated, you could face a range of unpleasant side effects that go way beyond chapped lips and a dry mouth.

Here are some scary things that can happen when you get dehydrated.

Dehydration can lead to rapid heartbeat or palpitations.

It can feel like fluttering in the chest.

Dave Mosher/Tech Insider

Harvard Medical School noted that heart palpitations can sometimes be a sign of dehydration. This symptom is linked to changes in blood pressure due to low fluid intake and low electrolyte levels, especially potassium. Heart palpitations from dehydration can feel like mild fluttering in the chest, a pounding in the neck, or even the sensation that your heart has stopped.

Your stools can become hard and look like small pellets.

Your stool could be a sign.

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Digestive care expert Brenda Watson told Redbook that stools that are hard and shaped like small pellets could signal dehydration.

When your body doesn’t have enough fluids to flush waste out, it ends up sitting in your colon for longer than it should. The colon extracts water from the stool, making it harder and more likely to come out in small pieces.

Your eyes and cheeks could appear sunken.

Signs of dehydration can be seen on your face.

VladimirFLoyd/ iStock

According to Healthline, not drinking enough water can cause your eyes and cheeks to take on a sunken appearance. This means the areas around your eyes may become dark and shadowed, with the skin appearing papery or thin-looking. This symptom is especially common in young children and babies.  

Being dehydrated puts you at greater risk of urinary tract infections.

Dehydration can make you more susceptible to a UTI.

ruigsantos/Shutterstock

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is a painful and potentially dangerous condition where bacteria invade the bladder or urethra. According to the NHS, dehydration can make you more susceptible to developing a UTI. Though a mild infection isn’t usually a cause for alarm, UTIs can spread to the kidneys and become a much more serious medical condition.

You could feel dizzy or pass out.

Dehydration causes blood pressure to drop, which leads to dizziness.

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Another scary side effect of dehydration is dizziness or loss of consciousness, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Dehydration can cause blood pressure to drop, resulting in dizzy spells. Though you might think that this is a symptom of advanced dehydration, the AHA reported that the loss of just 1 to 2% of your fluid body weight can cause vertigo and fainting.

Chronic dehydration can damage your kidneys.

Dehydration can lead to kidney stones and renal failure.

Kristoffer Lindskov Hansen, Michael Bachmann Nielsen and Caroline Ewertsen/Wikimedia Commons

Your kidneys are an important part of your body’s filtration system. According to Mayo Clinic, prolonged or repeat occurrences of severe dehydration can cause kidney issues such as kidney stones and even renal failure. Though this side effect is rare, children and the elderly are more at risk of kidney damage from dehydration.

If you don’t stay hydrated while exercising, you could experience everything from cramps to deadly heatstroke.

Taking liquids is important to prevent heatstroke.

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

Dehydration is a serious issue for athletes or anyone spending a prolonged period in a warm environment. According to Mayo Clinic, people who work outside or play sports are at risk of life-threatening heatstroke if they don’t take in adequate fluids.

In addition to heatstroke, becoming dehydrated in hot weather can cause muscle cramps and nausea. Though it might seem counterintuitive, humidity actually increases the likelihood of heatstroke because it interferes with the evaporation of sweat, which helps to cool the body.  

Dehydration can lead to seizures.

Electrical messages can be confused if someone is dehydrated.

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One of the most dangerous side effects of dehydration is the potential to experience a seizure. This can happen when the body’s electrolytes are lowered or become imbalanced due to a lack of fluids.

Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are responsible for carrying electrical signals between cells. In extreme cases of dehydration, these electrical messages can become confused and a person may experience involuntary muscle contractions and even heart problems.

You could become disoriented or confused.

Brain fog can happen because of dehydration.

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According to Mayo Clinic, severe dehydration can lead to mental confusion and disorientation. This might present as “brain fog” and could be as dramatic as slurred speech or extreme forgetfulness. If you or someone you know is experiencing this symptom, it’s definitely time to seek medical attention.

If you don’t take in enough fluids, your body might not produce enough blood.

Severe dehydration can lead to hypovolemic shock.

China Stringer Network/Reuters

In cases of severe dehydration, a person might experience something called hypovolemic shock. This is one of the most dangerous complications of dehydration and requires immediate medical care.

According to Healthline, hypovolemic shock occurs when your body isn’t able to make enough blood for your heart to pump adequate oxygen to your vital organs. It causes a drop in blood pressure and can lead to brain damage or death.

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Dehydration – How to avoid dehydration?

Our body is a complex and fragile mechanism. Its natural work requires several prerequisites: favorable conditions of atmospheric pressure and heat, sufficient food and liquid, various trace elements and vitamins. It is enough that one of these conditions is violated, and the body goes out of balance, begins the processes of balancing the deficit or excess of something. If these processes are prolonged, they can have serious consequences for the human body. Of particular importance among them is dehydration. More than 65% of our body consists of water. That is why water is extremely important for our body. Thanks to water, nutrients dissolve in the blood and enter our cells. Consequently, with a lack of water, the body does not receive enough nutrients and quickly gets tired. This is dehydration. It occurs when the amount of fluid lost from our body exceeds the amount of fluid received. Our body loses fluid from sweat, respiration, secretion.

Water in the human body

Dehydration is promoted by dry air in high altitude conditions. When we breathe, dry air “absorbs” moisture, and when we exhale, it carries it away with it. But most of the fluid our body loses from sweat, or during vomiting and diarrhea. These are the problems that often arise during difficult mountain trekking. Therefore, it must be remembered that in such cases the victim is especially vulnerable.

During intensive physical work, especially if these are cyclic sports (running, hiking, cycling, swimming), together with sweat, the body more intensively loses various trace elements: salts, electrolytes, which are very important for metabolism. After all, it is the minerals that are responsible for regulating the rate of absorption of fluid by the cell membrane, and for the process of dissolving water in the blood. If these substances are not enough, the body begins to weaken, metabolism is disturbed. Also, it contributes to the development of other diseases, such as hypothermia, sunstroke or altitude sickness.

How does dehydration happen? How does dehydration occur and how to deal with it? Dehydration can be conditionally divided into three degrees of difficulty:

• Mild degree – when the body loses 3-5% of its own weight.
• Moderate – 6-9% weight loss.
• Severe – loss of 10 percent or more of weight.

To be clearer, follow this thought: you must not be thirsty. If you are thirsty, then dehydration has already begun. The easiest way to avoid this is to simply drink water in small sips throughout any vigorous activity.

During moderate dehydration, the following symptoms appear:

• Thirst
• Dizziness and headache
• Hangover
• Dry mouth
• Weakness, fatigue
• Rapid and shallow breathing
• Rapid heart rate, 100 beats per minute at rest
• Decreased body temperature, especially in the extremities

If you notice all these symptoms, then the situation is already complicated and can lead to serious pathological consequences. It is necessary to immediately stop climbing, rest in the shade and try to restore the water balance of the body.

How to avoid dehydration

As we already know, it is much easier to prevent something than to get rid of the consequences later. Prevention from dehydration is easier than from any other phenomenon. Drink water, just drink water all the time.

To put it even simpler, follow these steps:

• First of all, drink plenty of water before starting your hike so that you have enough water in your body in advance and don’t lose it at the very beginning of the hike.

• While walking, drink water in small sips every 10-15 minutes to stay hydrated. If you don’t drink for a long time and then drink too much water at once, it can backfire as your body doesn’t have time to absorb that amount of fluid. Drink water like drip irrigation.
• Don’t forget to drink water during breaks and snacks. Rest is a great time to replenish water in the body.
• Use a water bag with a long tube so you don’t have to take your water bottle out of your backpack every time.
• Use isotonics and other sports supplements. A little later we will talk about them in more detail.
• Monitor urine color. In its normal state, it should be almost colorless. If the color darkens, then you are dehydrated. The exceptions are if you are taking a vitamin course or other medication, or if you have a specific medical condition with similar symptoms.

Isotonics

We have repeatedly talked about isotonics in other articles and mentioned their importance. However, in this article, we decided to explore this topic in more detail, as many people believe that any supplements, drugs or vitamins are “chemicals” and unhealthy. But what is their harm? How do they harm? Due to what? Nobody can give a solid answer.

Isotonic

Performing active physical work, along with sweat, the body loses a large amount of minerals and electrolytes. Their presence in the blood plays a very important role. Thanks to them, water is absorbed faster and more efficiently into the cell membrane. They also regulate the work of nerve nodes, muscle contraction, metabolism. Their deficiency causes the body to tire quickly, uncontrollable spasms, loss of coordination and, eventually, even loss of consciousness occur. The fact is that dehydration occurs even if you drink water. In some cases, ordinary water is not enough to make up for the lack of fluid. Often, while hiking, you may experience dizziness, headache, and a feeling of a hangover. This is dehydration.

The body needs help to fight it. This is where isotonics come to the rescue. They are presented in the form of powder or tablets that dissolve in water. The main components are: salts, various minerals, electrolytes, soda. Some isotonic drinks also contain additional vitamins, simple carbohydrates, and amino acids. All this helps the body stay in good shape before you have a thorough dinner at the evening camp.

Isotonic drinks should be drunk about 20 minutes before the start of physical activity, continue to drink in small sips throughout the time. After completing the activity, you need to continue to drink isotonic so that there is no loss of trace elements and fluid in the body.
If you follow these simple rules, your body will not be in danger of dehydration. It is very easy to follow these rules.

This article is copyrighted by armgeo.am. The content of the article may be cited or used on other sites only with an active link to the source.

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From dehydration to suicidal thoughts: how the body reacts to an alcohol marathon

Alcohol is always dangerous, doctors are sure. According to Alena Khripkova, a therapist at the SberHealth online medical service, there is no harmless dose of alcohol. She explains that an adult’s liver can process and excrete no more than 15-30 ml of pure alcohol per hour, and any amount of alcohol above this norm causes intoxication – poisoning of the body with ethanol decay products that the liver and other organs do not have time to neutralize and remove.

“If you drink for several days in a row, the body will not have the opportunity to properly cope with the alcohol entering it,” she says.

According to Ksenia Boroda, nutritionist, head of the scientific department of the International Institute of Integrative Nutrition, alcohol breakdown products affect all organ systems.

“Alcohol really has a negative effect on all organs and the body as a whole, so you should think several times before drinking alcohol frequently. A small amount of red wine will not hurt you, but getting carried away and drinking it every day is definitely a bad idea, ”she warns.

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According to Ksenia Boroda, the reaction of the body differs depending on the type of alcoholic beverage. So, when abusing beer, women run the risk of developing fibroids and cysts in the reproductive organs, and men – reduce testosterone levels. This is because beer contains plant compounds that are structurally similar to female sex hormones. Mixed spirits, such as whiskey and rum, contain synthetic impurities that increase the load on the liver. Sweet cocktails, in addition to a guaranteed headache in the morning, raise the level of insulin in the blood and provoke the development of insulin resistance. White wine increases appetite and can cause overeating.

“Relatively safe of all alcoholic beverages is good quality red wine. One glass (150 ml) strengthens the cardiovascular system due to the content of a natural antioxidant – resveratrol, ”says the specialist.

Avitaminosis and dehydration

Those who drink alcohol every day can experience a whole list of unpleasant and serious consequences, Ksenia Boroda draws attention.

Avitaminosis. Alcohol “robs” B vitamins, especially B1 (thiamine), the deficiency of which affects cognitive functions and the intensity of energy metabolism, which leads to apathy and nervous disorders.

Dehydration. Alcohol “pulls” water out of cells, disrupting intracellular processes. Nausea, dizziness, headache are symptoms of a lack of fluid in the body and intoxication with alcohol breakdown products.

Electrolyte imbalance. Along with excess fluid excretion, minerals – potassium, sodium, magnesium and calcium – leave the body. All this is reflected in the work of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems in the form of difficulties in thought processes, muscle weakness.

Violation of the adrenal glands. If you drink alcohol every day, the amount of stress hormones increases significantly, which disrupts the work of the adrenal glands.

Violation of detoxification processes. It takes from 24 hours to several days to remove alcohol from the body. When drinking alcohol for several days, toxic products accumulate, affecting all organ systems.

“Acidulation” of the body. Excess alcohol affects the nervous, cardiovascular system and gastrointestinal tract.

Neurotransmitter depletion. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the nervous system. Their depletion causes changes in human behavior and motor functions.

Exacerbation of chronic diseases. If before the “alcohol holidays” the body coped with the containment of the disease, now all forces are directed to the removal of toxic products. This is an opportunity to exacerbate existing disorders in the body.

“The volume of the brain is decreasing”

Daily drinking on New Year’s Eve changes a person’s perception of reality, warns Ekaterina Misevich, psychotherapist, chief psychiatrist-narcologist of the RZD-Medicine network of clinics.

“First of all, you will notice that you need a large dose of alcohol to create a good mood. Secondly, the mood in intoxication will become unstable – from joy to irritability. And finally, with each passing day, due to the growing craving for drinking and paradoxical sophistication in the choice of drink, spending on alcohol will increase, ”she says.

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The psychiatrist recalls that alcohol is a neurotoxic poison, and it dissolves well in lipids, which are abundant, primarily in the brain. According to her, for this reason, it is the nerve cells that die first.

“In a drinking person, the volume of the brain decreases, areas of the cerebral cortex responsible for higher nervous functions suffer: morality, memory, creativity. The risk of suicide while intoxicated also increases,” the narcologist explains.

Of course, the liver also suffers: daily alcohol consumption negatively affects it, even if you drink “just a glass”. “Studies have shown that the liver suffers when 40-80 g per day is used by men and 20-40 g per day by women,” says Ekaterina Misevich.

The path to a heart attack

According to Zaur Shugushev, professor, MD, cardiologist at RZD-Medicine, daily alcohol intake damages the cardiovascular system.

“The very first thing that causes alcohol is, let’s say, the washing out of water from the bloodstream, which is actually associated with thirst in the morning. Accordingly, the viscosity of the blood increases, its volume indicators decrease, which leads to a violation of the heart rhythm and an increase in blood pressure. All this can lead to maladjustment, that is, to disorders that in the future or at the moment can lead to cardiovascular disasters, ”explains the doctor.

“Drunken holidays” threaten the body with other troubles indirectly related to the cardiovascular system.