Priya Jagannathan

Why Is Water So Vital for Your Health?

Priya Jagannathan
Why Is Water So Vital for Your Health?

Water is a crucial element to everyone’s health and longevity. Epidemiologists worldwide have gathered scientific data that enumerates that high levels of AVP (arginine vasopressin hormone), which are associated with insufficient water intake, can cause chronic diseases like Obesity, Diabetes, Cancers, and Cardiovascular conditions. Having said that, confounding data and some participation noncompliance are some of the hindrances we have in acquiring longterm clinical results outlining the benefits of water to longterm health. In this section, we will elaborate about the scientific data, research, and health attributes involved with water intake.

Dehydration effects:

Physical performance—

  • Even mild levels of dehydration can prove to be detrimental to athletic endurance by promoting fatigue, thermoregulatory imbalance, decreased reaction time, and visibly increased exertion with diminished results. Rehydration seems to decrease oxidative stress and improve endurance.

  • The effects of dehydration are more pronounced in cardiovascular exercise, rather than in weightlifting or strength training.

  • Children and the elderly may be at greater risk to the effects of dehydration, mostly in warm environments and high-endurance activities.

Cognitive performance—

  • Water deficiency can cause cognitive decline and delirious states in the elderly, especially in warmer temperatures. Longterm dehydration can affect audio-visual perception, concentration, psychomotor skills, as well as arithmetic and perceptual ability. This further outlines the need for adequate hydration.

Effects on the Kidney—

  • The Kidney plays a vital role in water balance, waste disposal, and blood pressure regulation. However, adequate water intake is needed for the kidney to accomplish all these roles. Longterm water dehydration can promote acute and chronic kidney damage that is, in some cases, reversible. On the other hand, longterm detrimental effects can persist from chronic dehydration, often leading to muscle damage and breakdown that can augment kidney dysfunction.

AVP (arginine vasopressin hormone) Levels:

  • Higher levels of AVP have been associated with the disregulation of glucose metabolism. Higher levels of AVP are also associated with Cardiovascular morbidity, Cancers, Obesity, and other chronic diseases, therefore further highlighting the importance of adequate water intake.

In the above section, we have highlighted the importance of adequate water intake. But I emphasize that everyone has different needs. There are people with conditions like heart failure and kidney failure on dialysis whose requirements may vary and therefore must stay engaged with their healthcare provider to determine the accurate amount of water needed for them. As always, I would like to keep you focused on your health and nutrition and live long and strong!