Water makes up about 60 percent of your body weight. Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to work properly. Water gets rid of wastes through urination, perspiration and bowel movements, water keeps your temperature normal, and water lubricates and cushions your joints. Water is also critical for your heart health. Your heart is constantly working, pumping about 2,000 gallons of blood a day. By staying hydrated – that is, by drinking more water than you are losing – you are helping your heart do its job.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, Dr. Mathew Cheung and Dr. Peter Lin discuss the importance of hydration which is crucial for your health. In this post, you will learn the benefit of drinking water as well as how much water should you drink a day. They also share tips on how to stay hydrated.

On average, a healthy adult should take in the following amounts per day:

• 3.7 liters (15.5 cups or 125 ounces) for men
• 2.7 liters (11.5 cups or 91 ounces) for women

About 20% of your daily fluid intake will usually come from food, and the rest you get from drinks. But instead of counting how many ounces you’re drinking, listen to your body. Drink when you’re thirsty and try to consume water slowly throughout the day.

Everybody (and every body) needs water to work properly. Some of the ways it keeps you healthy:

• Eliminating waste  through urine, bowel movements and sweat
• Keeping joints healthy and lubricated
• Regulating body temperature
• Aiding with bladder and kidney function
• Improving digestion
• Protecting sensitive tissues
• Keeping skin from drying out

Drinking enough water is required for your body to function in general. Several health problems may also respond well to increased water intake:

• Constipation: Increasing water intake can help constipation.
• Urinary tract infections: Recent studies have shown that increasing water consumption may help prevent recurring urinary tract and bladder infections.
• Kidney stones: An older study concluded that high fluid intake decreased the risk of kidney stones, though more research is needed.
• Skin hydration: Studies show that more water leads to better skin hydration, though more research is needed on improved clarity and effects on acne.

Many people claim that if you don’t stay hydrated throughout the day, your energy levels and brain function start to suffer.

One study in females showed that a fluid loss of 1.36 percent after exercise impaired mood and concentration and increased the frequency of headaches.

Another recent study  that followed 12 male university students found that not drinking water for 36 hours had noticeable effects on fatigue, attention and focus, reaction speed, and short-term memory.

Even mild dehydration can reduce physical performance. Dehydration occurs when your body loses more water than you consume and can cause symptoms including fatigue and headache. A clinical study on older, healthy men reported that just a 1 percent loss of body water reduced their muscle strength, power, and endurance.

Losing 1 percent of body weight might not seem like a lot, but it’s a significant amount of water to lose. This usually happens when you’re sweating a lot or in a very warm room and not drinking enough water.

Plain water is not the only drink that contributes to your fluid balance. Other beverages and foods can have a significant effect. One myth is that caffeinated drinks, such as coffee or tea, don’t help you hydrate because caffeine is a diuretic. But even caffeinated drinks help add water to your body overall. Most foods contain water in varying levels. Meat, fish, eggs, and especially fruits and vegetables all contain water.

Together, coffee or tea and water-rich foods can help maintain your fluid balance.

When dehydrated, your body lacks the fluids to carry out normal functions. You likely need more water if you notice the following signs of dehydration:

• Lightheadedness or dizzy feeling
• Dry mouth and tongue and cracked lips
• Less frequent need to urinate
• Muscle cramps
• Thirsty feeling
• Frequent headaches
• Fatigue or drowsiness
• Urine has a darker color
• Eyes more sunken than usual

Even when you know water is crucial, new habits don’t come easy. Try these easy ways to stay hydrated during the day:

• Drinking a glass when you wake up
• Eating fruits and vegetables throughout the day with high water content (watermelon, strawberries, cantaloupe, celery and tomatoes)
• Carrying a refillable water bottle and drinking from it throughout the day
• Drinking a glass with every meal
• Flavoring water with lemon or a flavor packet
• Using a tracking app or setting reminders on your phone

You might need more water than someone else. How much water you need also depends on these factors:

• Where you live: You will need more water in hot, humid, or dry areas. You’ll also need more water if you live in the mountains or at a high altitude.
• Your diet: If you drink a lot of coffee and other caffeinated beverages you might lose more water through extra urination. You may also need to drink more water if your diet is high in salty, spicy, or sugary foods. Or, more water is necessary if you don’t eat a lot of hydrating foods like fresh or cooked fruits and vegetables.
• The temperature or season: You may need more water in warmer months than cooler ones due to perspiration.
• Your environment: If you spend more time outdoors in the sun or hot temperatures or in a heated room, you might feel thirstier faster.
• How active you are: If you are active during the day or walk or stand a lot, you’ll need more water than someone who’s sitting at a desk. If you exercise or do any intense activity, you will need to drink more to cover water loss.
• Your health: If you have an infection or a fever, or if you lose fluids through vomiting or diarrhea, you will need to drink more water. If you have a health condition like diabetes you will also need more water. Some medications like diuretics can also make you lose water.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding: If you’re pregnant or nursing your baby, you’ll need to drink extra water to stay hydrated. Your body is doing the work for two (or more), after all.

At Vascular Care Specialists of Los Angeles, we strive to provide the best service, care, and results possible. If you have peripheral arterial disease and other circulation conditions, give us a call at 626-275-9566 to schedule an appointment. You can also visit us at www.vcsla.com for more information.