Hydration and Health

Abstract

Daily adequate water intake to maintain euhydration is arguably the most important nutrient requirement for humans. Within a margin of error, the body regulates the maintenance of body fluid balance and especially that of the plasma volume, through mechanisms that stimulate thirst and/or modify the rate of urine production. However, there are circumstances such as with excessive sweating during exercise in the heat, osmotic diarrhea, or excessive fluid consumption, or water intoxication where normal mechanisms of regulation may be inadequate to compensate for acute changes in hydration status and result in life threatening consequences. Health and onset of disease may be affected by the chronic hydration state of individual. The risks of colorectal cancer, nephrolithiasis in those with a history of kidney stones, and bladder cancer may be reduced by more frequent water consumption. Recent research suggests that appropriate timing of water intake around meal occasions may help reduce energy intake and contribute to maintenance of body weight in overweight individuals. Definitive benefits of hydration on cardiovascular and oral health and general immune system function remain to be determined. It is also unclear whether the health benefits of water and fluid ingestion are a function of the process of frequent fluid intake or the maintenance of a potentially expanded state of hydration.

Consumptions of plain water, moisture in foods and beverages, and total water in relation to dietary micronutrient intakes and serum nutrient profiles among US adults

“…Drinking water is essential for supporting life (1) and is a zero-energy, thirst-quenching option when substituting for sugar-sweetened beverages. Water is one of most important nutrients and comprises 75 % of body weight in infants and about 55 % in the elderly (2,3) .…”

Hydration for Health: So What? Ten Advances in Recent Hydration History

“…Today, we see a growing interest and healthy debate over what it means to be well-hydrated that extends beyond simply replacing body water losses. Recent publications have weighed in on the distinction between the hydration state and the hydration process [18, [68][69][70][71]; have proposed cutoffs and criteria for defining underhydration, optimal hydration, and the question of daily water requirements [72][73][74][75][76]; have debated the validity of various hydration biomarkers in different circumstances [77][78][79][80][81][82]; and have introduced concepts for various beverage indices [83,84]. Evidently, as in any academic field, there are differences of opinion, discrepancies that require clarification, conflicting evidence, and many subjects that have not been adequately addressed.…”

Time Perspective, Health Behaviors, and Wellbeing in Adults

“…An additional healthy diet behavior is water intake (for review, see: Benelam & Wyness, 2010;Horswill, 2011;Popkin, D'Anci, & Rosenberg, 2010). Water can be consumed both passively through food and actively through beverages, depending on composition (Benelam & Wyness, 2010;Sharp, 2007).…”