how much water should one really drink in a day? Every source recommends a different amount. How do the electrolytes work?
In: Biology
Electrolytes are just a fancy way of saying salt, and other minerals dissolved in water. Pure water doesn’t conduct electricity very well. Once you put salt in it, it conducts electricity much better. One part of your body that relies on this very heavily is your nerves. Nerves work by sending little electrical signals all over your body, and if you don’t have the right balance of electrolytes in your body, it can cause problems.
You sometimes hear about this in long distance runners. Your sweat has salt in it. If you sweat a bunch, then drink water, you are losing electrolytes in your sweat, but not replacing them in the water you’re drinking. If you run for a very long time, like a marathon, you can sweat enough to cause an electrolyte imbalance. That’s why sports drinks like Gatorade have salt in them, to replace the salt lost when sweating.
The amount of water depends on many factors. Is a person tall or short, do they play sports, is there increased demand because of other mefical reasons, is it summer or winter, how old is the person…
Some studies suggest only drinking when you are thirsty, others calculate the amount according to the stated factors. There is no right or wrong.
Drink when you’re thirsty. If you’re not thirsty, don’t worry about it unless you have a medical condition that impacts how your body signals it needs water (i.e., thirst). You’ll tend to be more thirsty if you exercise or engage in physical labor/activities or if you’re in heat and/or humidity (i.e., you’re prone to sweating more than usual).
As far as electrolytes, they’re just what plants crave.
Also depends on the types of food you are eating. If you eat lots of watermelon then you would need less water since you are already hydrating.
I would say drink water when you are thirsty but keep in mind your general water intake in relation to what you are doing.
Pay attention to the color of your pee. It is a pretty good indicator of how hydrated you are. You want your pee the be a pale yellow.
Latest Answers