MILAN – Drinking the right amount of water every day is more important than it seems and the reason is simple: we are made of water. About 70% of our body is water, however specifically each organ contains a considerable percentage of it. Three quarters of the brain and heart, for example, are made of water, as also 83% of our lungs and 31% of our bones. As the American portal, Medical Daily, explains, dehydration can cause considerable damage to our body, including a reduction in cerebral volume.
Use your brains
When our body is dehydrated, the sensorial receptors in the brain’s hypothalamus (the section indicated as the neuralgic centre stimulating thirst) sounds an alarm bell in the body, by means of a hormone which reaches the kidneys and affects aquaporins, special channels that allow blood to hold more water. This makes urine become darker. Dehydration can have a strong impact on many parts of the body: it can cause fatigue, lower cognitive functions, cause problems in mood and a fall in blood pressure. A dehydrated brain effectively shrinks due to lack of water and must work harder to obtain the same results as a hydrated brain. In these situations the brain activates specific mechanisms so that its function remains unaltered under conditions of extreme dehydration, but this cannot last long. If the right quantity of water is not consumed for too many days, this could lead to irreparable damage.
Disorders from dehydration
We experience the vital function of water every day: it lubricates bones and joints, regulates body temperature, and nourishes the brain and spinal bone marrow. Dehydration can cause a notable fall in mood and blood pressure at the same time. The so-called chronic dehydration, however, caused by not drinking water for a long period of time, can contribute to disorders such as diabetes, weight gain, skin problems, high cholesterol, hypertension, digestive problems, fatigue and constipation.
by Alessandro Conte
