THE water is essential for man's survival and from all other living organisms. In our body, it performs the most varied functions, acting from the control of our temperature to the chemical reactions existing inside the cell.
Given the importance of water and our inability to store it in the body, it is necessary to ingest at least 2.5 liters of this substance daily. Ingestion should be daily, as its loss occurs all the time, which can cause serious imbalances.
One of the most noticeable forms of water loss is by urine. This substance, which is produced by the kidneys, contains products of metabolism and substances that are found in excess in the body. The elimination of urine is essential for the chemical composition of the internal environment to remain in balance.
Urine is a great indicator of how well your body is hydrated. Urine that has a darker color, for example, indicates that the amount of water ingested is not enough. The elimination of this concentrated urine is a consequence of increased water reabsorption in the renal tubules.
Another form of water loss is through feces. Although the loss is usually not significant, it can become a concern in cases of diarrhea, since the intense elimination of fluids can trigger dehydration. This problem is serious and has led to the death of a considerable number of people every year, especially children.
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The elimination of the sweat it is also a form of water loss. Sweating prevents our temperature from increasing excessively, especially on hot days or when we exercise intensely. As sweat has some important salts, replacement should not be just water, electrolyte replacement being essential.
In addition to these losses that can be easily observed, we have those that are not visible, also called insensitive or unmeasurable losses. This elimination of water takes place through breathing and through diffusion into the skin.
The amount of water ingested daily must be greater than that lost. Therefore, it is easy to conclude that the amount of water needed varies according to the situation of each person, their health and the activities carried out during the day. On hot days, when sweating is greater, for example, we should drink more water. The same goes for when we present diarrhea, in which rapid hydration is required.
Among the factors that increase the need for water in an individual, we can highlight the performance of exercises physical, surgeries, burns, diarrhea, vomiting, fever, use of diuretics, high salt intake, pregnancy, lactation, between others.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
SANTOS, Vanessa Sardinha dos. "Loss of water from the body"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/biologia/perda-agua-pelo-organismo.htm. Accessed on June 27, 2021.
