There are many diseases and conditions that are related to dehydration. Dehydration, according to Mayo Clinic, “occurs when you use or lose more fluid than you take in, and your body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.” While certain conditions (such as diarrhea and fever) can trigger dehydration, oftentimes dehydration can cause conditions (such as migraines and kidney stones) on its own.
Now, much has been touted about the advantages caused by drinking water. For instance, Ayurveda, a form of alternative medicine that is practiced in the US, calls on using water to get rid of the toxins in your body. However, is it true that drinking too much water can cure all your ailments? Let’s find out.
What happens when you drink too much water?
The short answer to this is that you will pee a lot. If you drink more water than what your body requires, then the kidney takes over and removes the extra fluid from your body through urine, sweat, and other bodily fluids. That being said, no, drinking five liters of water would not give you great looking skin. However, there are still a number of benefits you can glean from it.
For instance, consider the following:
The U.S. Geological Survey through U.S. Department of the Interior, says that “up to 60% of the human body is water.” The numerous benefits of drinking water include the following:
- Regulates internal body temperature. For example, you lose fluids when you exercise through sweating. By drinking water, you would be replenishing this loss liquid, which also helps energize your muscles. This in turn helps keep your body’s liquid levels in check.
- Assists in removing waste. If you are dehydrated, the colon takes water from the stool to keep your water levels up. When this happens, you’ll suffer when you sit on the toilet, so to speak, as you would be constipated. Likewise, your urine is a good indicator of how hydrated you are. For instance, if your urine is odorless and light in color, which means you’re getting enough water. If it smells or is dark in color, then that means you mean more water.
- Controls calories. Drinking water before each meal is known to be an effective method to keep weight gain at bay. By drinking water before eating, you would feel fuller, sooner. Likewise, if you opt to drink water (which does not have any added sugar or calories), then you would be quenching your thirst without having to take on more calories. Eating food that is rich in water (such as watermelons) is also recognized as a good way to lose weight.
- Gives you better-looking skin. Dehydrated skin can cause premature wrinkles, laugh lines, and other unsightly signs of aging that is prominent on dry skin. By simply drinking more water, you would be improving your skin’s elasticity.
Of course, these are just some of the more renowned benefits of drinking enough water. While it doesn’t have taste, you can never discount the health benefits that it can give you. So, bottoms up!
