Water
So you’re thinking, hang on a minute, Water isn’t a Supplement! But it is such an important part of our physiology – so much so, that our bodies are composed of up to 60% water (for the average adult male, and 55% in adult females).
How much water should you be drinking?
One issue of much conjecture is how much water we should be drinking every day, and opinion seems to vary with little reference to any solid science on the subject. In the late 1940′s the well known “8 glasses a day” recommendation appeared, but it did not account for fluid content that already exists in food intake.
Perhaps we can begin by looking at how much Water a person loses each day, which according to Wikipedia, for the average person in a temperate climate is 2.5 litres of Water each day, which is composed of the following:
- 4% through the skin through perspiration: 100ml
- 8% via the Bowels in normal bowel motions: 150-200ml
- 14% exhaled through the lungs as Water Vapour: 350ml
- 14% by diffusion through the skin: 350ml
- Up to 80% through the Kidneys as Urine: 1000-2000ml
As you can see, the majority is excreted through the Kidneys as Urine; and in most cases about 900ml (or 36% of the 2.5 litres) is obligatory water excretion that gets rid of solutes.
The second largest contributor to Water loss from the body is through the Skin, and during physical exercise the amount of Water lost in this way can increase by an order of magnitude – making it really important to rehydrate as soon as possible.
Urine as an Indicator of Hydration
If you’re healthy, your urine colour is determined by the concentration of bilirubin, which is a waste product of hemoglobin (red blood cells) breakdown. The process of this breakdown is fairly constant, so as you become dehydrated urine will appear darker in colour, and as you become fully hydrated urine will appear much clearer.
Please note, however, that there are some situations that can arise that may alter the colour of your urine, such as Diabetes or problems with the Liver or Kidneys. Urine colour can also be affected by some Food Supplements, and it is well known that eating Asparagus can alter the odour as well.
In summary, provided you are healthy, aiming to drink enough water to make your Urine clearer is a good thing, however, also be aware that clear urine for an extended period of time may indicate water poisoning or intoxication – and while that is unlikely to occur, it is good to be aware of.
What is Rehydration?
In some countries, especially Third World and under developed countries, Rehydration is a life saver. Each year it is estimated that over 1 Million Children are saved from death caused by Dehydration caused by diarrhoeal diseases; this happens through the use of Oral Rehydration Therapy.
For cases of extreme dehydration, a quick recipe that you can use to mix up a solution that will rehydrate quickly is this:
- 1 Litre of Water; mixed with
- 8 Teaspoons of Sugar; and
- 1 Teaspoon of Table Salt
- Optional – add Half a Cup of Orange Juice or Mashed Banana to each Litre to add Potassium
