Health Benefits of Drinking Water

Health benefits of drinking water include maintenance of pH balance, body temperature, metabolism, breathing, prevention of constipation, heartburn, migraine, gastritis and ulcers, kidney stones, cardiovascular disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, backache and osteoporosis. It is required in excess amount by pregnant women and nursing mother. It also plays important roles in kidney functions, skin tone etc. Water is an essential component of our body and plays vital roles in maintaining the pH balance, metabolic processes, delivering useful products and clearing waste products, and functioning of almost all major organ systems of the body.

Health Benefits of Drinking Water

health benefits of water have been accepted by medical experts across the globe. It is the most abundant compound present on this earth. All living forms, in some or the other way, require water for their metabolic activities. It has vital roles to play in our body and one could not imagine the existence of an individual without water. Human body contains 2/3rd water by weight. Blood, muscles, brain and bone are composed of 83%, 75%, 74% and 22% of water respectively.

Water plays important roles in the functioning of circulatory, respiratory, excretory and nervous systems, along with metabolic reactions, maintenance of skin components and prevention of a number of disorders.

Benefits of Water

Water has one of the most important roles to play in maintaining a healthy body and some of its benefits include:

• PH Balance: Human body maintains a pH range of 7.35-7.45 for proper physiological processes. An acidic shift may lead to sickness and inability of the body to assimilate vitamins and minerals. Thus, it should be above the value of 7, which is favourable to body’s oxygen uptake, higher energy levels, and better immune response to diseases. This is attainable by consuming lots of water.
• Body Temperature: Much of the human body is made up of water and this fluid is responsible for regulation of body temperature. We undergo perspiration in summers to dissipate the excess heat in order to lower our temperature. This temperature regulation property has been attributed to water.
• Metabolism: Water is the carrier of oxygen, nutrients, hormones, etc. to body parts and provides medium for removal of toxins, dead cells, waste material, etc. The proteins and enzymes involved in various fundamental processes also require water for their proper functioning.
• Breathing: Water plays its role in distributing oxygen all over the human body while collecting the carbon dioxide from all these parts by dissolving these gases.
• Constipation, Heartburn, Migraine, Gastritis and Ulcers: A number of disorders are related with water deficiency. Constipation, heartburn, migraine, gastritis and ulcers can be prevented by taking modest amounts of water routinely.
• Kidney Stones: As per the International Kidney Stone Institute, 2 litres or 10 glasses must be consumed each day to prevent from kidney stones. Water is the best solvent and this property does not let the salts and minerals to accumulate to form stone. The salts reaching kidney gets diluted and eliminated in urine.
• Cardiovascular Disease: Water can prevent cardiovascular disorders to a large extent. It maintains proper viscosity of blood and plasma and fibrinogen distribution and therefore adequate hydration of vascular components is advisable.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis: Joints in human body are prone to continuous friction and weathering. These can be maintained in proper shape by intake of proper amount of water. Decrease in water consumption may lead to rheumatoid arthritis.
• Backache: The back portion of our body rests on the spinal cord. The spinal disc core is made up of large volume of water and dehydration leads to back pain in such individuals.

• Osteoporosis: According to the research conducted by the Linus Pauling Institute, individuals consuming adequate amounts of water have reduced risks to osteoporosis and hip fractures.
• Pregnant Women and Nursing Mother: A pregnant women carries a new life in her womb that develops from her. The nutrients and other factors needed for its growth can be carried from mother to the foetus via blood which in turn needs water. Constipation, bladder infection, and haemorrhoids are common during pregnancy and these can be avoided by taking excess of water during this period.
• Kidney Functions: The excretory material in the form of urea is highly toxic to body tissues and must be diluted before their passage. This is again done by the ‘universal solvent’ water.
• Skin Tone: According to the University of Minnesota, skins may get affected by frost bite and blisters. It has been established that proper water levels in the body prevents the body from dehydration. This in turn maintains the turgidity of skin. A number of skin problems can be prevented by taking adequate amount of water.