Heed your body’s cries for water

Dubai: While it’s no miracle cure, drinking water could be the solution to many of your daily pains and discomforts.

Experiencing hair loss, breakouts, indigestion or severe fatigue could be your body’s way of signalling that it is dehydrated.

You might have heard that 65 per cent of the human body consists of water, and that the lack of it could affect every organ in the body. However, what many people are unaware of is that not drinking enough water could result in several health problems that may not be immediately apparent but take a toll on the body over time.

Dr Vidya Lakshmi Sundaramurthi, a specialist in dermatology at Aster DM Healthcare, pointed out that inadequate water intake could result in hidden symptoms that many people fail to link to dehydration.

“Dry skin, early ageing, hair loss, weakness and palpitations are all some common effects of inadequate water intake,” said Dr Sundaramurthi.

When dehydration sets in, the tissues and cells don’t get enough water, slowing down the enzymatic activity as enzymes are unable to produce energy. This results in fatigue, dullness and confusion, she added. “Other symptoms of dehydration include dry and sticky mouth, increased thirst, brittle nails, sunken eyes, not producing enough tears, as well as little to no urine output, lethargy, and poor skin elasticity.”

Recurring headaches

A recurring headache could also be linked to water intake levels. Without enough water in the body, blood volume can drop temporarily leading to lower blood and oxygen flow to the brain. This causes minimal swelling of blood vessels and triggers a headache.

Dr Salvin George, Specialist Internal Medicine at Medcare Hospital, explained that since electrolytes are balanced by the water content in the blood, lack of water can cause the nervous system to dysfunction. This can cause poor memory, lack of concentration, drowsiness and vascular headaches due to reaction of the blood vessels in the brain.

Just the same, your endless battle with bad skin breakouts and dryness can also be a result of not hydrating your body over long periods of time. “Skin requires water as a significant amount is used to maintain body temperature through sweating. Dehydration diverts the blood flow to the internal organs, causing the skin to be dry, itchy and gradually wrinkled,” said Dr George.

Water and psychology

However, the effects of dehydration don’t end with the physical symptoms. Water intake levels can also impact one’s psychological and emotional well-being. Mood swings and psychological stress are symptoms often experienced when one is deprived of water, said Dr George.

Emphasising the effect of water on psychological aspects, Dr Sundaramurthi from Aster DM also pointed out that brain cells require a delicate balance between water and various elements to operate.

“When you lose too much water, that balance is disrupted. Your brain cells lose efficiency, and dehydration can impair short-term memory function and the recall of long-term memory,” she said.

Replacing water with other drinks such as caffeinated beverages and juices will not necessarily quench thirst, while also causing dehydration. Products such as soda and coffee hasten the body’s elimination of fluid causing mild symptoms of dehydration such as heartburn, stomach ache, lower back pain, headaches, and depression, explained Dr Sundaramurthi.

While an average of two litres (eight glasses) of water a day is often recommended by many doctors, the amount of water intake differs with each person. A poll conducted by Gulf News showed that out of 6,553 respondents, 39 per cent would drink between one to four glasses of water a day — which is well below the recommended amount. The poll also showed that 32 per cent of respondents would drink between five to seven glasses of water and only 24 per cent would drink eight or more glasses on a daily basis.

Sharjah student Tala Amir from Syria, 22, said she drinks two 600ml bottles of water a day and can feel the impact on her skin.

“Living in a very hot country like the UAE, if I don’t drink enough water throughout the day, I start to feel the effect in my energy levels and instantly on my skin,” she said.

Another resident, Ahmad Esmail from Palestine, said he forces himself to drink at least one litre of water a day. “I used to drink very little water but I started carrying a bottle around and made sure I refilled it at least once. I felt the difference in my mood and energy level,” he said.

Sarah Al Hadadi from Palestine said the more water she drinks, the healthier she feels. “I started keeping a bottle of water at my office desk and another one at home in order to remind myself to drink more water,” she said. After suffering from a severe case of dehydration, Sarah said she started making a conscious effort to drink three to four litres of water a day.

With water a proven factor in shielding our body from a number of health problems, pick up a bottle of water if you haven’t already, and keep a track of the difference it makes.