Water is life. The fact that 70 percent of the earth is covered with water is a very logical occurrence.
Water is abundant, but it is very surprising why many people are brought to the hospital due to dehydration. It is a condition which is characterized by the lack of water or fluids in the body and it can lead to various complications which are detrimental to health.
Here are some of the health risks of dehydration:
1. Body Drought
Your body’s supply of water is needed by the brain to make it function normally. Your brain cells actually contain 85 percent water.
If your body lacks water, your brain’s energy supply and its function will deteriorate, and it can even led to depression, anxiety, fear and other emotional problems.
2. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Aside from its negative effects on the brain, dehydration can also cause chronic fatigue syndrome. It refers to the feeling of severe, continued tiredness that is not relieved by rest. It is an indication of progressive dehydration of the brain and this can only be eliminated by re-hydrating the body and avoiding alcohol, tobacco and caffeine.
3. Blood Vessel Constriction
Your brain is the part of your body that is most affected by dehydration. When your body’s water supply is depleted, your pituitary glands produce the hormone vasopressin, a type of neurotransmitter that causes blood vessel constriction in areas where cells are deprived of water.
This condition can lead to high blood pressure. There’s a direct link between dehydration and hypertension.
4. Kidney Damage and Water Retention
If your body is lacking in water, it activates the Renin-Angiotensin system which directs the body to hold water when there’s a chance. It also directs your kidneys to switch off the urination process and tighten the capillaries of your vascular system especially in areas that are of lesser importance than the brain and heart.
At this stage, the RA system would stimulate an increase of salt absorption to enable the body to retain more water. This condition remains until your body is hydrated, and since it can trigger high blood pressure, it can eventually lead to cardiovascular diseases if allowed to occur for a long time.
Urine retention and hypertension are two of the major causes of kidney damage.
Dehydration is a problem that looks so simple and so easy to address, yet it has complex consequences that can become major health problems. Don’t allow it to bring havoc into your life.
