The daily fluid requirement varies from person to person and depends on factors such as body weight, age, state of health and physical stress. Especially those who suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, gout or heart failure should pay attention to drinking an appropriate amount, advises the German Society for Internal Medicine (DGIM) on the occasion of World Water Day on March 22nd.
Depending on your state of health, either too little or too much fluid intake can be equally harmful, warn the experts from the specialist society, who are holding their congress in Wiesbaden at the end of April 2022, at which they will take up the “Year of Water” that is currently being celebrated there.
The human body consists of around 70 percent water, the blood even over 90 percent. Elaborate control mechanisms ensure that these values remain largely constant even with changing temperatures and different physical strains. The most obvious: the amount of urine produced - recognizable by the urge to urinate - and the feeling of thirst.
“For healthy people, there is nothing wrong with relying largely on the feeling of thirst.”
Professor Dr. med. Markus M. Lerch, gastroenterologist and DGIM chairman
This usually results in drinking quantities of one and a half to two liters per day - although moist foods such as soups, fruit and vegetables can definitely be taken into account, explains Lerch, who is also medical director at the LMU Clinic in Munich.
Older people and diabetics
However, some factors can mean that you can no longer fully rely on Durst as a guide. One of them is age. “In older people, the feeling of thirst decreases significantly,” says Lerch. Older people therefore often stayed below the target of one and a half liters and should consciously pour themselves a glass of water every now and then.
People with diabetes are also advised to drink slightly more to support the excretion of sugar via the kidneys. And last but not least, people who take medication for dehydration and therefore produce a lot of urine should make sure they drink enough.
Signs of dehydration
The warning sign of a lack of fluids is initially a dark color of the urine, which is concentrated and excreted in smaller quantities. The stool can also become harder and cause constipation symptoms.
“Especially on hot days, the lack of fluids can worsen and become critical, which is manifested by a racing heart, confusion and poor circulation, even fainting.”
Professor Dr. med. Georg Ertl, internist, cardiologist and secretary general of the DGIM
The kidneys also suffer from dehydration; in the worst case, acute kidney failure occurs. So the more you drink, the healthier you live? In the case of certain illnesses, drinking large amounts can even be harmful.
“You shouldn’t draw this reverse conclusion. This is the case, for example, with patients with advanced heart failure, where too much fluid puts undue strain on the heart.”
Professor Dr. med. Georg Ertl, internist, cardiologist and secretary general of the DGIM
Kidney diseases such as chronic kidney failure can also make it necessary to reduce the amount you drink. Fluid balance is also inextricably linked to the body's mineral balance. And the same applies here: If you drink too much, you may risk a lack of electrolytes. This danger exists particularly if little or nothing is eaten at the same time - as can be the case with some fasting diets or with an eating disorder.
“Athletes or people who do physical work and lose a lot of electrolytes through sweat can also disrupt their mineral balance by drinking large amounts.”
Professor Dr. med. Georg Ertl, internist, cardiologist and secretary general of the DGIM
Instead of tap water, you should quench your thirst with a juice spritzer or a non-alcoholic beer.
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Source: German health portal
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