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Why Human Body Cannot Survive Without Water?

By Dixit Arora +2 more

Have you found yourself wondering what would happen if you stopped drinking water? Or how long your body can carry on without it before rebelling?

How Long Can You Survive Without Water? - PharmEasy

Laying off food for a few days will not cause any significant damage to your body. But water is an entirely different matter. 

Why do we need water in the first place?

Nearly 60% of your body is made of water. Your cells, tissues, muscles and organs consist of water. And they need water to survive and perform all the tasks that are required of them. 

Let’s find out why exactly the body needs water.

 1. Lubrication and Hydration –

Water keeps all parts of your body hydrated inside and out. If the water level dwindles, then your body will not function optimally. It coats your eyes, mouth, inside of the ears with a film of moisture.

It ensconces your brain and spinal cord and protects them in the event of a trauma. Similarly, water acts as a shock absorber for your joints and dramatically slows down their wear and tear.

You might have noticed that when you contract an infection, your doctor advises you to drink plenty of water. This is because rehydration speeds up your body’s natural capacity to regenerate and heal itself. Hydration also regulates your body temperature.

Read More: How To Stay Hydrated?

 2. Cleans up Your System –

All the cells of your body produce waste that is toxic and has to be removed. And water performs this function with élan. Your body eliminates waste through perspiration, urination and defecation and water is central to all these activities. So the more water you drink, the more efficiently your body will flush out the impurities.

People who don’t drink enough water every day are at greater risk of kidney stones, problems with their heart valves and some kinds of cancer.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D.

 3. Helps with Digestion –

Your saliva is tasked with the important job of kick-starting digestion. It contains vital enzymes that start the process of breakdown of food. If your body is running low on water, then your saliva too will dry up. And if you gulp down solid chunks of food, then this will slow your metabolism down and a host of problems will ensue.

These are a few of the vital reasons why your body can’t survive without water.

To understand why water is important, it is essential to realize the following: ingestion and excretion of water and electrolytes are under tight regulation to maintain consistent total body water (TBW) and total body osmolarity (TBO)

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD

How Long Before you Collapse?

Many factors determine how long you will live without water before your body gives up, such as the climate, temperature, age, level of activities, sex and the condition of your health and the kind of food you had been eating.

But you can’t go without water for more than a few days. Dehydration will set in because your body will constantly be losing water through sweat, urination and defecation. So, it’s only a matter of time before your body uses up its reserve of water. Before long, your organs will stop working because they are being deprived.

That is why you are recommended to drink around 2-3 litres of water every day so that your body remains at its peak.

Read More: 6 Benefits of Drinking Water in The Morning

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.

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