Dehydration: When Water isn’t Enough (Video)

When your body is running low on water, that’s dehydration, and it’s a condition that can be dangerous your health. But handling it may take more than water to handle it. Let’s find out why.

Dehydration can occur when our body loses more water than it takes in, to a point where it’s no long able to function normally. Symptoms can range from fatigue and headaches to muscle weakness. But while we may think of dehydration as just a lack of water, there’s another crucial factor: the loss of minerals.

Our body’s water contains numerous substances, including essential minerals, which are specific elements that play fundamental roles in our biological functions. The minerals calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, potassium, phosphorus and others are essential to our health, with calcium being the most abundant in the human body.

Here are just a few things that minerals do for us”

Some minerals regulate water movement within the body, which is crucial for cellular function and kidney operation.

Sodium and potassium facilitate transmission of nerve signals.

And calcium and magnesium are essential for muscle contraction and relaxation.

Most natural foods are rich in the minerals our bodies need, although the nutritional content of processed foods can be reduced by some manufacturing processes. The water we drink also contains minerals, unless it has been distilled or filtered in a reverse osmosis-treated system.

But we don’t get all of the minerals we need from food. Sodium and chloride, components of table salt, are two minerals that plants don’t accumulate in high quantities because they can be toxic to vegetation. Animals, including humans, often obtain these minerals from natural water sources.

When we sweat, we don’t only lose water, but we also lose the minerals that are dissolved in that water. That means that replacing lost minerals is as important as replenishing the water to maintain proper bodily functions.

In situations of rapid mineral loss, like intense sweating, certain commercial electrolyte drinks can be a quick replenishment source. These drinks are called electrolytes because of the electrically charged minerals they contain. But all electrolytes are not created equal—you will need to choose carefully to avoid those with added sugar.

The bottom line is that if you’re trying to recover from dehydration or replacing fluids after heavy seating, it’s important to balance water and mineral intake. Consuming too much pure water can dilute the body’s mineral concentration, making the effects of dehydration worse, not better. Ideally, then, you’ll want to rehydrate with real food sources that provide both water and minerals, such watermelon, citrus fruits, dried fruits, dairy products, beans, and salted nuts.

To sum it up combating dehydration effectively requires more than just water; it also called for balanced intake of essential minerals.

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