Water and Fluid Needs

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KEY POINTS

• You need the right amount of liquid each day to keep your body working properly. If you are sweating or urinating more, have diarrhea or loose bowel movements, or take water pills (diuretics), your body loses more fluid.
• A quick way to check that you are getting enough fluids is to look at the color of your urine. The urine should be pale yellow. Dark yellow color may be a sign that you are dehydrated.
• Water is the best fluid to drink. You can also drink tea, coffee, flavored water, or fruit juices as part of your daily fluids.
• Ask your healthcare provider about how much fluid you should drink each day.

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Why are fluids important?

Our bodies are 60 to 70% water. Most parts of the body contain water, including the brain, blood, and muscles. You need the right amount of liquid each day to keep your body working properly. The body needs water to:

• Control body temperature
• Remove wastes (through urine and bowel movements)
• Keep your heart rhythm and blood pressure normal
• Carry nutrients (food) and oxygen to cells
• Keep minerals and fluid balanced
• Cushion joints

How does the body lose fluid?

Your body normally loses fluids through breathing, sweating and urination. The body can usually keep liquid and salts and minerals in balance by controlling how thirsty you feel or how much water you lose when you urinate or have bowel movements. If you are sweating or urinating more, or have diarrhea or loose bowel movements, your body loses more fluid. You can also lose fluid if you take water pills (diuretics).

When you lose a lot of fluid, you need to drink more to replace what you have lost. If you don’t drink enough, your body uses fluids from your tissues, muscles, and organs. This makes them not work as well.

Not getting enough fluids to drink can be a serious problem. Mild dehydration may cause fatigue, dizziness, constipation, and other problems.

How do I know if I need more fluids?

Some of the signs that you may need more fluids are:

• Thirst or a dry mouth and tongue
• Flushed face
• Dry skin
• Small amounts of dark yellow urine
• Weakness, fatigue, lack of energy
• Dizziness
• Cramping in the arms and legs
• Headache

Thirst is not always a good sign that your body needs more fluids. Many people, especially the elderly, may not feel thirsty even if they are dehydrated. A quick way to check that you are getting enough fluids is to look at the color of your urine. The urine should be pale yellow. If your urine is dark yellow or has a strong odor or if you go to the bathroom less than 4 times a day, you probably need to drink more fluids.

How much should I drink?

Ask your healthcare provider about how much fluid you should drink each day. How much you should drink depends on:

• Your age and body size
• What you eat because foods contain different amounts of water
• Your level of activity because with more activity, you need more water
• The weather because the hotter the weather, the more water you need
• Your health because if you have heart failure or kidney disease, you may need to limit fluids and salt. Check with your healthcare provider about drinking sports fluids such as Gatorade if your diet is restricted or when you are taking prescription medicines.
• Your gender because men usually need more water than women do because they have more lean muscle.
• Your medicines because some medicines, such as water pills (diuretics) cause your body to lose water.

What fluids should I drink?

Water is the best fluid to drink. You can also drink tea, coffee, flavored water, or fruit juices as part of your daily fluids.

Here are some tips to get more fluids in your diet:

• Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day.
• Drink more fluids whenever you are vomiting or have diarrhea.
• Drink extra fluids before and after you exercise. Drink 4 to 6 ounces of water for every 15 minutes of strenuous exercise.
• Have more fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and soups with your meals.
• Keep a glass of water to drink while you are watching TV, working on the computer or relaxing.