Water

List the basic functions of water and explain how dehydration can lead to death.

• Basic Functions: Provides Structure (makes up cytoplasm) and Acts as a solvent (biochemical reactions can only take place when dissolved in water) • Can lead to death due to the inability of decreased blood volume to circulate normally and then failing kidney function

List the primary routes of water loss.

• Feces, Insensible losses (skin, respiration), sweat, urine

Explain how the body conserves water in the face of increasing losses.

• Feces: you loose about the same, • Insensible losses: Skin- the same. Respiration (increases) loose less with hot weather and but more with prolonged heavy exercise (but not a lot!) • Sweat: (increases) You loose a lot of water in hot weather and prolonged heavy exercise • Urine: (decreases) Urine output goes down with hot weather and output goes down dramatically with prolonged heavy exercise ---MOST DRAMATIC, main way to conserve water or loose water

Identify who has more water, men or women, and explain why.

• Men have a higher percentage of water in their bodies than women. The bodies of adult males average about 60 to 65 percent water, and adult females average about 55 to 60 percent. • Those averages are affected by the amount of fat tissue carried — fat will not hold as much water as muscle tissue. This means that the body of an adult male who has low body fat and a reasonable amount of muscle mass will contain more water than a male who has low muscle mass and a greater amount of body fat.

Compare the commonly head recommendation to drink 8 - 10 glasses of water a day to the DRI for water for men and women.

• Men: 3.7 liters/ 125 ounces/ about 16 cups • Women: 2.7 liters/91 ounces/ about 11 cups • This can vary—it just depends on the person

List examples of symptoms of mild dehydration.

• Stronger thirst, vague discomfort and sense of oppression, loss of appetite, headache, decreasing blood volume, reduction in urinary output, dry mouth, impaired physical performance, impatient, sleepy, apathy, difficult in concentration, impairment in exercise temperature regulation—heat stroke! Dizziness,

Explain the role thirst plays in maintaining fluid balance.

• Tells you when to start drinking, but quenching your thirst is not a good indicator of complete fluid replacement especially for athletes

Identify the general guidelines for fluid consumption. (?)

• The DRI assumes that approximately 80% of daily water intake will come from fluids and 20% from solid food.

Explain why the elderly are at risk for dehydration.

• Thirst sensitivity decreases with increasing age • Older adults are at risk for dehydration

Indicate whether caffeine alcohol containing beverages "count" towards fluid consumption.

• Yes