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Category: Project

Description: Since the time when the first species ventured from the oceans to live on land, water was unequivocal a major key to survival, representing one of the most essential needs for all forms of life. The proper function of various vital systems depends on an adequate hydration status. Such term is defined as the balance between water inputs and outputs. Ergo, a clear interconnectivity is established: water and hydration are two sides of the same coin. Despite the several regulatory mechanisms to maintain water balance, such as the feeling of thirst, an imbalance between the water intake and losses can occur, potentiating a state of dehydration. Dehydration can be acute, following intense exercise, or chronic, resulting from less than adequate rehydration of daily water losses over a period of time. Nonetheless, both types of dehydration are described as a 1% or greater loss of body weight because of fluid loss. When between 1% and 4%, fluid losses conduct to progressive declines in athletic performance, thermoregulation, and appetite. When more than 8%, dehydration may cause organ dysfunction, being a life-threatening condition. Despite being easily noticeable that water is vital to human life, water has been described as an ignored nutrient, neglected, underappreciated, and understudied. There are many still unanswered questions about this essential component of our body and diet, and the biological feedback provided by human water intake upon our physiology is grossly under-investigated.