1. Feeling fatigue, confusion and cramping
When athlete Jonathan Brownlee lost the triathlon world championship less than 200 meters away, the world saw live how dehydration affects the human body . He managed to cross thanks to the extraordinary effort of his brother Alistair, who sustained him as he staggered disoriented and ran with his eyes lost. Athletes are trained to control water loss during physical exertion, but anyone can suffer a heat stroke. If we feel tired at rest, or we loose muscles and suffer cramps we should consider the possibility of water shortage.
2. Constipation
Typically, adults with a Western diet are bowel movements at least three times a week. A lower frequency would indicate constipation and it is time to increase the number of glasses of water per day, if possible, mineralized magnesium, which has a slight laxative effect. Research Mild dehydration: risk factor for constipation? , published by the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition , warns that low water intake or excessive loss of fluids and electrolytes in adults and the elderly - be it sweating in summer, vomiting or kidney disease - reduce the water contained in feces and therefore cause constipation. If this continues you can go to your pharmacy for a quick and effective solution to relieve it.
3. Skin without elasticity
The skin turgidity or elasticity of the skin is an indicator to know if we lack water in the body. No matter how much moisturizer we take, the skin remains a silent marker of dehydration, which can be aggravated by excessive sweating, vomiting or diarrhea. The loss of fluid of 5% of body mass is considered a mild dehydration and 15% is serious. To check the skin turgor we can pinch ourselves on the forehead, between the eyebrows, or on the back of the hand, between the thumb and index finger. The skin will slowly return to its usual state or it will get pinched if we have some degree of dehydration.
4. Cognitive failures
Do you reluctance and small memory losses? You may be drinking less water than you should. According to a British research published by Nutrition Magazine, water deprivation can influence our brain. Researchers at the University of Reading noted that severe dehydration caused cognitive deficits that affect short-term memory, mood and visual abilities. "This field of research is still in diapers and we would have to analyze the large number of variables that relate dehydration and overhydration to the cognitive aspect. In the future we should investigate why this variability happens and what are the optimal conditions for the state of hydration affects mental performance, "the study authors point out.
5. Urine infections
We eliminate the bacteria present in the urinary tract through the urine and depending on the frequency of urination we will be cleaning that system or not. Therefore, going to the bathroom only once or twice a day to release fluids is too little. Several studies continue to investigate the influence of dehydration on urine infections and even the formation of painful kidney stones. The elderly are usually more susceptible to dehydration and, therefore, are more exposed to this type of bacterial growth in the urinary tract. In these cases it is advisable to ensure that older people hydrate frequently.
6. Respiratory diseases
How does hydration affect broncho-pulmonary disorders, such as asthma or bronchiolitis? If the first recommendation of doctors to these diseases is to drink enough water and maintain the humidified environment, for something it will be. According to a clinical analysis prepared by experts from the Dortmund Hospital, Germany, "the broncho-pulmonary system facilitates the transport of oxygen and the exchange between the aqueous systems inside the body and the dry atmosphere outside. Hence the importance of sufficient hydration , although much remains to be investigated to directly relate dehydration as a risk factor in lung diseases. "
