Without enough water, the kidneys use more energy and wear on tissue. Your kidneys need to function adequately to flush out waste from your blood. Eventually, your kidneys will cease to function without adequate water intake. Other organs in your body may also cease to function without water.

Hydration Helpers

1. Start your day with oatmeal. This one is a classic.
2. Include more moo.
3. Try carb alternatives.
4. Sip smoothies.
5. Pack your plate with vegetables.
6. Slurp soup.
7. Freeze your fruit.

Dehydration occurs when more water and fluids leave the body than enter it. Even low levels of dehydration can cause headaches, lethargy, and constipation. The human body is roughly 75 percent water. Without this water, it cannot survive.

Sometimes dehydration occurs for simple reasons: You don’t drink enough because you’re sick or busy, or because you lack access to safe drinking water when you’re traveling, hiking or camping….Causes

• Diarrhea, vomiting.
• Fever.
• Excessive sweating.
• Increased urination.

Many diseases — such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, and kidney disease — increase dehydration risk and the need for fluids. For example, people with uncontrolled diabetes urinate frequently. Some medications can also cause a person to urinate or sweat more than normal.

Symptoms of electrolyte disorders

• irregular heartbeat.
• fast heart rate.
• fatigue.
• lethargy.
• convulsions or seizures.
• nausea.
• vomiting.
• diarrhea or constipation.

A: One of the first signs of magnesium deficiency is often fatigue. You may notice muscle spasms, weakness or stiffness as well. Loss of appetite and nausea are other common symptoms in the early stages. However, you may not notice any symptoms at all in the beginning.

Several strategies can help keep your electrolytes in balance:

1. Eat a balanced, healthy diet which includes foods that contain electrolytes.
2. Drink plenty of water, but don’t overdo it.
3. Don’t overuse over-the-counter diuretics or take them for a prolonged period of time without your doctor’s approval.
4. Don’t overuse salt.

The major electrolytes: sodium, potassium, and chloride.

Signs of electrolyte imbalance When the amount of electrolytes in your body is too high or too low, you can develop: Dizziness. Cramps. Irregular heartbeat.

Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge when they are dissolved in a liquid such as blood. The blood electrolytes—sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate—help regulate nerve and muscle function and maintain acid-base balance and water balance.

Electrolytes are chemicals that conduct electricity when mixed with water. They regulate nerve and muscle function, hydrate the body, balance blood acidity and pressure, and help rebuild damaged tissue. The muscles and neurons are sometimes referred to as the “electric tissues” of the body.

Overhydration can lead to water intoxication. This occurs when the amount of salt and other electrolytes in your body become too diluted. Hyponatremia is a condition in which sodium (salt) levels become dangerously low. This is the main concern of overhydration.

In order to replace the electrolytes lost in sweat, it is recommended that you drink electrolyte-enhanced water over regular drinking water while exercising. This will help improve your heart, brain, muscle, and nervous system function.

Electrolytes need to be maintained in an even balance for your body to function properly. Otherwise, vital body systems can be affected. Severe electrolyte imbalances can cause serious problems such as coma, seizures, and cardiac arrest.

A Minor electrolyte imbalance may be corrected by diet changes. For example; eating a diet rich in potassium if you have low potassium levels, or restricting your water intake if you have a low blood sodium level.

The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine determined that an adequate daily fluid intake is: About 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) of fluids a day for men. About 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of fluids a day for women.

Evidence for a positive association between sodium chloride (NaCl) intake and blood pressure is discussed. Increasing evidence also suggests that dietary patterns associated with low intakes of potassium, calcium, and possibly magnesium also contribute to higher levels of blood pressure.