Explain how your consumption of fluid intake is healthy or detrimental to your wellness. For example, do you consume a large number of sugary drinks? How many glasses of water do you drink in a day? How does this effect cellular composition (electrolyte balance, osmosis, osmolality)? What are some effects of sodium or potassium electrolyte balance in cells?
1. How many glasses of water do you drink in a day? How does this effect cellular composition (electrolyte balance, osmosis, osmolality)?
Water functions in the human body as transportation vehicles, medium for chemical reactions, lubricant/shock absorber, and temperature regulator (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012). Generally, 50-60% of the human body is composed of water, "but it is not actually pure water but rather a mixture of cells, proteins, glucose, lipoproteins, electrolytes, and other substances" (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012, chap.7). It helps regulate and control fluid balance in the body and are involved in things like controlling blood pressure and muscle contraction. These substances create differences in solute composition between the cell and its surrounding environment, enabling two-way communication of nutrients and various substances inside and outside the cell. This phenomenon is called osmosis, and the difference in solute composition inside and outside the cell is called osmolality. Our bodies are equipped with osmoregulation, which always controls the body's balance and composition and prevents fluids from becoming too dilute or too concentrated (Zimmerman & Snow, 2012).
Water also plays a role in breaking down and preventing waste accumulation and toxicity in our bodies. (transportation, medium for chemical reactions) When we have a severe lack of water in our bodies, the amount of blood that is supposed to go to the kidneys is drastically reduced, and acute kidney injury develops ( National Kidney Foundation, 2022). In acute kidney injury, the body cannot excrete waste products through the urine and the amount of water and electrolytes in the body cannot be regulated, then the deterioration of symptoms progresses rapidly.
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recommends drinking 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) of water a day for adult women, and 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for adult men (Gunnars, 2020). I work from home during the day and study at night, so my current activity level is very low. Out of my 24 hours a day, I spend nearly 20 hours sitting in a chair. I rarely feel thirsty and do not drink water often, but I try to drink about 1.5 liters of water a day. Even if we do not exercise, we sweat a lot and lose much water while taking a bath or sleeping. Considering that water intake includes water from food and water produced by the body, I should drink more water. As explained earlier, water plays a role in our body by delivering various nutrients to cells and discharging waste products and toxins. Even if it is not a serious level, if we do not have enough water in our bodies, it means we are degrading these functions.
2. What are some effects of sodium or potassium electrolyte balance in cells?
Sodium plays a role in regulating fluid levels and aiding nerve and muscle function (Cleveland Clinic medical professional, 2022). Potassium also helps keep the heart, nerves, and muscles functioning, moving nutrients to cells or removing waste products from cells (Cleveland Clinic medical professional, 2022). When the balance of electrolytes such as sodium and potassium is lost, it causes swelling, high blood pressure, heart failure, and sometimes life-threatening conditions (Cleveland Clinic medical professionals, 2022).
Drinking too much water can lower the sodium concentration in your blood, causing hyponatremia. As explained earlier, sodium plays a role in regulating the osmotic pressure in the body and making nerves and muscles function properly. Therefore, when the sodium concentration in the body decreases, a slight feeling of fatigue begins to appear, causing dizziness, headache, polyuria/frequent urination, and diarrhea (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022). Severe hyponatremia can lead to convulsions and coma (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2022).
The loss of large amounts of water and potassium from the digestive tract through vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive laxative use causes hypokalemia and leads to muscle weakness, muscle spasms and cramps, paralysis, and arrhythmia (Lewis, 2021).
References
Cleveland Clinic medical professional. (2022). Electrolyte imbalance: Types, symptoms, causes & treatment. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/24019-electrolyte-imbalance
Gunnars, K. (2020). How much water should you drink per day? Healthline. Retrieved from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-much-water-should-you-drink-per-day#how-much-you-need
Lewis, J. L. III. (2021). Hypokalemia (Low Level of Potassium in the Blood). MSD Manual Consumer Version. Retrieved from https://www.msdmanuals.com/en-jp/home/hormonal-and-metabolic-disorders/electrolyte-balance/hypokalemia-low-level-of-potassium-in-the-blood
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2022). Hyponatremia. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyponatremia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373711
National Kidney Foundation. (2022). Acute kidney injury (AKI). Retrieved from https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/AcuteKidneyInjury#:~:text=Acute%20kidney%20injury%20(AKI)%2C,of%20fluid%20in%20your%20body.
Zimmerman, M., & Snow, B. (2012). 2.4 National Goals for Nutrition and Health: Healthy People 2020. In An Introduction to Nutrition, V1.0. Unnamed Publisher. Retrieved from https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/an-introduction-to-nutrition/s05-06-a-fresh-perspective-sustainabl.html
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