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The globe's *surface area* is nearly 70% water, but its total mass is a insultingly small 0.023% H20. That's not at all significant. In the human body, water is distributed differently in numerous areas: lean muscle tissue holds about 75% water; blood has about 83% water; body fat contains 25% water and bone has 22% water. Total percentage of water also varies considerably from childhood to adulthood, between men and women and between different persons. Water is necessary for all digestive, absorption, circulatory, excretory functions and the use of water–soluble vitamins such as B and C that are not stored in the body and must be replaced each day. And in some cases, it may be used for body temperature maintenance. The best way to get this water is by drinking plain water with no enhancements. Following is a more fully developed presentation of the water functions in the human body.
Water consumption performs an important role in the digestion of solid foods in the body. This digestion relies on a huge quantity of water at hand for the whole process to take place. Acids and enzymes in the stomach break the food down into a homogenized fluid state which can move past into the intestine for the next stage of digestion. In short water gives assistance in breaking down what we eat, into energy and then in transporting it to the parts of the body where it is required.
Oxygen, nutrients and hormones are transported with water in the form of blood to other parts of the body and all play a role when it comes to bodybuilding. Oxygen causes proper respiration and the liberation of energy for workouts that would be impossible without it. Nutrients required for growth and repair of muscle tissue are also transported with the help of water in the blood stream and to keep this entire operation going on a sufficient amount of water is needed. Coming to hormones it can be said that without the sufficient release and supply of hormones, muscles would not grow and without proper water supply these hormones would not be able to operate normally, thus causing exercise to be a waste of time.
Water is present in cartilage, whose primary function is to reduce friction in the joints and serve as a "shock absorber". The shock-absorbing quality of normal cartilage comes from its ability to change shape when compressed, as a result of its high water content.
"People who drank less than four glasses of water a day were no more likely to show signs of dehydration than those who drank six or more," says Lindeman. "We found absolutely no difference between those who drank a little and those who drank a lot when we looked at all the standard markers for dehydration." Of course, that doesn't mean you shouldn't drink plenty of water a day. In fact, there's at least one reason to think it's a very good idea. In a 1999 study published in The New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found that the more liquids men consumed, the lower their risk of bladder cancer. Men who drank more than 10 8-ounce servings of fluids had a 49% lower incidence of the disease than those who drank only half that much. Humans can determine deficiencies in water intake based on urinary output and color, darker indicates improper hydration and in opposition brighter indicates proper hydration.
Sports drinks are "enhanced" with ingredients and electrolytes which you may not need or want. Electrolyte balance is crucial, but do we really need to consume extra electrolytes ? Electrolytes out of balance often occur when changes in body water occur. Carbonate, chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium, phosphate and potassium are the primary electrolytes in the blood. Of all these, the three that usually cause bigger problems with changing levels are calcium, potassium and sodium.
Low calcium levels normally are consequence of an infection in the blood or body tissue which develops on the spur of the moment. Low calcium levels can also be the outcome of a vitamin D deficiency or if the parathyroid glands situated in the neck have been damaged or removed.
Low potassium levels are normally the consequence of diarrhoea, abuse of diuretics or long term vomiting.
Note : The caffeine present in some energy drinks can behave as a diuretic and dry you out.
Low sodium levels occur when you drink plenty of water without sufficient sodium intake. Electrolyte levels are normally maintained in balance through a healthy diet with the exception of sodium. Adding a little of salt to your bottle of tap water will fix your low sodium levels.
Succinctly, you need to drink good quantities of water in any fitness or bodybuilding program. The water doesn't need not be an expensive designer water or a sport drink.
