Do you know the importance of water for the functioning of your body? It’s simple to understand. Of the total composition of the human body, 70% or more is water. And it has several functions. Water acts, for example, as a solvent, diluting substances, including nutrients, and carrying them to the cells. Furthermore, it helps eliminate what is harmful to us.
According to personal trainer Hander Reis, the act of drinking water was once just an obligation, but today the relationship with this “precious liquid” is much better. “Now I drink for better physical functioning. I feel my metabolism is faster, my vital organs work better, and I have more energy,” he says. Hander drinks about 5 to 10 bottles of 700ml of water per day, depending on the intensity of his weight training, which he practices. “I tell my students all the time: – Drinking water is life, it improves energy, and the skin looks better,” he details.
The lack of water causes several health issues. “The first sign of dehydration is thirst, which evolves and worsens. The first symptoms are thirst and physical fatigue. They are a warning from the body for us to drink water because there is already an increase in sodium levels. These can rise to threatening concentrations, and the kidneys will be significantly harmed. This and other substances will increase in the bloodstream, leading us into a process of intoxication, until we reach a more serious situation where we can’t even breathe,” explains nutritionist Márcia Cândido.
Therefore, you don’t need to wait until you’re thirsty to drink water. Water consumption should be spread throughout the day in portions to maintain a hydration standard. “Drinking water all at once is also not good. Otherwise, sodium levels will be excessively eliminated, and that 
is harmful too. So the ideal is to divide it into glasses until by the end of the day you have consumed the necessary total,” warns Márcia Cândido.
The Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population highlight that without water, one can survive only for a few days. This information alone shows the importance of hydration. According to the publication, “the amount of water we need to ingest daily is very variable and depends on several factors. These include the person’s age and weight, the physical activity they perform, and the climate and temperature of the environment they live in. For some, ingesting two liters of water per day may be sufficient, while others will need three or four liters or even more, as in the case of athletes.”
In daily accounting, the goal is for the amount ingested to correspond to the water that has been used or eliminated by the body. “The daily water balance is controlled by sophisticated sensors located in our brain and in different parts of our body. These sensors make us feel thirsty and urge us to drink liquids whenever the water intake is not sufficient to replenish the water we use or eliminate. Paying attention to the first signs of thirst and promptly satisfying the water needs signaled by our body is very important,” says the Guide.
The majority of natural or minimally processed foods (those that do not undergo industrial processes) and food preparations contain water in their composition. For example, milk and most fruits contain between 80% and 90% water. This water also counts towards the final accounting of the day. “Natural juices without sugar or sweeteners count, flavored water counts. But soft drinks do not count. However, the recommendation is that it should preferably be pure water,” teaches Márcia Cândido.
Source: www.blog.saude.gov.br, by Erika Braz