Water - Key Element for Human Body

 

Water content of different organs and tissue²

Water is the largest constituent of the human body: Total body water averages at 60% of body weight.¹
The water content of various organs ranges from 83% in blood to only 10% in adipose tissue.²

About two thirds of this water is located in the intracellular compartment, and one third in the extracellular compartment (plasma and interstitial fluids).¹

Water is essential to our main physiological functions:

• Water acts as a medium to support numerous metabolic reactions.
• Water, as the main component of blood, carries:
  • nutrients, hormones, and other compounds to the cells
  • metabolic waste products away from the cells, for excretion from the body^3.
• Water is the solvent that assists the elimination of the soluble metabolic wastes by the kidneys, through the production of urine.
• Water ensures body temperature regulation. It is the major constituent of sweat, and through its evaporation from the surface of the skin, it helps dissipate excess body heat.

 

References

1. Armstrong LE. Hydration assessment techniques. Nutr Rev. 2005;63:S40-54.
2. Pivarnik JM, Palmer RA. Water and electrolyte balance during rest and exercise. 1994:245-62. In Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, I. Wolinsky and J.F.Hickson, Eds. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
3. Kleiner SM. Water: an essential but overlooked nutrient. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:200-6.