Dehydration comes about when the amount of water you are losing exceeds the amount of water that you are taking in. Your body consists of around 70% water and it is vital that we keep this balance so that our body can operate at peak performance.
While mild dehydration will usually only cause thirst and a dry mouth or a slight headache, if you do not replace your lost fluids at this stage it could result in severe dehydration, which happens at a mere 10% loss of fluid.
Severe dehydration can lead to some serious complications such as cerebral oedema (swelling of the brain), which happens when you rehydrate your body after an extended dehydration and it draws too much water back into the brain cells, causing them to swell and rupture.
Electrolyte abnormalities sometimes occur during dehydration due to life-sustaining chemicals such as sodium, potassium, and chloride being lost through sweating. Diarrhoea or vomiting can also cause a substantial loss of potassium, which could result in muscle weakness and flutters in the heart rhythm. Sodium imbalances can also cause seizures.
Becoming dehydrated in warm temperatures also comes with its own problems; when the body attempts to cool itself via sweating and you are dehydrated, this could result in heat cramps and your body could go into spasm. Heat exhaustion occurs when fluid loss increases and insufficient or no fluid is ingested; symptoms can include light-headedness, nausea, vomiting and weakness.
Heat Stroke is a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature and can be very dangerous. It normally occurs when an individual is hot and dehydrated and is not moved into a cooler space and given something to rehydrate them. This will cause one to stop sweating, become confused, their core body temperature may spike to 41C or higher; coma will soon follow.
Dehydration can also lead to a fall in blood pressure, kidney failure and heart problems, so make sure that you drink water regularly and stay hydrated.
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