While we are generally told that we have around 70% water in our body, this is not true all the time. Babies have between 75 to 80% water, but as we grow older the percentage of water in our body decreases until it settles at around 60 to 65% for men and 50 to 60% for women.
Water is of major importance to all living things, and without it we would die. One can do without food for a few weeks at a time, but we can only do without water for about 3 days. The reason that water is so important to our health and life itself is that water is the most prolific fluid in our body and absolutely every single cell and organ needs is to operate optimally.
Although the percentage of water in our bodies ranges between 60% and 80%, the distribution is different in various parts of the body.
According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, water is distributed throughout our body in the following percentages:
- Human bones contain between 31% water;
- The brain is 85% water;
- The heart is composed of 73% water;
- The skin contains 64% water;
- Muscles contain 79% water; and
- Kidneys are 79% water.
According to Netter’s Atlas of Human Physiology, body water consists of about two thirds intercellular fluid and one third extracellular fluid.
The amount of water that is in your body at any one time depends on how well-hydrated you are, how much you weigh, your gender and your age. According to Dr. Jeffrey Utz, Neuroscience, paediatrics, Allegheny University, women have more body fat than men so their water level is slightly less, made up as follows:
- In adult men, about 60% of their bodies consist of water;
- Adult women have more bodily fat than men, about 55% of their bodies are made of water
- Babies and kids have more water (as a percentage) than adults;
- Women have less water than men (as a percentage); and
- People with more fatty tissue have less water than people with less fatty tissue (as a percentage).
On average, an adult male should drink about 3 litres of water per day to remain fully hydrated, and an adult female should drink around 2.2 litres of water daily. Some of this water may be acquired from other drinks and fruit and vegetables that are high in water content, but the majority should be from drinking water.
Source:
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