Drinking water has many benefits for your body. Apart from keeping the body well hydrated, drinking water is also beneficial for the health of the skin, joints, brain, and the body's circulatory system. Especially for those of you who like to exercise, drinking water is very important to maintain your stamina. An average adult is recommended to consume 2 litres of fluids per day. But did you know that as you get older, you need to drink more water?

As quoted from Healthline, in a recent study conducted by the University of Ottawa, it was found that as people age, they need to consume more water to compensate for changes in body temperature, especially when they do physical activity. In contrast to younger people, researchers said that it is harder for older adults to adjust the rate of sweat loss to prevent dehydration.

As we know, with age, the bodily functions will also slowly decline, including the function of the hypothalamus in providing signals that the body needs fluids. Therefore, it is advisable for older adults to continue to consume water, even though they do not feel thirsty. Researchers say that dehydration in older adults can increase the risk of acute kidney failure, electrolyte imbalance, to heart-related diseases.

Plain water is the best choice to hydrate your body when compared to other fluids, including soda, coffee, and alcohol. When you consume sodas or other processed drinks, your body needs to process them. Also, these drinks can dehydrate the body even more. Plain water is the best hydrator because the body can immediately feel the benefits without having to process it. Furthermore, the researchers explained that the results of this study show that hydration is the key to regulating body temperature and reduce the risk of other health problems.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Google Search Images

Source(s):

• Meade, R.D., Notley, S.R., Rutherford, M.M., et al (2020). Aging attenuates the effect of extracellular hyperosmolality on whole-body heat exchange during exercise-heat stress. The Journal of Physiology, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1113/JP280132.
• Healthline - As You Get Older, You Need to Drink More Water. Here's Why (2020). https://www.healthline.com/health-news/as-you-get-older-you-need-to-drink-more-water-heres-why, 7 October 2020.