BODY WATER PERCENTAGE

BODY WATER PERCENTAGE

Body water percentage is an important factor when it comes to a healthy body. When generally we think about health, we always give less importance to body water intake and instead always give more emphasis on body fat and muscle mass. But we should not forget the body water importance.

Average percentage of water in a human body is around 65% and based on few factors like age and sex, this body water percentage may vary from 45- 75 %.

Generally, People with a very high body fat percentage have a lower body water content. And this is because fatty tissue can retain very little amount of water. Both body fat percentage and body water content need to be considered while dieting.

People when start dieting, they experience a swift weight loss in the beginning. This is happening due to loss of body water while the body fat tissues are remained intact.

Generally, an adult male need about 3 liters of water per day while an adult female need about 2.2 liters of water per day. All the water a person needs does not have to come from drinking liquids, as some of this water is contained in the food we eat.

Body Water

Body water is the total amount of fluid in a human body. The exact percentage varies based on factors (e.g. age and gender). Body water is the primary building block for cells. It helps to regulate the internal body temperature, strengthens your muscles and moisturizes your skin. These are just a few examples why body water and drinking water is so important.

How to Calculate Body Water Using Watson Formula?

Here are the equations to calculate the Body water:

# Males

Total Body Water = 2.447 – 0.09156 X Age (Years) + 0.1074 X Height (cm) + 0.3362 X Weight (Kg)

# Females

Total Body Water = -2.097 + 0.1069 X Height (cm) + 0.2466 X Weight (Kg)

Body water percentage Chart

When a baby is born its body water percentage is 75% of the total body weight. And later when you grow your body water keeps on declining till first birthday. The main reason behind this is due to formation of body fat mass and fatty tissue can retain very little amount of water.

The following chart represents the average total water in your body as a percentage of body weight, and the ideal range for good health.

Body Water Percentage Chart
	Male	Female
Age	Average	Range	Average	Range
Birth to 6 months	74%	64-84%	74%	64-84%
6 months to 1 year	60%	57-64%	60%	57-64%
1–12 years	60%	49-75%	60%	49-75%
Age 12–18 years	59%	52-66%	56%	49-63%
Age 19–50 years	59%	43-73%	50%	41-60%
Age 51 years and older	56%	47-67%	47%	39-57%

Body Water Helps in Carrying Out Certain Processes

Water is the main structure block of cells because it carries oxygen and nutrients to cells.

The brain, spinal cord and other organs are protected by water. It acts as a shock absorber. It is also lubricating the joints.

 Waste and toxins from the body flushed with the help water via urine.

Water is the primary component of saliva, used to digest carbohydrates and aid in swallowing food. It is needed to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates used as food.

Water is the principal solvent in the body. It dissolves minerals, soluble vitamins, and certain nutrients.

Keep mucosal membrane moist.

Water converts food to components needed for survival.

As body sweating and respiration, Water helps in regulate body temperature

Water is needed by the brain to manufacture hormones and neurotransmitters.

Dehydration

It is a deficit of total body water. It occurs when free water loss exceeds free water intake. Most people can tolerate a 3-4% decrease in total body water without difficulty or adverse health effects. Mild dehydration is considered by thirst and general discomfort and is usually resolved with oral rehydration.

A 5-8% decrease can cause fatigue and dizziness. Loss of over 10% of total body water can cause physical and mental deterioration, accompanied by severe thirst.

Death occurs at a loss of between 15- 25% of the body water.

Dehydration can cause high levels of sodium ions in the blood and is distinct from loss of blood volume, particularly blood plasma.

Chronic health problems, such as diabetes and kidney disease, increase your chances of dehydration because of increased urination. Even being sick with a cold can make you less likely to eat and drink as much as you normally do, putting you at risk for dehydration.

Sign of Dehydration

When your body water decreases, then the main indication include thirst, headaches, general discomfort, loss of appetite, decreased urine volume, confusion, unexplained tiredness, purple fingernails and seizures.

The symptoms of dehydration become increasingly severe with greater total body water loss.

In people over age 50, the body’s thirst sensation weakens and continues fading with age. Many senior citizens suffer symptoms of dehydration because of this reason.

In Human Physiology, body water is segregated into the following sections

Intracellular fluid (2/3 of body water) is fluid contained within cells. In a 72-kg body containing 40 liters of fluid, about 25 liters is intracellular,[8] which amounts to 62.5%. Jackson’s texts states 70% of body fluid is intracellular.

Extracellular fluid (1/3 of body water) is fluid contained in areas outside of cells. For a 40-litre body, about 15 liters is extracellular, which amounts to 37.5%.

Plasma (1/5 of extracellular fluid). Of these 15 liters of extracellular fluid, plasma volume averages 3 liters, or 20%.

Interstitial fluid (4/5 of extracellular fluid)

Transcellular fluid contained inside organs, such as the gastrointestinal, cerebrospinal, peritoneal, and ocular fluids.

Where water is stored in your Body?

As you know our body is made up of 60% water then where it is stored…here is a list of organs with their water content

Body Organ	Water Content %
Brain and Heart	73%
Lungs	83%
Skin contains	64%
Muscles and kidneys	79%
Bones	31%

Food rich in Water Percentage

There are plenty of food source rich in water. Especially fruits and vegetable they are not only helping us to maintain body water percentage but also rich in Vitamins & fiber. Here is a list of food which are rich in water contents.

Name	Water Content Percentage
Cucumber	96%
Tomatoes	95%
Spinach	93%
Mushrooms	92%
Melon	91%
Broccoli	90%
Brussel sprouts	88%
Oranges	86%
Apples	85%
Blueberries	84%

Minimum Water Intake for Human Body

The minimum water requirement in general terms as the amount of water that equals water losses and prevents adverse effects of insufficient water such as dehydration.

Age	Advised Water for Human Body (ml/day)
0–6 months	700
6–12 months	800
1–2 years	1300
4–8 years	1700
9–13 years, boys	2400
9–13 years, girls	2100
14–18 years, boys	3300
14–18 years, girls	2300
Adult Men	3700
Adult Women	2700
Pregnant Women	3000
Lactating Women	3800

Excessive Human Body Water Content

Drinking an excess of water can cause a deadly electrolyte to shift in the body, most often known as hyponatremia, or low blood sodium.

Let thirst be your guide, listen to your body, and as always, if you are concerned about your individual body water percentage, speak with your physician for guidance.

How to calculate how much water you should drink to maintain Body water percentage?

You all are probably aware and heard this advice many times from people that says adults should drink six to eight glasses of water per day. The truth is, this is an estimate and the actual amount you should be drinking per day can vary quite significantly. There are multiple factors that can impact how much water you should be drinking.

Weight – Your weight is one variable that changes the amount of water you should be drinking

Exercise – Your exercise habits affect the amount of water you should be drinking, as well. It is advised to add one glass of water to your daily intake for every 30 minutes that you plan to work out. If you are exercising outside and it is very hot, you may need to add more.

There are several special considerations to maintaining a healthy hydration level. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you need to increase your fluid intake by one liter depending on how much you weigh. It is also important that you get a lot of your hydration from water.

There is an easy way to maintain the body water percentage is to pre-hydrate. In other words, drink before you start feeling thirsty, or before do an activity.

Also, monitor your urine. If you are adequately hydrated, you should be urinating about once every two to four hours, and your urine should be colorless or a very pale yellow (the color of hay or lighter). If it is darker than that, you haven’t had enough fluid.

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