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Q: Where does the body lose water from? ( Answered 5 out of 5 stars,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Where does the body lose water from?
Category: Science > Biology
Asked by: spurious-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 21 Mar 2003 04:18 PST
Expires: 20 Apr 2003 05:18 PDT
Question ID: 179100
Assuming you are a typical adult in a middle-eastern desert over a
period of a week with a moderate, rationed water supply, access to
shade but doing a typical day's activities outdoors, how will your
water loss breakdown be? (eg 5 liters a day - 30% breathing, 20%
sweat, rest urine and feces)

I'm not expecting much for a buck and a half. The internet must have
something already out there.  Otherwise an educated guess from a
physiologist, etc.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Where does the body lose water from?
Answered By: jeanwil-ga on 21 Mar 2003 05:57 PST
Rated:5 out of 5 stars
 
Hi spurious-ga,

Here are some information that might prove helpful to you.

Water and Your Body 
Water Loss

“Adults lose nearly two to three quarts (12 cups) of water every day!
We lose one half cup to one cup a day from the soles of our feet.
Another two to four cups are lost from breathing. Perspiration
accounts for another two cups. Another three pints (six cups) are lost
in urine. Urine output decreases and becomes very concentrated when
you don't take in enough water. Since there is no way for your body to
store water, it sets up a priority system for the amount that has been
made available by intake. When you are dehydrated, your body rations
and recylces water. All water losing functions are reduced. Toxic
waste are dumped into tissues, fat, joints and muscles instead being
eliminated.”

http://www.fit-fine.com/drinwatforli.html

“Perspiration or sweating is the body's way to deal with the heat
generated from exercise or heat in the environment. As water
evaporates on the surface of the skin, heat is lost to the
environment. Body water is routinely lost via perspiration and by the
humidification of the air that enters and leaves the lungs. This
so-called insensible water loss amounts to about 50 mL/h. Some water
is lost in the voiding of wastes via the urine and feces as well. The
average adult looses about 0.7 L of sweat/day but sweat losses can be
as much as 2.5 L per hour. Hot, dry climates, exercise, and fever
increase water losses from the skin and lungs. Humid environments
decrease the degree to which sweat vaporizes. In a dry environnment,
most of the sweat produced, even in extreme exercise, evaporates into
the air. Diarrhea can result in very large water losses.
Water must be replaced to maintain fluid balance. Water imbalances of
only 1-2% can lead to illness or even death. No minimum daily
requirement for water has been established, although a general
guideline is set at eight glasses of water per day. People who engage
in strenuous exercise or work outside in hot climates, have a fever,
vomiting, diarrhea, or excessive urine losses, those on high protein
diets or taking diuretics have increased fluid needs.”

http://www.sweating.net/

Keeping Cool in the Heat 
“…Keep in mind that heavy perspiration can cause you to lose 12, 14 or
even 16 glasses a day.”
http://www.bottledwaterweb.com/statistics.html

NUTRIENT SUMMARY:
WATER AND THE ELECTROLYTES
http://www.vnv.org.au/Nutrients/Water&Electrolytes.htm

“Hydration Guidelines 
Another important aspect of bowling nutrition is hydration. 
The body is composed of approximately 60% water, and an adequate
amount of body water is essential for proper body function. The body
keeps cool by sweating, though this results in the loss of body fluids
and electrolytes. The amount of fluid lost depends not only on the
environmental temperature but on the humidity as well. Although there
are some electrolytes lost in sweat, particularly sodium and chloride,
there is a much greater proportion of water lost. Therefore replacing
the water is far more important than the replacement of electrolytes.
A decrease of 2% of body weight is known to significantly decrease
performance. For a 60 kg person, this equates to a loss of 1.2 kg.
During bowling, players have been measured to lose between 0.2 to 0.6
litres of fluid per hour. Therefore, if the fluid is not replaced,
players may be reaching a level which will affect their performance
after only two hours. Greater levels of dehydration can potentially
lead to health problems. Thirst is not a good indicator of when your
body needs fluid. By the time you are thirsty, you probably have
already lost more than 2% of your body weight.
The ideal replacement fluid consists mostly of water. The temperature
of the fluid should be cool not warm, as this enables more rapid
movement of the fluid out of the stomach. Cool water also helps to
reduce body temperature. If a tournament is going to last for an
extended period, try to take drinks regularly (every 15-20 minutes).
Also, you should aim to be well hydrated prior to exercise (a couple
of glasses of water 15-20 minutes prior to playing). Drinking coffee
or other drinks containing caffeine is not recommended. Caffeine is a
diuretic, which means it causes the body to lose more fluid.
Most fluid is lost from the body through sweating. Fluid is also lost
when you go to the toilet, and through the lungs. You can calculate
how much fluid your body is losing. If you measure your body weight
before and after training or before and after playing games, the
difference between the two measures will tell you how much fluid you
lost. Every 1 kg of body weight is equivalent to 1 litre of fluid. If
you also take into account how much you drink, you can calculate how
much fluid you lost through sweating.
With regular drinking you should be able to easily maintain a good
body hydration level. “

http://www.topendsports.com/bowlingscience/nutrition.htm

Water: The Nutrient
http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/foods/g918.htm

BUSINESS DRINKING ON THE RUN
http://64.78.7.75/features/2003/feb/drinking.cfm



Hope this helps.


Best regards,

jeanwil-ga

search words 'water loss from the body''loss of water from the body'
etc
spurious-ga rated this answer:5 out of 5 stars
Thanks for the quick response, jeanwil-ga.

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