Why do you need water?
How much water in our organs?
Water is the largest constituent of the human body: Total body water averages at 60% of body weight.¹
The water content of various organs ranges from 83% in blood to only 10% in adipose tissue.²
Water content of different organs and tissue²
Go further
About two thirds of this water is located in the intracellular compartment, and one third in the extracellular compartment (plasma and interstitial fluids).¹
Water is essential to our main physiological functions:
- Water acts as a medium to support numerous metabolic reactions
- Water, as the main component of blood, carries:
- nutrients, hormones, and other compounds to the cells
- metabolic waste products away from the cells, for excretion from the body³ - Water is the solvent that assists the elimination of the soluble metabolic wastes by the kidneys, through the production of urine
- Water ensures body temperature regulation. It is the major constituent of sweat, and through its evaporation from the surface of the skin, it helps dissipate excess body heat
References
- Armstrong LE. Hydration assessment techniques. Nutr Rev. 2005;63:S40-54.
- Pivarnik JM, Palmer RA. Water and electrolyte balance during rest and exercise. 1994:245-62. In Nutrition in Exercise and Sport, I. Wolinsky and J.F.Hickson, Eds. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press.
- Kleiner SM. Water: an essential but overlooked nutrient. J Am Diet Assoc. 1999;99:200-6.