Rebecca St. Clair
SCI/241
January 9, 2011
Ms. Katherine Jones, Ph D
Water is an essential nutrient that provides health maintenance by regulating body temperature, providing lubrication and shock absorption, and is essential to maintain proper physiologic functioning. Over half of the human body weight is comprised of water. Water helps to regulate many human body functions such as: body temperature, and the amount of water lost through kidney functions. Electrolytes are tri-fold and are comprised of Sodium, Potassium, and Chloride. Electrolytes assist with balancing body fluids. Dehydration can be life-threatening, and occurs when water loss exceeds water intake, and ultimately results in …show more content…
Water moves freely throughout the body in conjunction with electrolytes. The diffusion of water throughout cells within the body is called osmosis. Osmosis is relied upon to keep the level of water in the body’s’ compartments at the proper levels. The proper balance of water and electrolytes is essential for optimal physiologic functioning. Among the many roles water plays it also acts as a building material, a carrier for waste and nutrients in thermoregulation among other functions. Water is the one primary nutrient that is extremely essential for body hydration, it is a fact that the human body can only survive about 3 days without water – the body can last a lot longer without food than the essential nutrient – …show more content…
(n.d). Water as an essential nutrient: the physiological basis of hydration.[Review]. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Dehydration. (n.d). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Ddehydration. (2009). In Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com/entry/ebconcise/dehydration/1
Anderson, L. (2009). Lead Your Employees To Water and Urge Them To Drink!. EHS Today, 2(10), 45. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Body temperature. (n.d). Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Cheuvront, S., & Haymes, E. (2001). Thermoregulation and marathon running: biological and environmental influences. Sports Medicine, 31(10), 743-762. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Hobson, R. J. (n.d). Hydration Status and the Diuretic Action of a Small Dose of Alcohol.[Miscellaneous Article]. Alcohol & Alcoholism, 45(4), 366-373. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Andrea, H. (n.d). CAFFEINE: Reality Check. Current Health 1, 32(5), 12. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Perez, A. (1995). Electrolytes: restoring the balance. Hyperkalemia. RN, 58(11), 32-37. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Anonymous. (n.d). Electrolytes; Studies from University of Oxford further understanding of electrolytes. Life Science Weekly, 4042. Retrieved from