Dehydration Affect Mood

When feeling tired come, difficulty concentrating, and no desire to complete the activities that must be resolved, you need to be vigilant. It could be an early symptom of dehydration, namely the lack of body fluids. Mild dehydration can affect performance, cognitive ability, and mood.

Research conducted hydration experts and kinesiology University of Connecticut, United States, Lawrence E Armstrong, and neurokognisi experts from the Institute of Environmental Medicine, U.S. Army Research Center in Natick, Massachusetts, Harris R Lieberman, last year, showed, mild dehydration can reduce the ability to think , concentrating, ability to remember, to stimulate the emotions that interfere with mood (mood).

Lecturer Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia and member of the Indonesian Medical Association Physician Nutrition, Dr.Saptawati Bardosono, some time ago, reveals, the impact of dehydration on cognitive abilities and mood are more vulnerable for women than men.

When the body fluid is reduced 1.3 percent, cognitive and mood disturbances have occurred in women. In this case, women become more tired, irritable, confusion, drowsiness, loss of concentration, dizziness, and difficulty in completing tasks.

For men, the disorder occurs when your body's water shortage reached 1.5 percent.

"Women are more susceptible to dehydration because it has a higher fat composition than men. The men have a higher muscle composition. In addition, the water component in women is lower and there are hormonal factors that make them more sensitive to dehydration, "said a specialist in nutrition clinic at the same time lecturer Department of Nutritional Sciences Faculty of medicine, Luciana B Sutanto.

Percentage dehydration rate equal to the percentage of weight loss. Dehydration of 1 percent comparable to small run on a treadmill for 40 minutes. The dehydration of 2 percent is comparable with 2 x 40 minute small run on a treadmill, and so on.

Reduced levels of concentration and mood disturbance also appears in those who fasted for 23 hours drinking. Lack of body fluids also cause anxiety and decrease the spirit of the move.

Signs of dehydration

Dr.Saptawati said, the easiest to recognize signs of mild to moderate dehydration are dry mouth and sticky, dry eyes, muscle weakness, headache, and dizziness or glare when viewing ray.

It also can be seen from the number and color of urine is removed. The less urine is removed, the higher the potential for dehydration. The more intense yellow color of urine is released, without the consumption of drugs or certain foods, the more severe dehydration.

Symptoms of severe dehydration is indicated by severe thirst, very sleepy and confused, the body does not sweat, your skin feels dry and less elastic. Other signs are sunken eyes, body chills, low blood pressure, rapid pulse, until loss of consciousness.

The greater the degree of dehydration, the more serious implications, even deadly.

"Worse, a third person was experiencing misinterpret thirst as hunger," said Dr.Saptawati. When you feel dizzy, people tend to look for food, not drink immediately.

The role of water

Water is a substance that is essential for the body because 70 percent of our bodies of water. Functions of water in the body is as a regulator of body temperature, moisturizes the mouth, eyes and nose, lubricating joints, and protects organs and tissues.

The presence of water helped ease the workload of the kidneys and liver by dissolving the remnants of metabolism, prevent constipation or difficult bowel movements, helps to dissolve minerals and nutrients can be utilized for the body and bring nutrients and oxygen to the cells.

Lack of fluid intake has implications for the increased risk of various diseases, such as kidney stones and urinary tract infections, cancer of the colon and urinary tract, obesity in children and adolescents, high blood pressure (hypertension), blockage of veins, up to coronary heart disease.

Luciana said the discharge from the body can occur with the unconscious, such as through urine and feces, or unconsciously through breathing and perspiration. The average amount of water released by human adult 2200-2700 milliliter (ml). The largest number came from 1200-1500 ml of urine and sweat as much as 500-600 ml.

The amount of water coming out of the body is influenced by age, gender, body surface area, temperature and humidity environment, physical activity or exercise, and illnesses suffered by a person.

The highest water requirement contained in the age group 25-55 years, reaching 35 ml per kilogram of body weight. That is, someone who was 30 years old and weigh 60 kilograms, then the water needs to reach 2100 ml per day or equivalent of 8-10 glasses of starfruit.

Their greater weight, the water needs higher than the lean. For those who are younger or older than 55 years, needs less water.

Water intake can be obtained through the drinks and food, especially the fibrous and watery. Actually the body's metabolism also produces water, but the numbers are very small, 11-14 percent of total water demand. This deficiency must be supplied from beverages and foods.