How Does Hydration Affect the Immune System?

What happens to your body when you do not receive enough water?

How much water should be consumed each day?

The body depends on water to survive. Humans are comprised of 50-60% water. The average human adult male is approximately 60% water and the average adult female is approximately 52% water but this can vary due to age, health, water intake and weight.  Every cell, tissue and organ in your body needs water to work properly. The body uses water to maintain its temperature, remove waste, and lubricate your joints.

Proper Hydration

Today we wanted to discuss how hydration affects the immune system. Proper hydration has a positive effect on your immune system in a few ways.

There is a physical element to your immune system and drinking water ensures that your eyes and mouth are moist so that they can repel dirt and parasites that can cause infection.

Water helps with your digestion providing adequate nutrition that will help you maintain a strong immune system.  Saliva, which is primarily water, is secreted into the mouth and helps you digest and dissolve food efficiently. Water continues through to your stomach toward the small intestine where most of the water you drink is absorbed. The lining of the small intestine is covered with tiny finger-like projections called villi that increase the surface area and water absorption. Water absorbed by the small intestine is transported through your body in blood.

Sometimes, materials build up in your blood that needs to be removed and that’s the next step of proper hydration – the kidneys which filter blood for waste and toxins. If you don’t drink enough water, toxins will build up and weaken your immune system.

Detoxifies

Drinking water also boosts the immune system through the production of lymph, a fluid that flows through the lymphatic system, that collects bacteria from the body and transports it to the lymph nodes where the bacteria is destroyed. The lymphatic system is a subsystem of the circulatory system and consists of a complex network of vessels, tissues and organs. The lymphatic system helps maintain fluid balance in the body collecting excess fluid and particulate matter from tissues and depositing them in the bloodstream. It also helps defend the body against infection by supplying disease-fighting cells called lymphocytes that determine the specificity of the immune response to infectious microorganisms and other foreign substances.

Finally, chronic dehydration reduces the number of amino acids needed by your body to produce a natural chemical called melatonin that helps you to sleep and lack of sleep is very hard on the immune system.

Just remember that water is essential to overall good health and our bodies are healthiest when properly hydrated.

How much water do you currently drink?

What are some ways you can add more water to your daily routine?

If you have missed any of the articles in our series or our videos not to worry click below:
                 Vitamin D: Blog   Video
                 Exercise & Meditation: Video
                 Nutrition: Blog     Video
                 Hydration:   Video
                 Sleep: Blog     Video
                 Laughter: Blog    Video
                 Vitamin C: Blog   Video

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