I’m not a fan of drinking water and would rather drink juice or tea.  How much water should I drink a day and how do I tell if I’m dehydrated? Lucy

Dear Lucy

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Dehydration is the state of loss of water from the body. It can be due to loss of water from the body due to diarrhoea, vomiting or inadequate intake in proportion to the need. The need varies, as per the habits of the person, type of work done and the existing climate.

Mild dehydration is manifested by dryness of the mouth, increased thirst, palpitations, and weakness. Severe dehydration is characterised by dry parched tongue, dry skin, intense thirst, palpitations, listlessness, muscular weakness, and etcetera.

Water forms almost 70 per cent of the body’s constitution. It is vital to maintain hydration and electrolyte balance of the body. It forms a solvent for various nutrients, like water soluble vitamins, maintains soft texture of the skin, aids in digestion and absorption of necessary nutrients, bowel movement, helps in formation of saliva, and is useful for various metabolic processes.

Tea is stimulant of the brain, makes one feel alert, green tea has antioxidant properties, that is, it prevents degeneration of body cells and helps to rejuvenate body tissues and prevents aging. But excess assumption of tea leads to heart burn, peptic ulcer disease and sleep disturbances.

Soft drinks contain enough sugar to add calories, which is a risk factor for obesity and related health problems like diabetes, hypertension and other health problems. They are one of the causes for functional dyspepsia and even peptic ulcer disease. Chemicals present in soft drinks as flavouring agents or, preservatives, can cause precipitation or aggravation of allergy related problems like bronchial asthma, allergic cough, cold, and etcetera. The disadvantages of soft drinks outweigh the advantages, that is, for refreshing a person.

Tea or soft drinks though fluid in nature cannot become substitute for water. It is difficult to state precisely how much water an adult should drink per day. Different studies suggest one to two litres per day.

Dr Rachna Pande  is a specialist in internal medicine at Ruhengeri Hospital