Water: An Overlooked Essential Nutrient (Essay Sample)

Water: An overlooked essential nutrient Student’s name Institutional Affiliation Water: An overlooked essential nutrient Hydration in the body is the achievement of water levels in all tissues according to the requirements. Hydration can be achieved through various ways, either by intake of fluids such as water, beverages or by clinical infusion of intravenous fluids when there is severe dehydration. Hydration is essential since it optimizes various chemical processes in the body which require water molecules in order to take place optimally. Additionally, it is a major contributor towards regulation of blood pressure, digestion and excretion of toxic substances from the body through the kidney, liver and sweat glands. On the other hand, it is required for metabolism and temperature regulation. Usually, water contains mineral salts that are necessary for the body such potassium, sodium, chlorides and fluoride among others (Kenney,Wilmore, Costill, & Wilmore, 2012). Currently, hydration can be achieved through oral intake of water and other fluids that have been enhanced to become a source of energy such as Gatorade and Powerade. These drinks have sucrose, salt, citric acid, dextrose, and flavors. Therefore, they are mostly used as a sports drink. However, there are advantages and disadvantages for each of these drinks towards the human health. In reality, water can be consumed by everyone, but the other enhanced beverages may not be consumed by everyone due to various health conditions in which a particular group of people is advised otherwise. Furthermore, there are differences from each with regard to sources, cost, advantages, and disadvantages of consuming any of them. It is stipulated that water makes about 60% of the total body weight. Due to the numerous processes in the body that utilize water, some of it is continuously lost through various ways. This calls for a daily replacement to keep it at recommended levels in the body. The recommended water intake per day for adults is approximately 3 liters for males and about 2.5 liters for females. The reason for high requirements in men is because they have more muscle mass than their counterparts which leads to high metabolism rate and water consumption. However, these amounts may be greater in some instances depending on the physical activities undertaken by individuals. As well, the water provides the body with the necessary mineral salts. Sodium is crucial for the regulation of blood pressure and muscle contraction and relaxation. A 3.5 to 5.0 mmol of potassium is also required for proper functioning of the heart and calcium for nerve impulse transmission, bone, and teeth strength. These minerals can equally be obtained from Gatorade and Powerade albeit in different amounts. Water is readily available, and the bottled water that is commercially sold is relatively cheap than the other drinks. Intake of water has no restrictions since the body has its own mechanisms of getting rid of the excess water through diuresis and sweating. In contrast, Gatorade and Powerade are composed of sucrose, dextrose, mineral salts, vitamins, flavoring agents, coloring agents and citric acid. For this reason, their cost is relatively higher than that of bottled water. In addition, they are commonly used in sports and rarely taken in instances where there is no physical activity carried out. The reason for this is because their primary purpose is to replenish water and lost energy during the physical activity. Gatorade and Powerade are manufactured by Gatorade and Coca-Cola companies respectively, and these products are available to the public in supermarkets and ordinary shops. They are suitable for electrolyte replacement. While undertaking physical activities, electrolytes are lost together with water from the body. Hence it is necessary that they are replaced to prevent muscle cramps and dehydration. Sugars in them are a source of energy required for these activities. Regardless of these advantages, there are also numerous disadvantages of using these energy giving drinks. First, they are very expensive and can be too costly for an institution or an individual who uses them on a regular basis. Secondly, the contents in these drinks are not recommended to be consumed for everyone, unlike water. Some people have medical conditions in which sugar, mineral salts and other ingredients of these drinks are contraindicated. For instance, diabetic individuals are not supposed to consume sugary substances as these since they can aggravate their condition. High mineral salts in them can lead to a rise in blood pressure in people who are susceptible which may eventually lead to a stroke. Food colors in these drinks are known to be risk facto...