There are lots of side effects of not drinking enough water. Water is a very important part of the human body, it is something one can’t do without, water brings and is life, 80% of the human body is water and this is why it is of great importance to always drink water, if you don’t drink enough water, it will tell on your health.
The side effects of not drinking enough water are numerous to mention but in this article, we will be listing the 7 most important side effects, come along as you go through the article to know more.
1. It Leads to Constant Headache.
The brain needs water to function that is why when it lacks water it can lead to the side effects of constant headache, it’s not all headache that needs medications. When you feel a headache next time think about when you drank enough and had rest.
After taking water and resting your head a little, you might not need to take any medication again before the headache stops. So note that one of the side effects of not drinking enough water is headaches to know when and how to treat that constant headache before it leads to something else.
2. It Can Cause Weight Gain.
Do you know that drinking enough water can help you lose weight? When you gain weight a little sometimes, there shouldn’t be any cause for alarm but when it continues none stop or become uncontrollable then you should be worried, this can lead to heart disease, diabetes, other dangerous health conditions, obesity, and more. Instead of drinking beverages and other drinks that contain lots of sugar, why not seize the opportunity to drink enough water, water is satisfying and it flushes the system of sugar and other fat-causing germs.
3. It Can Cause Skin Damage.
Drinking enough water helps your body stay hydrated and looks plumping which make makes you look youthful and vibrant. Drinking enough water can even help you to reduce acne and other skin conditions
One of the side effects of not drinking enough water a that it can cause great damage to your .skin, if you want your skin to look hydrated and healthy, always drink enough water. Not drinking enough water can lead to ageing, which causes wrinkles, cracks, and fine lines.
This is why people use skincare products with moisturizers and hydrating skincare products that will help them complement their intake of water so that they can achieve the beautiful look they desire. But when all moisturizing and beauty care products fail to work on your skin, please try drinking enough water to flush toxins and dead skin.
4. It Can Lead to Bad Breath.
These side effects of not drinking enough water should not be neglected because your mouth needs water to produce saliva and it will also help you rinse bacteria away from your mouth so that your gum and your teeth will remain healthy. When you don’t drink enough water, your saliva reduces which leads to the building of bacteria in your tongue, your teeth, and even gum and this leads to bad breath.
If you are taking care of your oral health very well and you still notice that you are having bad breath please try the intake of enough water and see the difference but in a situation where you have tried drinking enough water and it didn’t stop the bad breath try to see your doctor to know if there is a condition like gum disease, kidney or liver problem, and/or maybe it’s type 2 diabetes.
Read Also:How To Get Acne Free Glowing Skin Naturally
5. It Causes Constipation.
Water helps you to get digestion easily and it also helps your bowel movements which help your stool to be soft and pass through the digestive tract easily. One of the side effects of not drinking enough water is making your body snatch water from your stool to restore the loss of fluid and this leads to a hard stool which is difficult to pass through your digestive tract. If you are finding it difficult to stool and your bowel movements are not normal, try to drink enough water to relieve your stool and loosen bloating and constipation.
6. Reduces Urination.
If your body is not hydrated, your kidney will conserve fluid as much as it can conserve to maintain its function. This is what leads to the reduction of urination, these side effects of not drinking enough water can change your urine colour and make it darker, the smell will even be stronger than normal and the appearance will look cloudy.
At this point, there is a higher risk of getting a urinary tract infection, this is because your body is lacking enough water to wash out bacteria and toxins. When you start drinking enough water you start urinating more frequently, then the colour of your urine will look brighter and the odour will not be too strong to perceive.
7. Constant Sickness.
The side effects of not drinking enough water can cause sickness to the health because drinking enough water will help your body to regulate well and flush out bacteria, waste, toxins, and even infection, drinking enough water will even go as far as strengthening the immune system so that you will not fall sick often.
If it seems like you get sick too often why not try drinking enough water to get your body toxins free and help it to function well. Not drinking enough water can result in fatigue which may make you not be active during the day, this can weaken your immune system. So please for the sake of your health drink enough water.
Is it Possible to Drink Too Much Water?
Having known the side effects of not drinking enough water, you may want to know or ask yourself if it’s possible to drink too much water. Well, it is almost difficult to see or hear about someone that has drank too much water but just as there are side effects of not drinking enough water, that is exactly how you will get side effects of drinking too much water which is also known as water intoxication.
As explained before, every part of your body needs water to function, your brain, your bones, your blood, and other parts but that doesn’t mean you should overdo it because you heard that water is good for the body. Remember the saying that ” moderation is the key” and the one that says “too much of everything is bad” so when considering the side effects of not drinking enough water try to consider what if the water becomes too much. That said, let’s look at the effects of too much water in the body.
Side Effects of Drinking Too Much Water.
Drinking too much water whereby reacting to your body can be termed water poisoning, water intoxication as said before, and can also be termed disturbance of brain function. All the above-listed conditions can only happen when water in the body cell is too much even the brain cell, making them swell, and if the cell in the brain is swollen, it will result in pressure in the brain. This pressure in the brain will result in experiencing things like headaches, confusion, and drowsiness. When this pressure is not taken care of at runtime it can lead to hypertension which is also known as high blood pressure and other conditions.
One of the things that is most affected when you take too much water is sodium, it is the electrolyte, and it can lead to conditions called hyponatremia. This sodium is a very important element that helps to keep the fluid balance of the body in and out of the cells. When the level of this sodium drops due to too much water in the body, water gets inside the sodium cell, this will make the cell swell, which will put the person at risk of developing seizures, making the person go into a coma and even loss of life.
How Will You Know You Are Taking Too Much Water?
Your urine colour: the best way you can know if you are drinking enough water or if you have taken too much water is to survey your urine colour. This urine colour often varies from creamy yellow to tea-coloured because of the mixture of the colouring and the level of water in your body. If your urine is always clear as water, not having any colour at all, this is a first sign to know that you are drinking too much water.
Too Much Urination:
Another sign side effect of drinking too much water is if you are urinating too much, normally, if you are drinking enough water and not overdrinking it, the average times you should urinate is at least six to eight times a day, if you urinate up to ten times a day, it is manageable for people that have an amount of water intake a day or for people that drinks alcohol or caffeine but when it exceeds this level please go for a check-up immediately.
Forcing Yourself to Drink Water Even When You Are Not Tasty:
Another way to avoid the effect of too much water in the body is to know when you are thirsty and when your body lack or needs water, your body will tell you when you need water because it can fight dehydration. When you are thirsty, you are responding to dehydration which is water calling, this should be your guide.
Constant Headache:
Having a constant headaches can signify two things, it is a side effect of drinking too much water and also a side effect of not drinking enough water, when there is too much water in the body, the level of salt in your body goes down which makes the cell to swell. When the cell swells, it will grow in size. When this happens, the cell in the brain will start to squeeze against your skull, this can lead to constant headaches which can also make you have trouble breathing or can even cause brain damage.
Vomiting and Nausea:
This too is one of the side effects of drinking too much water, when there is too much water in your body, your kidney can not remove the excess water, this will start to collect in the body and it will lead to vomiting, diarrhoea, and even nausea.
Fatigue or Tiredness:
Another side effect of drinking too much water or having excess water in the body is when you always feel weak or tired. Too much water can make your kidney overwork to eliminate the extra amount. This will result in a hormone that will make you always feel tired. After drinking too much water, if you are finding it difficult to get out of your bed, this simply explains that your kidney is overworking itself.
With all these one can only help to wonder about the amount of water you should drink a day. Let’s take a look at that.
What is the amount of water to drink a day?
Though some people say you should take at least eight to ten glasses of water a day truth remains that there’s no specific amount of water that should be taken, the amount of water your body needs depends on sex, climate, body weight, and the level of your physical activity.
Women between the ages of 18-and 30 years should drink at least 2.5 – to 3 liters of water, a day, and men of the same age range should drink at least 3.5 – to 4 liters of water a day. When you rely on the level of how tasty you are, it might not work for everybody, especially for pregnant women, athletes, and even older people.
Conclusion.
Now you know the side effects of not drinking enough water and also the side effects of drinking too much water, when things are not properly done it causes problems and like I said earlier too much of everything is bad, moderation is best in all you do, so note that as much as drinking of water is good your body, please don’t overdo it to avoid problems.
Read Also: 14 High Blood Pressure Food to Avoid
