Maria Kulishova, a biochemist, announced that the risk of body dehydration increases in the summer season, which is fraught with a number of life-threatening complications. Kulishova revealed to the newspaper "Izvestia" the consequences of body dehydration and the correct drinking regimen for the summer. The expert notes that losing 20-22 percent of body fluids is a serious and critical matter. Since the body typically loses fluids more in the summer than in other seasons, it is essential to follow a correct drinking regimen.
She adds, explaining that when the body loses fluids equating to 1 percent of body weight, thermoregulation is disrupted, leading to thirst. When the body loses a higher percentage, a person experiences discomfort, dry mouth, and loss of appetite. If the body loses 4 percent of its fluids, work capacity decreases by 20-30 percent, and losing more than that can lead to difficulties in concentration, headaches, and drowsiness. A loss of 10 percent of fluids can be life-threatening.
The expert advises increasing water intake during the summer. For an individual weighing 70 kg, the normal daily requirement is about 3 liters at regular temperatures; in hot weather, this need rises to 4-6 liters per day, depending on weight. She emphasizes the necessity and importance of choosing the right drink to quench thirst, asserting that pure water is the most suitable beverage.
She states, "Tea, coffee, and juices can also be part of daily fluid intake. However, consuming 6 liters of these drinks daily brings in quantities of sugar, caffeine, and taurine, which place additional strain on the heart and kidneys. Thus, it is better to drink pure water to compensate for fluid losses in the body." According to her, drinking mineral water is also not recommended, as excessive intake of such waters threatens the accumulation of excess salts after fluids evaporate from the body through sweating and breathing.
She adds that bottled waters may contain plastic particles that negatively affect health. Therefore, it is preferable to drink filtered tap water.
