Safety Tips: Dehydration

Do you know that our body is composed of average 60% water? And even a drop of 1.5% of water can lead to mild dehydration, which in turn could result to mood swing, drop in energy level and mental reasoning.

By definition, dehydration is a condition caused by the extreme loss of water from the body, which causes a rise in blood sodium levels.

Causes: Dehydration could be caused by excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, water loss is usually accompanied by a deficiency of electrolytes.

Symptoms and signs: Dehydration can be slight, such as increased thirst, or severe and life threatening, depending on the extent of the dehydration. Along with thirst, initial symptoms of dehydration include reduced urine output and darkening of the urine as it becomes more concentrated. If the condition progresses, other symptoms develop, including dry mouth, decreased perspiration, light headedness, muscle cramps, weakness, palpitations, and absent tear production by the eye. The skin may feel cool and sticky. Confusion, organ failure and coma leading to death eventually occur if dehydration is not corrected.

Prevention: To prevent dehydration, drink plenty of fluids and eat foods high in water such as fruits and vegetables. Letting thirst be your guide is an adequate daily guideline for most healthy people. Fluids can be obtained not just from water but also from other beverages and foods. But, if you're exercising, don't wait for thirst to keep up with your fluids.