Staying Hydrated for Better Health and Wellness

Staying hydrated is an essential part of maintaining health. Drinking healthy fluids throughout the day helps the body detoxify and is critical in maintaining temperature control and proper blood viscosity. Seniors, in particular, generally do not drink enough water.

Why are we told to stay hydrated for our health? At Natural Eye Care, we care about the eyes and the body. Thus, keeping the body’s fluid balance is part of maintaining vision health. While 60% of the human body is composed of water, the eye is 98% water. Dehydration impairs the functioning of all systems in the body. Overhydration is also dangerous. In this article, we discuss the benefits of hydration, the deleterious effects of chronic dehydration, and how much water you need to drink.

Benefits of Drinking Water

Water helps to keep every system in the body functioning properly. Essential benefits include:

• Protecting organs and tissues
• Regulating temperature
• Maintaining electrolyte (sodium) balance
• Normalizing blood pressure
• Transporting oxygen
• Aiding digestion
• Eliminating waste
• Flushing bacteria from your bladder
• Cushioning and lubrication of joints, the surface of the eyes, and the mouth
• Carrying nutrients and oxygen to your cells
• Preventing constipation

Dehydration Effects

Chronic dehydration increases the risk of:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Cardiovascular disease
• Dementia
• Kidney and lung disease

Eye Health and Hydration

The aqueous humor and the vitreous humor contain most of the water in the eyes. The aqueous humor is the white bulb at the front of the eyeball. It keeps the eye at the right pressure. The aqueous humor has its own circulation, providing antioxidants to the front of the eye. The vitreous humor maintains the integrity of the back of the eyes.

Frequent dehydration can make the eyes more prone to eye conditions and even serious eye diseases.

Dry Eyes

Proper hydration supports tear production, keeps eyes lubricated, and helps maintain overall eye health.

We blink about 20,000 times a day. Each time, the surface of the eye is carefully lubricated with fluid.

Proper tear production is essential for lubricating the eyes, washing away irritants, and protecting them from infection. Adequate hydration facilitates the natural detoxification of the eyes and the whole body. It also helps maintain intraocular pressure. (Imbalances in intraocular pressure are the primary symptom of glaucoma.)

Vitreous Tears and Detachments

Chronic dehydration can dry the vitreous humor. If this part of the eye shrinks, it tugs on tissue that connects to the retina. Vitreous tears and detachments, retinal tears and detachments, and macula holes are potentially vision-damaging problems. They are most common in seniors.

Double Vision

Chronic dehydration can lead to corneal irregularities, an unstable tear film, and excessive tearing. These issues may cause double vision (diplopia) in each eye independently. Over time, chronic dehydration can also alter the shape of the eye, potentially resulting in nearsightedness (myopia). In severe cases, it may even cause damage to the cornea.

Eye Fatigue

A 2015 study found that even mild dehydration can lead to eye fatigue and reduced focus. This can impact your ability to spend extended periods on activities like using a computer or reading without becoming tired.

Cataracts

The internal lens of the eyes behind the cornea needs to be continually bathed in fluid. Moisture provides the nourishment and antioxidants needed to maintain the lens’s health. These eye fluids help protect the lens from breaking down and forming cataracts. Severe diarrhea, for example, can cause extreme dehydration, leading to lens damage and potentially cataracts.

Excess water consumption resulting in over-hydration can, ironically, increase the risk of cataracts and glaucoma.

Glaucoma

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors (CAI) are often prescribed to glaucoma patients. These eye drops are designed to rid the body of excess water to help reduce eye pressure. Therefore, they can contribute to dehydration. People taking CAIs for glaucoma or IIHTN need to be aware that this medication can cause dehydration, and therefore, they must drink enough fluids.

When You Feel Very Dehydrated

By the time you feel thirsty, you are already starting to become dehydrated. At the end of this article, see our tips for consuming water. However, feeling constantly thirsty may be a sign of disease. If you have excess thirst, consider the following:

Sjogren’s Syndrome

This is an autoimmune disease that attacks the organs of the body that produce fluids. Constant dry eyes and a dry mouth are symptoms. It can damage other parts of the body as well, including the largest artery of the body, the aorta. People with Sjogren’s syndrome often have other autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus which can also affect the eye.

Addison’s Disease

This adrenal gland disorder can lead to dehydration, which may result in a stroke of the optic nerve.

Diabetes Mellitus

One of the earliest signs of diabetes is persistent thirst and frequent urination. Diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States.

Hydration and Cognitive Performance

Dehydration can influence cognition. Mild levels of dehydration can produce disruptions in mood and cognitive functioning. This is particularly of concern for the very young and elderly.

Mild dehydration produces alterations in cognitive functions such as concentration, alertness, and short-term memory in children (10–12 years old), ¹ young adults (18–25 years old) ² and ³ in older individuals, 50–82 years old. ⁴

Mild to moderate levels of dehydration can impair performance on tasks such as short-term memory, visuomotor tracking, perceptual discrimination, arithmetic ability, and psychomotor skills. ^{5 6}

Dehydration is a risk factor for delirium, and delirium presenting as dementia, in seniors and the very ill. ^{7 8}

Kidney Function

The kidneys are crucial in regulating water balance and blood pressure and removing waste from the body. In addition to regulating fluid balance, the kidneys require water for the filtration of waste from the bloodstream and excretion through urine. Water excretion through the kidneys removes solutes from the blood.

Gastrointestinal Function

The small intestine absorbs the majority of consumed water. The colon absorbs small amounts as well. ⁹

Inadequate fluid consumption is a common contributor to constipation. In older adults, low fluid intake is a significant predictor of increased occurrences of acute constipation.^{10 11}

Heart Function and Hemodynamic Response

Blood volume, blood pressure, and heart rate are closely linked, with water intake and output regulated by the kidneys.

In healthy individuals, minor changes in heart rate and vasoconstriction help regulate blood pressure by compensating for normal fluctuations in blood volume. ¹² Water intake acutely reduces heart rate and increases blood pressure in both normotensive and hypertensive individuals. ¹³

Headaches from Dehydration

Water deprivation and dehydration can lead to headaches. ¹⁴ Dehydration can lead to impaired concentration and increased irritability. It can also serve as a trigger for migraines and prolonged migraines. ^{15 16}

For those who have water deprivation-induced headaches, drinking water provides relief from a headache in most individuals within 30 min to 3 hours. ¹⁷

The Chlorination Controversy

Chlorine is an inexpensive way to protect against bacteria and infectious diseases in our drinking water, but more and more studies indicate chlorine ingestion can increase the risk of bladder cancer by 33% and colorectal cancer by 15%. ^{18 19 20}

Colorectal carcinomas are the 3rd most common tumors in both men and women, including specific sites in the colon and rectum, associated with long-term exposure to water disinfectants in drinking water. The risk can be increased in the large intestine depending on the concentration and frequency of exposure.

The process of disinfecting water with chlorine creates THMs byproducts. This is found in virtually all public drinking water systems in the US and EU.

The US and EU set limits on byproducts at 80 parts per billion (ppb) and 100 ppb, respectively. However, new research points to increased cancer risks at levels as low as 40ppb, which has been found in New York City.

When chlorine is added to water, it reacts with organic compounds, like decaying plant material, to create any number of hundreds of potentially toxic byproducts. The most common chlorine byproducts are chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane, and chlorodibromomethane. These are known to be genotoxic and carcinogenic to rats.

Ways to Reduce Chlorine in Drinking Water

Water processing plants can use alternatives to chlorine, such as treating the water with ultraviolet light or installing new filtration systems, although these options can be expensive.

The risks can also be reduced by these plants adding calcium and magnesium and removing iron from drinking water. ^{21 22}

Boiling drinking water is another effective measure for reducing tumor risks related to drinking water with chlorine. ²³

Install a water filter at home. Granulated activated carbon is among the best filtration systems available at home to remove these contaminants.

Add alkalizing drops or lemon to your drinking water.

Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Favor organically grown food, which contains fewer contaminants.

How Much Water Should I Drink Per Day?

Most people need about four to six cups of plain water each day. Most people can benefit from drinking 8-10 glasses of water daily, best taken in 4oz doses at a time. The ideal amount of water can vary based on health conditions, medications, activity level, and ambient temperature.

Our recent blog post discussed the dangers of ongoing exposure to microplastics. When on the go, drink water from glass bottles or glass-lined thermoses instead of plastic bottles. At home, favor safe drinking vessels that are not made from plastic.

Suggested Supplements

Advanced Eye & Vision Support Formula (whole food) 60 vcaps

Dr. Grossman’s Meso Plus Retinal Support and Computer Eye Strain Formula with Astaxanthin 90 vcaps

Dr. Grossman’s Bilberry/Ginkgo Combination 2oz (60ml)

ReVision Formula (wild-crafted herbal formula) 2 oz – based on classic Chinese medicine Liver tonic formula to help support healthy circulation and blood flow throughout the eyes and body.

H2 Elite Molecular Hydrogen 60 tabs

NMN Wonderfeel Capsul 60 vegcaps

Packages

Dr. Grossman’s Advanced Eye and Dr. G’s Whole Food Superfood Multi120 Vcap Combo – 2 months supply

Recommended Books

Natural Brain Support: Your Guide to Preventing and Treating Alzheimer’s, Dementia, and Other Related Diseases Naturally

Natural Parkinson’s Support: Your Guide to Preventing and Managing Parkinson’s