How much does hydration matter? It turns out, a lot! Consider this fact. You can survive for weeks without a meal, but you’ll only last a few days if your water supply runs out. Have you ever thought about the role water plays in how well you absorb nutrients, another lifeline to wellbeing? Science shows that consuming enough fluid helps you get the most nutritional benefits from what you eat.
Mechanisms of Water in Nutrient Absorption
What happens when you eat a delicious meal? You digest it, of course! And it all starts in your mouth, where saliva plays a leading role. It’s saliva, that liquid that helps your mouth stay moist, that breaks down the food you eat into smaller particles. Unless you break those food particles down, enzymes that help you put those nutrients to use won’t be able to do their job.
Once the food you eat reaches your stomach, digestive acids help with the digestive process. From there, it heads to your small intestines where water plays another critical role. If you don’t consume enough water, the intestinal cells in your small intestines will be less efficient at carrying nutrients across the thin lining of your intestinal barrier and into your bloodstream.
When your intestines absorb nutrients, they do so by two pathways: paracellular and transcellular. Your small intestines are lined with epithelial cells. Between the epithelial cells are tight junctions that allow movement of fluid and nutrients across the intestinal barrier. This is the paracellular pathway of nutrient absorption.
The other pathway, the transcellular pathway, allows movement of fluid and nutrients across the membranes of intestinal cells (enterocytes) directly. You need water for both pathways to work efficiently.
Now let’s explore the mechanisms of water in nutrient absorption, let’s see how hydration impacts the absorption of specific nutrients.
Importance of Water in Nutrient Absorption
You need water to absorb the micronutrients you take in too. These include vitamins and minerals, substances that are critical, but you need in smaller quantities. Vitamins absorption, for example, is highly impacted by water. Certain vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they dissolve in water. They also need water to travel across your intestinal barrier and enter your bloodstream. Water-soluble vitamins include B-vitamins, of which there are thirteen, and vitamin C. Fat-soluble vitamins, like vitamins A, D, E, and K, don’t dissolve in water and are less affected by hydration.
You also need good hydration to efficiently absorb key minerals, like calcium, magnesium, and potassium. These are minerals that dissolve in water. Once they do, your intestinal cells can take them up. For example, you need calcium for healthy bones and on a minute-by-minute basis as a signaling molecule. You need water to dissolve calcium for efficient absorption. The same goes for magnesium and potassium.
You Need Adequate Hydration for Healthy Gut Function Too
What’s one of the symptoms of dehydration? Constipation! That’s because you need enough water to soften your stool, so you don’t get “backed up” or constipated. Another peril of not drinking enough water is less water entering your kidneys places you at higher risk of kidney stones. The first thing healthcare professionals tell people who are at elevated risk of kidney stones is to drink more water.
And don’t forget that when you don’t drink enough water, it can affect your brain function too. Studies show that even mild dehydration, before you feel thirsty, can negatively affect your mood, and make it hard to focus. You might feel tired too. The reason it affects your mood is that it upsets the balance of serotonin and dopamine in your brain. These are neurotransmitters that impact your mood and energy level.
Recommendations for Water Intake
So, how much water do you need to maximize nutrition and well-being? Recommendations from The National Academy of Medicine are that healthy men consume about thirteen cups and women drink around nine cups. However, this oversimplifies the matter. If you’re active and sweat a lot or work in a hot environment you may need more. Certain medications, especially diuretics, can affect your hydration. If you’re taking meds, talk to your healthcare provider about how much water you should drink.
Also, keep this in mind. Athletes need more water and may also need an electrolyte-rich beverage, depending on how long they work out. So, there is no “one size fits all” for how much water to drink. You can get an idea of your hydration status by looking at the color of your urine. If you’re hydrated, it should be no darker than light yellow. You can also weigh yourself before a workout and again afterward. For every pound you’re down, drink 16 to 20 ounces of water to replace what you’ve lost. Each pound of body wight loss corresponds to around sixteen ounces of fluid.
Conclusion
Yes, water is important! So, now you know that hydration matters for your health, well-being, and mood, but it also affects how you absorb nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, that you consume. Without adequate hydration, nutrient absorption slows and becomes less efficient. As the human body is composed of approximately 60% water, it is essential to prioritize water intake to maintain optimal health.
References:
- “Water: Essential for your body – Mayo Clinic Health System.” 29 Sept. 2022, https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/water-essential-to-your-body-video.
- Basile EJ, Launico MV, Sheer AJ. Physiology, Nutrient Absorption. [Updated 2023 Oct 28]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK597379/
- “Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.” https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/.
- American College of Sports Medicine; Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Feb;39(2):377-90. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597. PMID: 17277604.
- Masento NA, Golightly M, Field DT, Butler LT, van Reekum CM. Effects of hydration status on cognitive performance and mood. Br J Nutr. 2014 May 28;111(10):1841-52. doi: 10.1017/S0007114513004455. Epub 2014 Jan 30. PMID: 24480458.
- Exercise and Fluid Replacement. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 39(2):p 377-390, February 2007. | DOI: 10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597.
- “Post-Exercise Hydration Tips | KeyNutrients.” 15 May. 2023, https://keynutrients.com/blogs/learn/optimal-hydration-how-to-replenish-your-body-with-water-and-electrolytes-post-exercise.
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