Briefly describe the problems with too little intake and with too much water intake.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

When too much water is lost from the body and not replaced, dehydration develops. A first sign of dehydration is thirst, the signal that the body has lost some fluid. If a person is unable to obtain water or, as in many elderly people, fails to perceive the thirst message, the symptoms of dehydration may progress rapidly from thirst to weakness, exhaustion, and delirium—and end in death if not corrected. Notice that an early sign of dehydration is fatigue; keep that in mind when considering caffeinated beverages for an afternoon “pick-me-up” and choose water instead. Dehydration develops with either inadequate water intake or excessive water losses.
Water intoxication, on the other hand, is rare but can occur with excessive water intake and kidney disorders that reduce urine production. The symptoms may include confusion, convulsions, and even death in extreme cases. Excessive water ingestion (10 to 20 liters) within a few hours dilutes the sodium concentration of the blood and contributes to a dangerous condition known as hyponatremia. For this reason, guidelines suggest limiting fluid intake during times of heavy sweating to between 1 and 1.5 liters per hour.