Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) – You may already know that staying hydrated is important for daily bodily functions, such as regulating temperature and maintaining healthy skin.
But drinking enough water is also associated with a lower risk of chronic disease, a lower risk of premature death, or a lower risk of being biologically older than your chronological age, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health published Monday in the journal eBioMedicine.
Study results indicated that “proper hydration can slow aging and extend a disease-free life,” said study author Natalia Dmitrieva, a researcher at the National Institutes of Health Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine Laboratory. , in a press release.
The authors of the study explain that determining which preventive measures can slow the aging process is a “major challenge for preventive medicine”, and the reason is that an epidemic of “age-related chronic diseases” is emerging in as the world’s population ages. rapidly.
Prolonging life through healthy living can improve quality of life and reduce health care costs more than just receiving treatment for illnesses.
In these studies, lifelong fluid restriction increased blood sodium in lab rats by 5 mmol per liter and shortened their lifespan by six months, which is equivalent to about 15 years of human life, according to the new study. .
Using health data collected over 30 years and from 11,255 black and white adults as part of the Atherosclerosis Risk Societies Study, the research team found that adults had higher than normal sodium levels – between 135 and 146 milliequivalents per litre. results compared to adults with lower sodium levels.
Data collection began in 1987, when participants were in their 40s or 50s, and the average age of participants at the final evaluation over the study period was 76.
Adults with sodium levels above 142 mEq/L were 10-15% more likely to be biologically older than their chronological age, compared to participants with sodium levels between 137-142 mEq/L. L.
Participants who had a higher risk of aging faster were also 64% more likely to develop chronic diseases such as: heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dementia.
People with sodium levels above 144 mEq/L were associated with a 50% higher risk of being biologically older and a 21% increased risk of premature death.
In contrast, adults with blood sodium levels between 138 and 140 μmol/L have the lowest risk of chronic disease.
The study did not include information on the amount of water consumed by the participants.
This study adds observational evidence to the potential long-term benefits of better hydration to reduce long-term health outcomes, including mortality, according to Dr. Howard Sesso, MD, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. , By email.
Drink enough fluids every day
According to several studies cited by the authors of the new research, approximately half of people worldwide do not meet recommendations for total daily water intake.
“Globally, this can have a significant impact,” Dmitrieva said in a press release.
“Low water in the body is the most common factor that leads to excess sodium in the blood, which is why the results suggest that staying well hydrated can slow the aging process and prevent or delay chronic disease. “, she explained.
Blood sodium levels are affected by the consumption of liquids such as water and the like, in addition to fruits and vegetables in which water is highly concentrated.
Water makes up more than 50% of the body and is also needed for multiple functions, including digesting food, making hormones and neurotransmitters, and delivering oxygen throughout the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
The National Academy of Medicine recommends women consume 2.7 liters of fluid per day and men 3.7 liters per day. This recommendation includes all liquids and water-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables and soups.
Since the average water intake from liquids and food is about 80:20, this equates to a daily intake of 9 cups for women and 12 cups for men.
People with health issues should talk to their doctor about proper fluid intake for them.
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