6 Major Health Benefits of Water

How much water do you need to drink to get these important life-improving benefits?

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Water constitutes a high proportion of the human body’s weight and is ubiquitous in the body. It plays a crucial role in maintaining bodily functions and maintaining health. Studies have found that drinking water (in the correct ways and amount) can impact brain cognition, weight loss, and prevention of kidney stones, to name just a few.

Water makes up about 60 percent of an adult’s body weight. According to a study (pdf) published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry in 1945, the water content in major body parts of an average adult is as follows:

• Brain and heart: more than 73 percent
• Lungs: more than 83 percent
• Muscles and kidneys: more than 79 percent
• Bones: more than 31 percent

It’s a well-known fact that drinking water helps restore fluid lost through metabolism, breathing, sweating, and passing waste. However, there are plenty of other lesser-known benefits to drinking water.

1. Improves Athletic Performance

A study published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism in 2017 pointed out that dehydration resulting in body weight loss of greater than or equal to 2 percent can significantly reduce performance in endurance.