2023-08-17 10:09:43
It can give you clues about the hydration status of your body. A fact to take into account every time a heat wave hits us.
If there is one piece of health advice that is repeated every summer, especially every time a heat wave hits us, it is to stay well hydrated. That adults, and especially the elderly, children and dependent people, drink enough water so that our bodies can cope with high temperatures with different compensation mechanisms and so that they can maintain their vital functions.
But when faced with this advice, the same question always arises: how can I know if I am well hydrated? If you want to know the answer, I invite you to continue reading.
BUT ISN’T URINE ALWAYS YELLOW?
Generally yes, and that is due to a pigment it contains called urobilin. In addition to water, urine is made up of salts and other products that our body wants to eliminate, and among all of them is this pigment that gives it that recognizable color. If instead of a yellowish tone it presents other colors such as red, white or orange, we may be facing a health problem.
LA UROBILINA TE DELATA
A home way of knowing the degree of hydration in our body, without the need for any diagnostic test, is to observe the color of the urine.
When we drink a large amount of water, our urine is almost transparent, this is because the amount of urobilin is the same but it is more diluted, that is, since the kidneys are eliminating a lot of water, that yellow pigment is barely visible.
But when we drink a small amount of water the opposite happens, the color of our urine will be a very dark yellow because the pigment is more concentrated, it stands out much more since the kidneys have eliminated little water. This is what is popularly known as charged urine.
THE BLADDER COLOR CHART
Colorless, transparent. It is important to differentiate clear urine from white urine. If it does not have color, it indicates that we are drinking even more water than our body needs, we are overhydrated and our kidneys are expelling it. Pale yellow colour. Also known as pale straw color, it indicates that we are well hydrated, at optimal levels. Dark yellow colour. A normal degree of hydration can be considered, but it is recommended that we increase our water intake a little more. Honey or amber color. We are already facing a worrying level of hydration, we must increase water intake without further delay. This is known as charged urine. Cognac colour. We are facing severe dehydration. If it does not improve in a few hours with water intake, or if this tone appears despite always being well hydrated, we should go to a medical center in case it is a liver problem or if there is blood in the urine.
CAN I ONLY IMPROVE MY HYDRATION BY DRINKING?
No, drinking water is not the only way to stay hydrated. Food also contains water inside that helps improve our level of hydration.
But of course, not all foods contain the same amount of this element: fresh fruits and vegetables are made up of between 80 and 90% water, potatoes contain 75% water, meat around 55%. and nuts no more than 5%.
WHAT CONSEQUENCES DOES DRINKING LITTLE WATER HAVE?
If I tell you that an adult can survive at most three days without drinking waterbut many more days without eating food, surely you are already aware of what essential for human life that is this liquid element.
The first symptoms of dehydration range from the classic thirsty to dizziness, going through headache, loaded urine, tiredness and lack of concentration. But if the hours go by, we continue to lose water through sweat, urine and breathing and it is not replaced, the symptoms will worsen with mental confusion, loss of consciousness or even cardiac arrest. M.T.T.
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