Research

Water Intake is initiated when an individual is thirsty and this occurs when the the osmoreceptors (found
in the hypothalamus) respond to water deficit in the body. Body water requirements can vary per
individual and there isn’t a single daily water requirement for everyone because it would depend on
various factors, such as partaking in physical activity or the dietary intake (Armstrong & Johnson, 2018).
Water output can be controlled through urination, but kidneys can’t prevent or meantime until a
dehydrated person drinks water. If a substance isn’t reabsorbed, then it is expelled in the urine and other
bodily fluids, such as sweat . (Armstrong & Johnson, 2018) . Any substance that is reabsorbed by the
kidneys is kept in the body and later redirected to the extracellular fluid (ECF)(Saldin,2017). When ADH is
released due to increased osmolarity, cells within the kidneys synthesize. The ADH mechanism is a
negative feedback loop. If blood volume and pressure are exceedingly high or blood osmolarity is too
low, then ADH release becomes inhibited. This would initiate less water absorption, increases urine
production, and decreases total body water volume (Bowen, 2022).

Critical Thinking

In order to put the aforementioned research into perspective, it is important to

realize that the water balance of the body is extremely important. Our bodies are

constantly trying to find the right balance to maintain the correct osmotic pressure in the

blood and in the tissue fluids. Too much water will dilute blood/tissue fluids and reduce

osmotic pressure whereas too little water intake will lead to a greater amount of solutes per unit of
volume. Dehydration will increase the osmotic potential of the fluid. This is

important because water imbalance can lead to several health related issues that are

correlated with previous topics discussed in this course (i.e. edema is excess of fluids). A

way to think of this is to understand that osmosis is the movement of water across a

semipermeable membrane that goes from a watery area to a less watery area (Bowen, 2022). Too much
water will cause the cells in the body to swell and eventually burst. The opposite effect can be seen in
too little water intake (i.e. dehydration) in which the osmotic potential of the extracellular fluids will
increase. This would cause water to be drawn out of the cell in order to dilute the hyperosmotic area in
the extracellular fluid. This would lead to cells shriveling up. Understanding this concept will help me in
my future career as a physician assistant by understanding how to maintain water balances in

the body to help patients. For example, prescribing a diuretic would increase urine

volume and an antidiuretic will reduce the urine volume.

References

Armstrong, L., & Johnson, E. (2018). Water intake, water balance, and the elusive daily

water requirement. Nutrients, 10(12), 19-28

Bowen, R. (2022, March 01). Osmosis, tonicity, and hydrostatic pressure. Retrieved

March 1, 2022, from: http://www.vivo.colostate.edu/hbooks/pathphys/topics/osmosis.html

Saladin, K. (2017). Anatomy & Physiology. New York: McGraw Hill Education