17 Signals of Body Dehydration, Reminding You to Drink Water

by cshelive9520 on 2012-02-20 11:59:56

Thirst is the warning our body sends us when we are in a state of dehydration. This is because we only feel thirsty after the body has been dehydrated for quite some time. Sometimes, severe internal dryness can occur without the mouth feeling dry; hence, one cannot solely rely on the dryness of the mouth to judge whether the body is dehydrated. Fortunately, we have a very precise dryness alarm system within our bodies. This system alerts us through various symptoms that indicate internal dehydration; it's just that we fail to read these signals.

1. Unexplained feelings of irritability, anxiety, and depression

Unexplained irritability, restlessness, or anxiety and depression are signals from the prefrontal cortex of the brain telling us that there is insufficient water in its active regions. When the body lacks water, it cannot produce enough urine, so it must divert some core substances to act as antioxidants to deal with toxic waste produced during metabolism. These core substances include tryptophan—an essential amino acid necessary for animal growth—and tyrosine—an amino acid essential for metabolism. These two substances are used as antioxidants to neutralize toxic waste in the liver.

Additionally, tryptophan serves as the raw material for producing neurotransmitters such as serotonin, melatonin, coloramine, and indoleamine, which maintain and integrate bodily function balance. Therefore, when the body is dehydrated, it will continuously consume some essential amino acids required for metabolism, causing overall fatigue. Emotional depression indicates that internal dryness has worsened. A lack of tyrosine causes depressive moods. Tyrosine, this amino acid, is used by the brain to produce neurotransmitters such as adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine. If tyrosine is diverted to detoxify the body, the activity of neurotransmitters will decrease, leading to a loss of vitality and increased depression.

If you experience unexplained irritability or depression, please slowly drink two or three cups of water. You will soon calm down and return to your normal mental state.

2. Reduced memory

If there is insufficient water in the blood, it leads to dehydration of brain cells, preventing the brain from receiving the oxygen and nutrients it needs, thereby reducing brain cell functionality. If brain cells do not receive adequate hydration, their recovery ability and information transmission capacity will decline, resulting in reduced memory.

More seriously, circulatory problems can cause an interruption in water supply, gradually damaging brain cells without us noticing. This results in forgetfulness.