In order for our body to function normally, a complex set of internal processes is involved. Maintaining normal water-salt metabolism refers to one of them. When it is in order, the person does not experience health problems, but his violation leads to complex and noticeable deviations. So what is the water-salt balance? Violation, its symptoms will also be considered.
general information
The water-salt balance is considered to be the processes of the influx of water and salts into the body, interacting with each other, their absorption and distribution in internal organs and tissues, as well as methods for their elimination.
Everyone knows that a person more than half consists of water, the amount of which in the body can be different. It depends on many factors, for example, fat mass and age. The newborn is 77% water, in adult men this figure is 61%, and in women - 54%. Such a small amount of fluid in the female body is due to the presence of numerous fat cells. By old age, this figure becomes even lower.
How is water distributed in the human body?
The distribution of fluid is carried out in this way:
- 2/3 of the total number falls on intracellular fluid;
- 1/3 of the total number is represented by extracellular fluid.
In the human body, water is in a free state, it is retained by colloids, or it is involved in the formation and breakdown of fat, protein and carbohydrate molecules.
Compared with intercellular fluid and blood plasma, tissue fluid in cells is characterized by a higher concentration of magnesium, potassium and phosphate ions and a low content of chlorine, sodium, calcium and bicarbonate ions. This difference is explained by the fact that the capillary wall for proteins has low permeability. The normal water-salt balance in a healthy person helps to support not only a constant composition, but also the volume of fluid.
Regulation of water-salt balance by the kidneys and urinary system
The kidneys are necessary to maintain constant processes. They are responsible for ion exchange, remove from the body an excess of cations and anions by reabsorption and excretion of sodium, potassium and water. The role of the kidneys is extremely important, because thanks to them, the necessary volume of intercellular fluid and the optimal amount of substances dissolved in it are preserved.
A person should consume 2.5 liters of fluid per day. About 2 l is supplied through drinking and food, and the rest of the volume is formed in the body due to metabolic processes. 1.5 liters are excreted by the kidneys, 100 ml by the intestines, 900 ml by the skin and lungs. Thus, it is not one body that regulates the water-salt balance, but their totality.
The amount of fluid excreted by the kidneys depends on the needs and condition of the body. The maximum amount of urine that this organ is able to excrete per day is 15 liters of fluid, and with antidiuresis it is 250 ml.
Such different indicators depend on the nature and intensity of tubular reabsorption.
Why is the balance of water and salt in the body disturbed?
Violation of the water-salt balance occurs in the following cases:
- The accumulation of fluid in the body in large quantities and the slowdown of its excretion. It accumulates in the intercellular space, its volume inside the cells increases, as a result of which the latter swells. If nerve cells are involved in the process, nerve centers are activated that contribute to the occurrence of seizures.
- Also, completely opposite processes can occur in the body. Due to excessive removal of fluid from the body, blood begins to thicken, the risk of blood clots increases, and blood flow to organs and tissues is disturbed. If the water shortage is more than 20% - a person dies.
Violation of the water-salt balance of the body leads to weight loss, dry skin and cornea. In the case of severe moisture deficiency, subcutaneous fat begins to resemble a dough by consistency, eyes sagging, and the volume of circulating blood decreases. In addition, facial features become sharp, cyanosis of nails and lips, hypofunction of the kidneys, blood pressure decreases, the pulse increases and weakens, and due to a violation of protein metabolism, the concentration of nitrogenous bases increases. A person’s hands and feet begin to freeze.
In addition, an imbalance can occur due to the equal loss of water and salts. Usually this happens in acute poisoning, when fluid and electrolytes are lost with vomiting and diarrhea.
Why is there a lack and excess of water in the body?
Most often, such a pathological process occurs due to external loss of fluid and its redistribution in the body.
A decrease in blood calcium levels occurs:
- with diseases of the thyroid gland;
- when using drugs of radioactive iodine;
- with pseudohypoparathyroidism.
Sodium decreases as a result of long-term illnesses in which urine is very poorly excreted; after operation; due to self-medication and uncontrolled intake of diuretics.
To reduce potassium lead:
- its movement inside the cells;
- alkalosis;
- corticosteroid therapy;
- liver pathology;
- insulin injections;
- aldosteronism;
- alcoholism;
- surgery on the small intestine;
- hypofunction of the thyroid gland.
Symptoms of imbalance in water and salt in the body
If the water-salt balance in the body is disturbed, then symptoms such as vomiting, severe thirst, swelling, diarrhea occur. The acid-base balance begins to change, blood pressure decreases, arrhythmia appears. Such symptoms can in no case be ignored, since a progressing pathology can lead to cardiac arrest and death.
Calcium deficiency is dangerous for smooth muscle cramps, especially if laryngeal spasm occurs. If, on the contrary, there is a lot of this element in the body, there is a strong thirst, pain in the stomach, vomiting, poor blood circulation, and frequent urination.
With potassium deficiency, alkalosis occurs, chronic renal failure, atony, intestinal obstruction, ventricular fibrillation , brain pathology. With its increase, vomiting, nausea, ascending paralysis appears. This condition is dangerous because fibrillation of the heart ventricles very quickly occurs, leading to atrial arrest.
Excess magnesium appears due to kidney dysfunction and antacid abuse. In this case, nausea occurs, reaching up to vomiting, the body temperature rises, and the heart rate slows down.
How to restore the water-salt balance in the body?
It is quite difficult to determine for yourself the presence of such a pathology, and in case of suspicious symptoms, you should consult a doctor. He can offer the following treatment methods in order to restore the water-salt balance:
- medication;
- outpatient;
- chemical;
- diet.
Drug treatment
This method consists in the fact that the patient should take mineral or vitamin-mineral complexes containing calcium, sodium, silicon, magnesium, potassium, i.e., such elements that are responsible for the water-salt balance in the body.
These drugs include:
- "Duovit";
- "Vitrum";
- "Biotech Vitabolic".
The course of treatment is a month, then they take a break of several weeks.
Chemical treatment
In this case, it is necessary to take a special solution. In any pharmacy, you can purchase special packages containing various salts. Such drugs were previously used for poisoning, cholera, dysentery, which are accompanied by diarrhea and vomiting, resulting in rapid dehydration of the body, and this saline solution helps retain water in the body.
Before using such a tool, it is necessary to consult a doctor, because it is contraindicated in:
- diabetes mellitus;
- renal failure;
- urinary tract infections;
- liver diseases.
How to restore the water-salt balance in a similar way? To do this, you need to drink a week course of such a tool. Take saline should be an hour after eating, and the next dose is carried out no earlier than 1.5 hours. During treatment, you should refuse to use salt.
Outpatient treatment
Very rarely, but there is such a situation that the patient has to be hospitalized due to a violation of the water-salt balance. In this case, the patient takes saline solutions and special mineral preparations under the supervision of a doctor. In addition, a strict drinking regimen is recommended, and meals are prepared according to the needs of the patient. In extreme cases, droppers with isotonic solution are prescribed .
Diet
To bring the water-salt balance back to normal, it is not necessary to take medications for this. In this case, the patient is prescribed a special diet with the calculation of the amount of salt. It should be limited to 7 g per day.
In addition, there are certain recommendations on how to cook the right food:
- instead of table salt, it is better to use sea salt, since it contains a higher content of useful minerals;
- if it is not possible to use sea salt, you can add iodized table salt to dishes;
- do not salt “by eye”, but use a spoon for this (5 g of salt is placed in the tea room, and 7 g in the dining room).
In addition, it is necessary to consume water, depending on body weight. For 1 kg of mass, 30 g of water.
Conclusion
Thus, the water-salt balance can be brought back to normal on its own, but before that, you still need to see a doctor and pass all the necessary tests. You should not prescribe various mineral and vitamin complexes or salt packets on your own, it is better to adhere to a special diet and useful recommendations.