Water is the major component of our body and is essential for life, therefore we could not live without it. For our body to function properly we need about three liters of water a day.
1. What is it?
Water is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and is the drink par excellence. It is an essential component of nature but also is the main component of our body, where it performs important functions. Water is essential for life.
2. The proportion of water in our bodies
Proportions. The proportion of water varies according to sex. It is the main component of our body, representing two thirds of the weight of it.
Taking as an example a 70 kg, water represent approximately 43 liters, representing about 61% of the total weight, while two-thirds within the cells and the extracellular rest.
This proportion of water in our body varies by age and sex. Thus, women, having more fat and less muscle mass, has a somewhat lower water content, which ranges between 50-55% of its total weight. In the newborn this percentage is 80%, which decreases with age, reaching a value of 50% in the elderly.
The water content of our body is kept constant thanks to the balance between the quantity of water consumed daily and the daily loss of it.
