Water In Your Body
How Much of Your Body Is Water?
The percentage of water in the human body varies by age and
gender
By Anne
Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Have you ever wondered how
much of your body is water? The percentage of water varies according to your
age and gender.
Here's a look at how much
water is inside you.
The
amount of water in the human body ranges from 50-75%.
The average adult human body
is 50-65% water, averaging around 57-60%.
The percentage of water in
infants is much higher, typically around 75-78% water, dropping to 65% by one
year of age.
Body
composition varies according to gender and fitness level because fatty tissue
contains less water than lean tissue.
The average adult male is
about 60% water. The average adult woman is about 55% water because women
naturally have more fatty tissue than men.
Overweight men and women have
less water, as a percent than their leaner counterparts.
·
Babies and children have the highest percentage of water.
·
Adult men contain the next highest level of water.
·
Adult women contain a lower percentage of water than babies or
men.
·
Obese men and women have less water, as a percentage than lean
adults.
The
percent of water depends on your hydration level. People feel thirsty when they
have already lost around 2-3% of their body's water.
Mental performance and
physical coordination start to become impaired before thirst kicks in,
typically around 1% dehydration.
Although
liquid water is the most abundant molecule in the body, additional water is
found in hydrated compounds.
About 30-40% of the weight of
the human body is the skeleton, but when the bound water is removed,
either by chemical desiccation or heat, half the weight is lost.
Where Exactly Is Water in the
Human Body?
Most of the body’s water is in the intracellular fluid (2/3
of the body's water). The other third is in the extracellular fluid (1/3 of the
water).
The
amount of water varies, depending on the organ. Much of the water is in blood
plasma (20% of the body's total).
According to a study
performed by H.H. Mitchell, published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry,
the amount of water in the human heart and brain is 73%, the lungs are
83%, muscles and kidneys are 79%, the skin is 64%, and the bones are around
31%.
What Is the Function of Water in
the Body?
Water serves multiple purposes:
·
Water is the primary building block of cells.
·
It acts as an insulator, regulating internal body temperature.
This is partly because water has a high specific heat, plus the body uses
perspiration and respiration to regulate temperature.
·
Water is needed to metabolize proteins and carbohydrates used as
food. It is the primary component of saliva, used to digest carbohydrates and
aid in swallowing food.
·
The compound lubricates joints.
·
Water insulates the brain, spinal cord, organs, and fetus. It
acts as a shock absorber.
·
Water is used to flush waste and toxins from the body via urine.
·
Water is the principal solvent in the body. It dissolves
minerals, soluble vitamins, and certain nutrients.
·
Water carries oxygen and nutrients to cells.
Anne
Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Helmenstine, Ph.D., is an author and
consultant with a broad scientific and medical background.
Experience
Anne has taught chemistry, biology, and physics
at the high school, college, and graduate level. In her doctoral work, Anne
developed ultra-sensitive chemical detection and medical diagnostic tests. She
has worked abstracting/indexing diverse scientific literature for the Department
of Energy. She presently works as a freelance writer and scientific consultant.
She enjoys adapting lab-based science projects so that they can be performed
safely at home.
Education
Dr. Helmenstine has bachelor of arts degrees in
physics and mathematics with a minor in chemistry from Hastings College in
Nebraska and a doctorate of philosophy in biomedical sciences from the
University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry is part of everyone's life, from
cooking and cleaning to the latest computer chip technology and vaccine
development. It doesn't have to be intimidating and it doesn't have to be hard
to understand.
You can read more about Anne's current and past
work on her Google Profile: Anne Helmenstine. Find Anne's printable periodic tables
and science projects at Science Notes.
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