Adequate hydration of the body can delay aging, says study

You probably already know that being hydrated is important for day-to-day bodily functions like regulating temperature and maintaining skin health.

Drinking water in healthy doses also significantly reduces the risk of developing chronic diseases, having an early death or being biologically older than your chronological age, according to a study by the National Institutes of Health of the United States published Monday ( 2) in the journal “eBioMedicine”.

“The results suggest that adequate hydration can delay aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, study author and researcher at the Laboratory of Regenerative Cardiovascular Medicine at the National Institute of Heart, Lung, and Blood, a division of the NIH. , in a statement.

Knowing which preventive measures can slow down the aging process is “a major challenge in preventive medicine,” the authors noted in the study. It’s just that an epidemic of “chronic age-related diseases” is emerging as the world’s population ages rapidly.

The authors explained that optimal hydration can delay the aging process based on research done in mice. In these studies, lifelong water restriction increased serum sodium in mice by 5 millimoles per liter and reduced their lifespan by six months, which is equivalent to about 15 years of human life, according to the new study. . Serum sodium can be measured in the blood and increases when we drink less liquid.

Another human study used health data collected over 30 years from 11,255 black and white adults who took part in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (originally Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities, or ARIC) study and found similar results. .

The study found adults with serum sodium levels at the higher end of the normal range — which is 135 to 146 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) — in poorer health than individuals at the lower end of the range.

Data collection began in 1987, when participants were in their 40s or 50s. The mean age of participants at the final assessment during the study period was 76 years.

Adults with levels above 142 mEq/L had a 10% to 15% greater chance of being biologically older than their chronological age, compared to participants in the 137 to 142 mEq/L range.

Participants at the highest risk of rapid aging were also 64% more likely to develop chronic diseases such as heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral arterial disease, chronic lung disease, diabetes and dementia.

Those people with levels above 144 mEq/L, i.e. the highest range, were also 50% more likely to be biologically older and a 21% greater risk of early death.

Adults with serum sodium levels between 138 and 140 mEq/L, on the other hand, had the lowest risk of developing chronic disease. The study did not have information about the amount of water that was ingested by the participants.

“The study adds observational evidence about the potential long-term benefits of good hydration on reductions in long-term health outcomes, including mortality,” said Howard Sesso, associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and associate epidemiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Sesso did not participate in the study.

However, he added, “it would have been nice to combine the definition of hydration, based only on serum sodium levels, with actual fluid intake data from the ARIC study cohort.”

Biological age was determined by biomarkers that measure the performance of different organ systems and processes, including cardiovascular, renal, respiratory, metabolic, immunological and inflammatory biomarkers.

High serum sodium levels weren’t the only factor associated with chronic disease, early death, and risk of aging faster: the risk was also higher among people with very low serum sodium levels.

The finding is consistent with previous reports of increased mortality and cardiovascular disease in people with regularly low sodium levels, which has been attributed to diseases that cause electrolyte problems, the authors said.

The study looked at participants over an extended period, but the findings do not support a causal relationship between serum sodium levels and health outcomes, the authors said. They added that further studies are needed, but the findings may already help clinicians identify and guide patients at risk.
“People whose serum sodium is 142 mEq/L or higher would benefit significantly from having their fluid intake properly assessed,” Dmitrieva opined.
Sesso noted that the study did not strongly address accelerated aging, “which is a tricky concept that we’re just beginning to understand.”

“Two main reasons are behind this,” said Sesso. The study authors “relied on a combination of 15 measures for accelerated aging, but this is one of many definitions for which there is no consensus. Second, the data on hydration and accelerated aging was a snapshot of the moment, so we have no way of understanding cause and effect.”

Drink liquids every day

About half of the world’s population does not meet recommendations for daily water intake, according to several studies cited by the authors of the new research.

“At the global level, this could have a huge impact,” Dmitrieva wrote.

“Decreased body water content is the most common factor that increases serum sodium, which is why the results suggest that staying well hydrated can slow down the aging process and prevent or delay chronic disease.”

Our serum sodium levels are influenced by the intake of water, other liquids and fruits and vegetables with a high water content.

“The most striking finding is that this risk (for chronic disease and aging) is apparent even in individuals who have serum sodium levels that are at the upper end of the normal range,” said Richard Johnson, professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. . Johnson was not part of the study.

“It’s a point that questions what’s normal and supports the concept that, as a population, we’re probably not drinking enough water.”

More than 50% of the human body is made up of water, which is also needed for multiple functions, including digesting food, creating hormones and neurotransmitters, and delivering oxygen throughout the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

The US National Academy of Medicine recommends that women consume 2.7 liters of fluid daily, and that men drink 3.7 liters per day. The recommendation includes all liquids and foods rich in water, such as fruits, vegetables and soups.

As the average water intake ratio of fluids to food is about 80:20, this equates to a daily amount of 9 cups of fluid for women and 12.5 cups for men.

People with chronic illnesses should talk to their doctor about adequate fluid intake.

“The goal is to ensure that patients are taking enough fluids while also evaluating factors, such as medications, that can lead to fluid loss,” said study co-author Manfred Boehm, director of the Laboratory for Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine.

“The physician may also need to change a patient’s current treatment plan, such as limiting fluid intake for heart failure.”

To stay properly hydrated, include some habits in your routine. Try leaving a glass of water by your bed to drink when you wake up, or sip water while making breakfast.

Another piece of advice is to place a water bottle in a place where you pass several times a day, as behavioral science expert BJ Fogg, founder and director of the Behavioral Design Laboratory at Stanford University, indicated in an interview with CNN .

Sandee LaMotte, da CNN contributed to this report.