ST.

FERDINAND COLLEGE
COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES
Sta. Ana St., City of Ilagan, Isabela 3300

IMPORTANCE OF FLUIDS AND ELECTROLYTES TO OUR BODY

Fluids and electrolytes play crucial roles in homeostasis and equilibrium management.
Fluids are essential to all life forms. They assist in maintaining the body's temperature and
cellular structure, as well as transporting nutrients, chemicals, and toxins.
The majority of the body's major organs collaborate in order to achieve and sustain the
ideal fluid balance. The amount of fluid that is obtained throughout the day needs to be equal to
the amount of fluid that is lost in order to keep the equilibrium. The body's fluids are responsible
for transporting oxygen and vital nutrients to the cells, as well as removing waste products,
which are ultimately expelled from the body by urination. When the temperature of the body
rises, blood circulation to the skin increases. This allows for more thermal management through
sweating, which contributes to the maintenance of a stable temperature within the body(The
Human body and water,n.d.).According to West H(2018) Electrolytes are necessary for a variety
of biological functions, such as ensuring that nerves and muscles work as they ought to,
maintaining the body's acid-base equilibrium, and ensuring that a person remains hydrated.
The majority of cells in the body are surrounded by a minimal quantity of fluid, and
normal cell operations are dependent on the fluid environment surrounding the cells being
maintained within a specific range of conditions. These conditions include temperature, volume,
and the chemical content of the fluid.(Vanputte et al.,1989). The nutrients, electrolytes, and
oxygen that cells require are carried to them by body fluids, which are also in a state of constant
motion as they carry away waste products from cells. The body makes use of a wide variety of
adaptive reactions in order to regulate the ratio of fluids to electrolytes and overall volume of
fluids within specific parameters in order to preserve homeostasis and optimize health. The
movement of electrolytes and water between ICF and ECF to maintain homeostasis involves
many different processes, including simple diffusion, facilitated diffusion, and active transport.
Water moves as driven by 2 forces: hydrostatic pressure and osmotic pressure.(Harding M,2019).
 One of my experiences is that, my regular body temperature rises when the weather is
hot, and minutes later I notice that my body, especially my forehead, begins to sweat.

REFERENCES:
Vanputte Cinnamon, Jennifer Regan, Andrew Russo(1989)Essentials of Anatomy and
Physiology.pp.4.

Mariann M. Harding(2019)Lewis’s Medical Surgical Nursing:Assessment and Management of

Clinical Problems.pp.1077

Helen West(2018)Electrolytes:Definition, functions, Imbalances and Sources.Retrieved August

16,2022 from https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/electrolytes#intro

The Human Body and Water(n.d)Otsuka Pharmaceutical.Retrieved August 16, 2022 from
https://www.otsuka.co.jp/en/nutraceutical/about/rehydration/water/body-fluid/#:~:text=The
%20function%20of%20body%20fluid&text=They%20deliver%20oxygen%20and%20nutrients,body
%20at%20a%20constant%20temperature.