Water

• Balance – a state of equilibrium –

substances are maintained in the right
amounts and in the right place in the body
• About 40 Liters (10.56 gallons) of adult
body is water
• Babies – 75% water
• Men – 63 %
• Women – 52%
Body Fluid Compartments
 Water intake = Water loss
• Average adult takes in about 2,500 ml/day
 # Movement of body fluids
“ Where sodium goes, water follows.”

Diffusion – movement of particles down a

concentration gradient.

Osmosis – diffusion of water across a

selectively permeable membrane

Active transport – movement of particles up

a concentration gradient ; requires energy
6
 Fluid compartments #
• Separated by selectively permeable
membranes
• Intracellular – 2/3 (63%) of total body water
• Extracellular – 1/3 (37%)
– Interstitial fluid – 80 % of extracellular water
– Blood plasma – 20 % of extracellular water
Composition of compartments #
• Extracellular fluids:
– High in Na+, Cl-, Ca++, HCO3-
• Blood plasma has more protein than
interstitial fluid and lymph
• Intracellular fluids:
– High in K+, phosphate, Mg++, and more protein
than plasma
 Movement of water #
• Hydrostatic pressure – pressure of fluids

• Osmotic pressure – solute concentration

(often Na+)
– In blood referred to as colloid osmotic
pressure (COP)
 Regulation of water intake
• Main regulator is thirst.

• Dehydration (output>intake) as little as 1%

decrease in body water causes:
– Decreased production of saliva

– Increased blood osmotic pressure – stimulates

osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus
– Decreased blood volume – renin is produced
• The thirst center in hypothalamus is stimulated
( or mistakenly, the hunger center) and person
feels thirsty
• Wetting of the mouth and stretching of stomach
or intestines decrease thirst before we take in
too much water.

• Water is absorbed, and blood osmotic pressure

decreases. #
 Regulation of Water Output

• Through regulating urine formation

• ADH – production stimulated by ↑ blood tonicity

or decrease in volume.
– Acts on distal convoluted tubules and
collecting ducts of kidney – permits
reabsorption of water
• Aldosterone – production is stimulated by
angiotensin II through renin production
– Causes sodium ( and water) to be reabsorbed

• ANP (Atrial Natriuretic Peptide) – causes

sodium (and water) loss when pressure in right
atrium is too high
 Water imbalances
• Dehydration is the imbalance seen most often.
– Prolonged diarrhea or vomiting
– Excessive sweating
 Water toxicity
• If lose water by sweating, we also lose sodium.

• Rapidly drinking large quantities of water

decreases plasma sodium concentration initially,
###Toxicity due to
• Water is drawn into cells

• This increases ISF tonicity, and water is drawn

from blood
• Add salt when replacing fluids like this!
Series of Events in Water Intoxication
 Over hydration
• Can occur if I.V. fluids are given too rapidly or in
too large amounts.
• Extra fluid puts strain on heart
• Water that moves back into capillaries depends
on concentration of plasma proteins.
• Decrease in blood proteins caused by:
– Dietary deficiency in proteins
– Liver failure
– Blockage of lymphatic system
– Increased capillary permeability
• Burns, infection
• Fluid moves from blood to the interstitial fluid.
• Get large amounts of fluid in the intercellular spaces
– Edema