Study links: Water Intake to Aging & Chronic disease

According to a National Institutes of Health study that was recently published in eBioMedicine, adults who maintain a healthy level of hydration appear to be healthier, experience the onset of chronic conditions like heart and lung disease less frequently, and live longer than those who might not get enough fluids.

The study included health information acquired from 11,255 participants over a 30-year period. They discovered that compared to adults with serum sodium levels in the medium ranges, those with serum sodium levels at the higher end of a normal range were more likely to acquire chronic illnesses and exhibit symptoms of advanced biological ageing.

According to Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D., a study author and researcher in the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), "the results suggest that proper hydration may slow down ageing and prolong a life free from disease."

The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study, which included substudies involving thousands of Black and White people from across the United States, is the source of both findings. Since the beginning of the first ARIC sub-study in 1987, clinical recommendations for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of heart disease have been developed.

In this most recent analysis, information supplied by study participants during five medical appointments was evaluated; the first two took place when they were in their 50s, and the final visit took place when they were between the ages of 70 and 90. The persons with high serum sodium levels at baseline check-ins or those with underlying disorders, like obesity, that could alter serum sodium levels were removed from the study in order to allow for a fair evaluation of how hydration connected with health outcomes.

The relationship between serum sodium levels and biological aging—as determined by 15 health markers—was then examined. Systolic blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar were among the variables that gave information about how each person's cardiovascular, respiratory, metabolic, renal, and immunological systems were doing.

They discovered that persons with normal serum sodium levels over 135 to 146 milliequivalents per litre (mEq/L) were more likely to exhibit indications of biological ageing at a faster rate. Based on indicators including lung function, inflammation, and metabolic and cardiovascular health. For instance, compared to ranges between 137-142 mEq/L, adults with blood sodium levels above 142 mEq/L had an associated increased risk of being biologically older than their chronological age of 10-15%, while levels beyond 144 mEq/L were associated with a 50% increase. Similar to levels between 137-142 mEq/L, values between 144.5 and 146 mEq/L were linked to a 21% higher risk of premature mortality.

The risk of acquiring chronic diseases such heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, peripheral artery disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and dementia rose by up to 64% in persons with serum salt levels above 142 mEq/L. Adults with serum sodium levels between 138 and 140 mEq/L, on the other hand, had the lowest risk of contracting a chronic illness.

The researchers noted that the results do not establish a causal relationship. To ascertain whether optimum hydration can encourage healthy ageing, prevent disease, and lengthen life, randomised, controlled experiments are required. The correlations can still influence clinical practice and direct individual health behaviour, though.

"Evaluation of fluid consumption might be beneficial for people whose serum sodium is 142 mEq/L or greater," Dmitrieva added. This can be done with water as well as other fluids, like juices or vegetables and fruits with a high water content. For instance, the National Academies of Medicine recommend that most women drink 6 to 9 cups (1.5 to 2.2 litres) of fluids per day and 8 to 12 cups for men (2-3 liters).

Manfred Boehm, M.D., a study author and director of the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine, said that the objective is to make sure patients are consuming adequate fluids while evaluating factors, including drugs, that may lead to fluid loss.

The authors also referenced research showing that around half of people globally do not consume the recommended daily amounts of water, which frequently begin at 6 cups (1.5 liters).

This might have a significant effect on a worldwide scale, according to Dmitrieva. The data indicate that maintaining good hydration may slow down aging and prevent or delay chronic disease. Decreased body water content is the most common reason that increases serum sodium.