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{{Short description|Ingestion of water or other liquids}}
{{Cleanup|date=March 2007}}
{{About|the act of drinking a liquid in general|the drinking of alcohol|Alcoholic beverage}}
[[Image:Canada goose reflection 03.jpg|thumb|A [[Canada goose]] drinking]]
[[Image:Lion drinking.jpg|thumb|right|A [[lion]] drinking]]
[[File:Nordkirchen-100415-12272-Trinkender.jpg|thumb|Statue drinking from a traditional [[waterskin]]|alt=Statue of a man drinking|upright=1.2]]
[[File:Person drinking milk.jpg|thumb|upright|A person drinking a glass of milk]]
'''Drinking''' is the act of consuming a liquid through the mouth. [[Water]], for example, is required for many of life's physiological processes, and excess or decreased water intake is associated with health problems.
==Physiology==
A daily intake of 3-6 liters of water is required for the normal physiological functioning of the human body, {{Fact|date=July 2008}} depending on ambient weather conditions and diet (especially salt and sugar intake).{{Fact|date=July 2008}} The absolute minimum over the long term is about 1.6 liters (600 ml for urine, 200 ml for fecal losses, and 800 ml for losses via the skin and lungs).{{Fact|date=July 2008}} This includes water contained in food (i.e., it is not essential to drink 1-2 liters of water a day for survival, though it is often recommended for good health).{{Fact|date=July 2008}}


'''Drinking''' is the act of [[Ingestion|ingesting]] [[water]] or other [[liquid]]s into the body through the [[mouth]], [[proboscis]], or elsewhere. Humans drink by [[swallowing]], completed by [[peristalsis]] in the [[esophagus]]. The physiological processes of drinking vary widely among other [[animals]].
The sensation caused by dehydration of the body is called "thirst". The sensation of thirst is a dry feeling in the back of the throat and an intense desire to drink fluids. Thirst is regulated by the [[hypothalamus]] in response to subtle changes in the body's [[electrolyte]] levels, and also as a result of changes in the volume of blood circulating.


Most animals [[Drinking water|drink water]] to maintain [[Tissue hydration|bodily hydration]], although many can survive on the water gained from their food. Water is required for many [[Physiology|physiological]] processes. Both inadequate and (less commonly) excessive water intake are associated with health problems.
==Role in disease==
[[Polydipsia]] is the medical term for consumption of large quantities of water and may be a sign of various diseases ([[Diabetes Mellitus]], [[Diabetes insipidus]], and some psychiatric conditions).{{Fact|date=July 2008}}


== Methods of drinking ==
Much of the world's disease is caused by the lack of clean [[drinking water]]. Lack of water in diet will eventually cause death by [[hypernatremia]] and [[dehydration]], particularly when [[sweating]] consumes much of the body water. Unclean and unsanitary water can contain many [[bacteria]] and parasites that would otherwise be absent in clean water. Studies show that in some developing countries more than half of the population does not have access to safe drinking water.


=== In humans ===
It is also possible to [[Water intoxication|overhydrate]], which sometimes happens with athletes who consume too much water, thereby diluting the concentration of salts in the body.
When a [[liquid]] enters a human [[mouth]], the [[swallowing]] process is completed by [[peristalsis]] which delivers the liquid through the [[esophagus]] to the [[stomach]]; much of the activity is abetted by gravity. The liquid may be poured from the hands or [[drinkware]] may be used as vessels. Drinking can also be performed by acts of [[inhalation]], typically when imbibing hot liquids or drinking from a spoon. Infants employ a method of suction wherein the lips are pressed tight around a source, as in [[breastfeeding]]: a combination of breath and tongue movement creates a vacuum which draws in liquid.<ref name=Flint137>Flint, pp. 137–138.</ref>
Also the consumption of [[alcohol]] can lead to excessive consumption of water due to the fact that alcohol dehydrates the body. Overconsumption of water can be a sign of [[disease]] and/or mental health problems(e.g. damage to the hypothalamus), as stated above.


=== In other land mammals ===
==Vessels==
[[File:Cat_lapping_water_off_ground_in_slow_motion.gk.webm|thumb|Cat lapping water in slow motion|alt=refer to caption]]
[[Image:Glass-of-water.jpg|thumb|100px|A glass containing water]]
[[File:Jack Russell Terrier takes a drink.jpg|thumb|[[Jack Russell Terrier]] laps in water with its tongue. |upright]]
Drinking vessels may include [[glass]]es, [[Drinkware|cups]], [[bottle]]s, canteens, and [[Bowl (vessel)|bowls]].
By necessity, [[terrestrial animal]]s in captivity become accustomed to drinking water, but most free-roaming animals stay hydrated through the fluids and moisture in fresh food,<ref name=Mayer59>Mayer, p. 59.</ref> and learn to actively seek foods with high fluid content.<ref name="pmid35831501">{{cite journal | vauthors = Grove JC, Gray LA, La Santa Medina N, Sivakumar N, Ahn JS, Corpuz TV, Berke JD, Kreitzer AC, Knight ZA | title = Dopamine subsystems that track internal states | journal = Nature | volume = 608| issue = 7922| pages = 374–380| date = July 2022 | pmid = 35831501 | doi = 10.1038/s41586-022-04954-0 | pmc = 9365689 | bibcode = 2022Natur.608..374G | url = | doi-access = free }}</ref> When conditions impel them to drink from bodies of water, the methods and motions differ greatly among species.<ref name=Broom105>Broom, p. 105.</ref>


[[Cats]], [[Canidae|canines]], and [[ruminants]] all lower the neck and lap in water with their powerful tongues.<ref name=Broom105/> Cats and canines lap up water with the tongue in a spoon-like shape.<ref name=Smith238>Smith, p. 238.</ref> Canines lap water by scooping it into their mouth with a tongue which has taken the shape of a ladle. However, with cats, only the tip of their tongue (which is smooth) touches the water, and then the cat quickly pulls its tongue back into its mouth which soon closes; this results in a column of liquid being pulled into the cat's mouth, which is then secured by its mouth closing.<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.science.org/content/article/cats-tongues-employ-tricky-physics |title = Cats' Tongues Employ Tricky Physics|date = 2010-11-12}}</ref> Ruminants and most other herbivores partially submerge the tip of the mouth in order to draw in water by means of a plunging action with the tongue held straight.<ref name=Smith237>Smith, p. 237.</ref> Cats drink at a significantly slower pace than ruminants, who face greater natural predation hazards.<ref name=Broom105/>
[[Image:Infant_with_baby_bottle.jpg|thumb|left|150px|An [[infant]] being fed by bottle]]
Fewer skills are required for drinking from a [[baby bottle]] or a cup that has a lid with a nozzle. Therefore, these are useful for small children and people with some [[disabilities]]. If neither [[eating]] nor drinking are possible, some alternatives are [[Route of administration#Enteral|enteral]] [[nutrition]] and [[parenteral nutrition]].


Many [[desert animals]] do not drink even if water becomes available, but rely on eating [[succulent plant]]s.<ref name=Broom105/> In cold and frozen environments, some animals like [[hares]], [[tree squirrels]], and [[bighorn sheep]] resort to consuming snow and icicles.<ref>Mayer, p. 54.</ref> In [[savannas]], the drinking method of [[giraffes]] has been a source of speculation for its apparent defiance of gravity; the most recent theory contemplates the animal's long neck functions like a [[plunger pump]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.insidescience.org/news/how-do-giraffes-drink-water |title = How do Giraffes Drink Water?|date = February 2016}}</ref> Uniquely, [[elephants]] draw water into their trunks and squirt it into their mouths.<ref name=Broom105/>
==Alcohol==<!-- This section is linked from [[Spencer Tracy]] -->
[[Image:Joseph-Jefferson-Dis-Von.jpeg|thumb|The young [[Rip Van Winkle]] has another drink.]]
"Drinking" is also used as a [[synonym]] for the consumption of [[alcoholic beverage]]s. Additionally, having "thirst" or being "thirsty" can [[Metonymy|metonymically]] express a desire for alcohol.


=== In birds ===
{{excerpt|Bird anatomy|Drinking behaviour}}
Most birds scoop or draw water into the [[Buccal cavity|buccal]] areas of their bills, raising and tilting their heads back to drink. An exception is the common [[rock dove|pigeon]], which can suck in water directly by inhalation.<ref name=Broom105/>


=== In insects ===
HEYYYYYY!!!
[[File:Drinking Bee2.jpg|thumb|Drinking can be observed in many insect species.<ref name=Broom105/>|alt=A honeybee drawing in water through its proboscis]]
Most insects obtain adequate water from their food: When dehydrated from a lack of moist food, however, many species will drink from standing water.<ref name="Chapman577">{{Cite book |last=Chapman |first=R. F. |author-link=Reginald Frederick Chapman |editor1=Simpson, S. J. |editor2=Douglas, A. E. |year=2012 |title=The Insects: Structure and Function |edition=5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yoggAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA577 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |page=577 |isbn=978-1107310452 }}</ref> Additionally, all terrestrial insects constantly absorb a certain amount of the air's humidity through their [[Arthropod cuticle|cuticles]].<ref name="Chapman577"/> Some desert insects, such as ''[[Onymacris unguicularis]]'', have evolved to drink substantially from nighttime fog.<ref name="Chapman577"/>


==See also==
=== In marine life ===
[[Amphibian]]s and [[aquatic animal]]s which live in [[freshwater]] do not need to drink: they absorb water steadily through the skin by [[osmosis]].<ref name=Broom105/><ref name=Curtis569>Curtis, p. 569.</ref> [[Saltwater fish]], however, drink through the mouth as they swim, and purge the excess salt through the gills.<ref name=Curtis569/> Saltwater fishes do drink plenty of water and excrete a small volume of concentrated urine.
*[[Drink]]
**[[Alcoholic beverage]]
*[[Swallowing]]


==Hydration and dehydration==
[[Category:Drinking culture]]
{{Main|Tissue hydration|Dehydration}}
Like nearly all other life forms, humans require water for [[tissue hydration]]. Lack of hydration causes [[thirst]], a desire to drink which is regulated by the [[hypothalamus]] in response to subtle changes in the body's [[electrolyte]] levels and blood volume. A decline in total [[body water]] is called [[dehydration]] and will eventually lead to death by [[hypernatremia]]. Methods used in the [[management of dehydration]] include assisted drinking or [[oral rehydration therapy]].


An overconsumption of water can lead to [[water intoxication]], which can dangerously dilute the concentration of salts in the body. Overhydration sometimes occurs among athletes and outdoor laborers, but it can also be a sign of disease or damage to the hypothalamus. A persistent desire to drink inordinate quantities of water is a psychological condition termed [[polydipsia]]. It is often accompanied by [[polyuria]] and may itself be a symptom of [[diabetes mellitus]] or [[diabetes insipidus]].<ref name=Provan120>Provan, p. 129.</ref>
[[cs:Pití]]

[[he:שתייה]]
===Human water requirements===
[[nl:Drinken]]
[[File:ISS014-E-08330 (27 Nov. 2006) --- European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Thomas Reiter.jpg|thumb|Astronaut [[Thomas Reiter]] during [[Expedition 14]] drinking water on the [[International Space Station]]|alt=refer to caption]]
[[id:Minum]]
A daily intake of water is required for the normal physiological functioning of the [[human body]]. The [[United States Department of Agriculture|USDA]] recommends a daily intake of ''total water'': not necessarily by drinking but by consumption of water contained in other [[beverage]]s and foods. The recommended intake is 3.7 liters (appx. 1 gallon) per day for an adult male, and 2.7 liters (appx. 0.75 gallon) for an adult female.<ref name=USDA2011>
[[ja:飲む]]
{{cite book |last=Institute of Medicine |author-link=National Academy of Medicine |date=2005 |title=Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. |url=https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/10925/chapter/6 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=The National Academies Press |page=73 |isbn=978-0-309-13335-7}}</ref>
[[ko:마시기]]

[[no:Drikking]]
Other sources, however, claim that a high intake of fresh [[drinking water]], separate and distinct from other sources of moisture, is necessary for good health – eight servings per day of eight fluid ounces (1.8 liters, or 0.5 gallon) is the amount recommended by many [[nutritionist]]s,<ref name="bbc">{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_water.shtml |title=Healthy living – Water |language=English |access-date=1 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130408071634/http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/treatments/healthy_living/nutrition/healthy_water.shtml |archive-date=8 April 2013 |url-status=dead |author=Greenhalgh, Alison |year=2001 |publisher=[[BBC]] |work=BBC Health}}</ref> although there is no scientific evidence supporting this recommendation.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Drink at least eight glasses of water a day: Really? Is there scientific evidence for "8 × 8"? |journal=American Journal of Physiology. Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology |volume=283 |issue=5 |pages=R993–R1004 |author1=Valtin, Heinz |author2=Gorman, Sheila A. |year=2012 |df=dmy-all |doi=10.1152/ajpregu.00365.2002 |pmid=12376390 }}</ref><ref name=JASN2008>{{Cite journal |author1=Negoianu, Dan |author2=Goldfarb, Stanley |title=Just Add Water |journal=Journal of the American Society of Nephrology |publisher=[[American Society of Nephrology|ASN]] |volume=19 |issue=6 |pages=1041–1043 |year=2008 |doi=10.1681/ASN.2008030274 |pmid=18385417 |doi-access=free }}</ref>
[[nrm:Baithe]]

[[ru:Питьё]]
Evidence-based hydration experts say that the amount of drinking water needed depends on ambient temperature, activity level, body size, and sweat rate.<ref name="lifekit">[https://www.npr.org/2022/09/22/1124590408/how-much-water-do-you-actually-need-heres-the-science How much water do you actually need? Here's the science]</ref> Research shows drinking when thirsty will maintain hydration to within about 2% of the needed level.<ref name="lifekit" /> Drinking beyond thirst might be beneficial for people who need to perform tasks that require intense concentration, and those with [[kidney disease]], [[kidney stones]], [[urinary tract infection]]s, and people with a weak sense of thirst (which may include more older people).<ref name="lifekit" />
[[zh:飲水]]

[[zh-yue:飲嘢]]
==Alcoholic beverages==
{{Main|Alcoholic beverage}}
The term "drinking" is often used [[Metonymy|metonymically]] for the consumption of [[alcoholic beverage]]s. Most cultures throughout history have incorporated some number of the [[List of alcoholic beverages|wide variety of "strong drinks"]] into their meals, celebrations, ceremonies, [[Toast (honor)|toasts]] and other occasions.<ref>Gately, pp. 1–14.</ref> Evidence of [[fermented drink]]s in human culture goes back as early as the [[Neolithic]] Period,<ref>Patrick, Clarence Hodges. ''Alcohol, Culture, and Society''. AMS Press, 1952, p. 13.</ref> and the first pictorial evidence can be found in Egypt around 4,000 BC.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Hanson|first1=David|title=Ancient Period|url=http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/Controversies/1114796842.html#.VICKF9xH1FI|website=History of Alcohol and Drinking around the World|publisher=State University of New York|access-date=4 December 2014|archive-date=19 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219061449/http://www2.potsdam.edu/alcohol/Controversies/1114796842.html#.VICKF9xH1FI|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Alcohol consumption]] has developed into a variety of well-established [[drinking culture]]s around the world. Despite its popularity, alcohol consumption poses significant health risks. [[Alcohol abuse]] and the addiction of [[alcoholism]] are common maladies in developed countries worldwide.<ref>{{cite web|title=Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health|url=https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alcohol_report/msbgsruprofiles.pdf|website=World Health Organization|access-date=4 December 2014}}</ref> A high rate of consumption can also lead to [[cirrhosis]], [[gastritis]], [[gout]], [[pancreatitis]], [[hypertension]], various forms of [[cancer]], and numerous other illnesses.<ref>Fiebach, p. 387.</ref>

== See also ==
{{Portal|Drink}}
* [[Eating]]
* [[Hydration (disambiguation)]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
*{{Cite book |title=Biology of Behaviour: Mechanisms, Functions and Applications |last=Broom |first=Donald M. |author-link=Donald M. Broom |year=1981 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-29906-3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5kI5AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA105 |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=Invitation to Biology |last=Curtis |first=Helena |author2=Barnes, N. Sue |year=1994 |publisher=Macmillan |isbn=0879016795 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uF7RZN5LjRQC |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=Principles of Ambulatory Medicine |editor=Fiebach, Nicholas H. |year=2007 |publisher=Lippincott Williams & Wilkins |isbn=978-0-7817-6227-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UGVylX6g4i8C&pg=PA387 |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=The Physiology of Man |last=Flint |first=Austin |author-link=Austin Flint |year=1875 |publisher=D. Appleton and Co. |location=New York |oclc=5357686 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=10YLAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA137 |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol |last=Gately |first=Iain |year=2008 |publisher=Penguin |location=New York |isbn=978-1-59240-464-3 |pages=1–14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0FpnqTGxykIC |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=Physiological Mammalogy |volume=II |last=Mayer |first=William |year=2012 |publisher=Elsevier |isbn=9780323155250 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D_651i7oc4gC&pg=PA59 |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=Oxford Handbook of Clinical and Laboratory Investigation |last=Provan |first=Drew |year=2010 |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |isbn=978-0-19-923371-7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m1XRXTbCihEC&pg=PA129 |access-date=31 August 2013 }}
*{{Cite book |title=The Physiology of the Domestic Animals |last=Smith |first=Robert Meade |year=1890 |publisher=F.A. Davis |location=Philadelphia, London |url=https://archive.org/details/physiologydomes00smitgoog |access-date=31 August 2013 }}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Drinking}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20230208105001/https://www.europeanhydrationinstitute.org/hydration_tools "Are You Drinking Enough?"], recommendations by the European Hydration Institute (Madrid)

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Body water]]
[[Category:Drinking culture]]
[[Category:Ethology]]
[[Category:Physiology]]
[[Category:Nutrition]]
[[Category:Food and drink]]
[[Category:Human activities]]

Latest revision as of 06:28, 30 November 2024

This article is about the act of drinking a liquid in general. For the drinking of alcohol, see Alcoholic beverage.
Statue of a man drinking
Statue drinking from a traditional waterskin
A person drinking a glass of milk

Drinking is the act of ingesting water or other liquids into the body through the mouth, proboscis, or elsewhere. Humans drink by swallowing, completed by peristalsis in the esophagus. The physiological processes of drinking vary widely among other animals.

Most animals drink water to maintain bodily hydration, although many can survive on the water gained from their food. Water is required for many physiological processes. Both inadequate and (less commonly) excessive water intake are associated with health problems.

Methods of drinking

[edit]

In humans

[edit]

When a liquid enters a human mouth, the swallowing process is completed by peristalsis which delivers the liquid through the esophagus to the stomach; much of the activity is abetted by gravity. The liquid may be poured from the hands or drinkware may be used as vessels. Drinking can also be performed by acts of inhalation, typically when imbibing hot liquids or drinking from a spoon. Infants employ a method of suction wherein the lips are pressed tight around a source, as in breastfeeding: a combination of breath and tongue movement creates a vacuum which draws in liquid.[1]

In other land mammals

[edit]
Cat lapping water in slow motion
Jack Russell Terrier laps in water with its tongue.

By necessity, terrestrial animals in captivity become accustomed to drinking water, but most free-roaming animals stay hydrated through the fluids and moisture in fresh food,[2] and learn to actively seek foods with high fluid content.[3] When conditions impel them to drink from bodies of water, the methods and motions differ greatly among species.[4]

Cats, canines, and ruminants all lower the neck and lap in water with their powerful tongues.[4] Cats and canines lap up water with the tongue in a spoon-like shape.[5] Canines lap water by scooping it into their mouth with a tongue which has taken the shape of a ladle. However, with cats, only the tip of their tongue (which is smooth) touches the water, and then the cat quickly pulls its tongue back into its mouth which soon closes; this results in a column of liquid being pulled into the cat's mouth, which is then secured by its mouth closing.[6] Ruminants and most other herbivores partially submerge the tip of the mouth in order to draw in water by means of a plunging action with the tongue held straight.[7] Cats drink at a significantly slower pace than ruminants, who face greater natural predation hazards.[4]

Many desert animals do not drink even if water becomes available, but rely on eating succulent plants.[4] In cold and frozen environments, some animals like hares, tree squirrels, and bighorn sheep resort to consuming snow and icicles.[8] In savannas, the drinking method of giraffes has been a source of speculation for its apparent defiance of gravity; the most recent theory contemplates the animal's long neck functions like a plunger pump.[9] Uniquely, elephants draw water into their trunks and squirt it into their mouths.[4]

In birds

[edit]
This section is an excerpt from Bird anatomy § Drinking behaviour.[edit]

There are three general ways in which birds drink: using gravity itself, sucking, and by using the tongue. Fluid is also obtained from food.

Most birds are unable to swallow by the "sucking" or "pumping" action of peristalsis in their esophagus (as humans do), and drink by repeatedly raising their heads after filling their mouths to allow the liquid to flow by gravity, a method usually described as "sipping" or "tipping up".[10] The notable exception is the family of pigeons and doves, the Columbidae; in fact, according to Konrad Lorenz in 1939:

one recognizes the order by the single behavioral characteristic, namely that in drinking the water is pumped up by peristalsis of the esophagus which occurs without exception within the order. The only other group, however, which shows the same behavior, the Pteroclidae, is placed near the doves just by this doubtlessly very old characteristic.[11]

Although this general rule still stands, since that time, observations have been made of a few exceptions in both directions.[10][12]

In addition, specialized nectar feeders like sunbirds (Nectariniidae) and hummingbirds (Trochilidae) drink by using protrusible grooved or trough-like tongues, and parrots (Psittacidae) lap up water.[10]

Many seabirds have glands near the eyes that allow them to drink seawater. Excess salt is eliminated from the nostrils. Many desert birds get the water that they need entirely from their food. The elimination of nitrogenous wastes as uric acid reduces the physiological demand for water,[13] as uric acid is not very toxic and thus does not need to be diluted in as much water.[14]

Most birds scoop or draw water into the buccal areas of their bills, raising and tilting their heads back to drink. An exception is the common pigeon, which can suck in water directly by inhalation.[4]

In insects

[edit]
A honeybee drawing in water through its proboscis
Drinking can be observed in many insect species.[4]

Most insects obtain adequate water from their food: When dehydrated from a lack of moist food, however, many species will drink from standing water.[15] Additionally, all terrestrial insects constantly absorb a certain amount of the air's humidity through their cuticles.[15] Some desert insects, such as Onymacris unguicularis, have evolved to drink substantially from nighttime fog.[15]

In marine life

[edit]

Amphibians and aquatic animals which live in freshwater do not need to drink: they absorb water steadily through the skin by osmosis.[4][16] Saltwater fish, however, drink through the mouth as they swim, and purge the excess salt through the gills.[16] Saltwater fishes do drink plenty of water and excrete a small volume of concentrated urine.

Hydration and dehydration

[edit]
Main articles: Tissue hydration and Dehydration

Like nearly all other life forms, humans require water for tissue hydration. Lack of hydration causes thirst, a desire to drink which is regulated by the hypothalamus in response to subtle changes in the body's electrolyte levels and blood volume. A decline in total body water is called dehydration and will eventually lead to death by hypernatremia. Methods used in the management of dehydration include assisted drinking or oral rehydration therapy.

An overconsumption of water can lead to water intoxication, which can dangerously dilute the concentration of salts in the body. Overhydration sometimes occurs among athletes and outdoor laborers, but it can also be a sign of disease or damage to the hypothalamus. A persistent desire to drink inordinate quantities of water is a psychological condition termed polydipsia. It is often accompanied by polyuria and may itself be a symptom of diabetes mellitus or diabetes insipidus.[17]

Human water requirements

[edit]
refer to caption
Astronaut Thomas Reiter during Expedition 14 drinking water on the International Space Station

A daily intake of water is required for the normal physiological functioning of the human body. The USDA recommends a daily intake of total water: not necessarily by drinking but by consumption of water contained in other beverages and foods. The recommended intake is 3.7 liters (appx. 1 gallon) per day for an adult male, and 2.7 liters (appx. 0.75 gallon) for an adult female.[18]

Other sources, however, claim that a high intake of fresh drinking water, separate and distinct from other sources of moisture, is necessary for good health – eight servings per day of eight fluid ounces (1.8 liters, or 0.5 gallon) is the amount recommended by many nutritionists,[19] although there is no scientific evidence supporting this recommendation.[20][21]

Evidence-based hydration experts say that the amount of drinking water needed depends on ambient temperature, activity level, body size, and sweat rate.[22] Research shows drinking when thirsty will maintain hydration to within about 2% of the needed level.[22] Drinking beyond thirst might be beneficial for people who need to perform tasks that require intense concentration, and those with kidney disease, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and people with a weak sense of thirst (which may include more older people).[22]

Alcoholic beverages

[edit]
Main article: Alcoholic beverage

The term "drinking" is often used metonymically for the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Most cultures throughout history have incorporated some number of the wide variety of "strong drinks" into their meals, celebrations, ceremonies, toasts and other occasions.[23] Evidence of fermented drinks in human culture goes back as early as the Neolithic Period,[24] and the first pictorial evidence can be found in Egypt around 4,000 BC.[25]

Alcohol consumption has developed into a variety of well-established drinking cultures around the world. Despite its popularity, alcohol consumption poses significant health risks. Alcohol abuse and the addiction of alcoholism are common maladies in developed countries worldwide.[26] A high rate of consumption can also lead to cirrhosis, gastritis, gout, pancreatitis, hypertension, various forms of cancer, and numerous other illnesses.[27]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Flint, pp. 137–138.
  2. ^ Mayer, p. 59.
  3. ^ Grove JC, Gray LA, La Santa Medina N, Sivakumar N, Ahn JS, Corpuz TV, Berke JD, Kreitzer AC, Knight ZA (July 2022). "Dopamine subsystems that track internal states". Nature. 608 (7922): 374–380. Bibcode:2022Natur.608..374G. doi:10.1038/s41586-022-04954-0. PMC 9365689. PMID 35831501.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Broom, p. 105.
  5. ^ Smith, p. 238.
  6. ^ "Cats' Tongues Employ Tricky Physics". 2010-11-12.
  7. ^ Smith, p. 237.
  8. ^ Mayer, p. 54.
  9. ^ "How do Giraffes Drink Water?". February 2016.
  10. ^ a b c Cade, Tom J.; Greenwald, Lewis I. (1966). "Drinking Behavior of Mousebirds in the Namib Desert, Southern Africa" (PDF). The Auk. 83 (1): 126–8. doi:10.2307/4082984. JSTOR 4082984.
  11. ^ K. Lorenz, Verhandl. Deutsch. Zool. Ges., 41 [Zool. Anz. Suppl. 12]: 69–102, 1939
  12. ^ Cade, Tom J.; Willoughby, Ernest J.; Maclean, Gordon L. (1966). "Drinking Behavior of Sandgrouse in the Namib and Kalahari Deserts, Africa" (PDF). The Auk. 83 (1): 124–6. doi:10.2307/4082983. JSTOR 4082983.
  13. ^ Maclean, Gordon L. (1996). The Ecophysiology of Desert Birds. Springer. ISBN 3-540-59269-5.
  14. ^ Elphick, Jonathan (2016). Birds: A Complete Guide to their Biology and Behavior. Buffalo, New York: Firefly Books. pp. 53–54. ISBN 978-1-77085-762-9.
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  18. ^ Institute of Medicine (2005). Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. p. 73. ISBN 978-0-309-13335-7.
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  24. ^ Patrick, Clarence Hodges. Alcohol, Culture, and Society. AMS Press, 1952, p. 13.
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Bibliography

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