Hydration and your heart

Water is the single largest component of the human body, making up 50 to 80 per cent, and it plays a vital role in most bodily functions. Proper hydration is essential for your heart.

Your heart is constantly pumping blood through your body. Beating on average 72 times a minute, it pumps around 7,600 litres every day. Staying well hydrated helps your heart do its job and more easily pump blood through the blood vessels to your muscles. This in turn helps your muscles work more effectively.

Dehydration occurs when more fluid is used or lost than is taken in by the body. If this lost fluid is not replaced, this can lead dehydration, and the body does not have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions.

If you are dehydrated, the amount of blood circulating through your body decreases. Your heart will try to compensate by beating faster, increasing your heart rate. This places strain on your heart as it needs to work harder than normal.