Drinking water is not just quenching our thirst, we all know that it’s essential to keep our bodies functioning properly and keep us alive.
But according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), drinking water also helps people age in a healthy way.
The study is conclusive since it was a result of 25 years of studying 11,255 adults on factors such as socioeconomic status and family medical history.
Researchers also looked at the relationship between several health markers and blood salt levels, which rise when fluid intake declines.
“The results suggest that proper hydration may slow down aging and prolong a disease-free life,” said research scientist Natalia Dmitrieva, study author from the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of NIH.
Higher levels mean an increased risk of passing away earlier in life
The research builds on a previous finding that highlighted a link between higher sodium levels in the blood and an increased risk of heart failure.
A normal blood sodium level is between 135 and 145 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L). In the study, serum samples with higher sodium levels were found to contain elevated levels of up to 15 different markers of biological health and aging. So, those with higher blood sodium levels were more likely to acquire chronic illnesses and exhibit symptoms of advanced biological aging.
Dmitrieva said, “Decreased body water content is the most common factor that increases serum sodium, which is why the results suggest that staying well hydrated may slow down the aging process and prevent or delay chronic disease.”
