Ways to Protect Your Kidneys from Dehydration in Ramadan

Water, which constitutes approximately 60 percent of human body weight and is an indispensable nutritional element for human life, has functions such as removing waste materials from the body through urination, defecation and sweating, maintaining body temperature, ensuring lubrication of joints and preventing the skin from drying out. Anadolu Health Center Internal Medicine and Nephrology Specialist Assoc. Prof. stated that symptoms of weakness and fatigue can be observed even in cases of mild dehydration. Dr. Enes Murat Atasoyu said, “As the degree of dehydration increases, disorders in other body functions also develop. “In order to spend the month of Ramadan in a healthy way, after breaking the fast at iftar, one must drink at least 2 liters of water until sahur to avoid damage to the kidneys,” he said.

Anadolu Health Center Internal Medicine and Nephrology Specialist Assoc. Prof. emphasizes that the daily amount of water needed by a healthy person may vary depending on factors such as the person’s daily activity, body weight, climate characteristics, and temperature of the working environment. Dr. Enes Murat Atasoyu said, “In the declaration prepared by the World Health Organization on water requirement, the daily water requirement of healthy adults living in warm climate regions is around 2.7-3.7 liters, while in hot regions this amount reaches 4-6 liters. Therefore, even more attention needs to be paid to water consumption, especially in the summer months. “Since people become dehydrated during the day during Ramadan, care should be taken to consume at least 2 liters of water between iftar and sahur,” he said.

So how should one deal with thirst, especially during Ramadan? Assoc. Dr. Enes Murat Atasoyu gave the following information on the subject: “Not being able to drink water during the day due to fasting may cause problems such as headache, dizziness or weakness. It is important to spend energy efficiently while fasting in order to cope with thirst and even avoid feeling too thirsty. Exercises such as light walks, yoga and meditation can be done, but it is important for health not to tire the body unnecessarily, not to do heavy exercise, and not to engage in behaviors that may cause sweating, that is, the body to lose extra fluid. Additionally, one should avoid consuming excessive amounts of tea and coffee instead of water at iftar. “These drinks do not replace water, and they also cause the body to lose water.”

4 Factors Playing a Role in Water Requirement

Assoc. Prof. said that people with diseases that require constant treatment, such as kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, should act according to their doctors’ recommendations regarding fluid consumption. Dr. Enes Murat Atasoyu listed the factors that play a role in water requirement as follows:

• Exercise: Extra sports drinks containing water and minerals should be consumed, especially during intense exercises that last more than 1 hour.
• Ambient temperature: Increasing water consumption in hot environments that cause excessive sweating prevents the development of dehydration.
• Health problems: It is very important to increase water consumption to replace the water lost from the body in cases such as high fever, nausea-vomiting, and diarrhea due to various reasons.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding period: It is recommended to drink 2.5 liters of water daily during pregnancy and around 3 liters during breastfeeding.