Water makes up about 40-70% of the body mass, depending on age, gender and body composition. Body fat has a low water content (10% of weight), while 60% of the weight of muscle is water.
Water serves as the body's transport and reactive medium; diffusion of gases always takes place across surfaces moistened by water. Nutrients and gases travel through the water in urine and faeces.
Water in conjunction with various proteins, lubricates joints and cushions a variety of moving organs such as heart, lungs, intestines, and eyes. Because water is noncompressible, it gives structure and form to the body through the turgor it provides for body tissues.
Water has tremendous heat-stabilizing qualities because it can absorb a lot of heat with only small changes in temperature. This quality, combined with water's high heat of vaporization, maintains a relatively stable body temperature during (1) environmental heat stress (2) the increased heat load generated during exercise.
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