By David Toogood

THAILAND: Keeping sufficient liquid inside of us in a hot place like Thailand was the focus for scientists at a recent symposium organised by the International Life Sciences Institute and Mahidol University's Institute of Nutrition.

Mahidol Associate Professor Kallaya Kijboonchoo pointed out that children and the elderly are most at risk of becoming dehydrated.

The signs to watch out for in kids are lethargy, dry mouth and cold skin, possibly with a blue tinge to it, she said.

Elderly people can become dehydrated due to declining kidney function, hormonal changes, chronic illness and limited mobility.

In the rest of the population, dehydration results from sweating more in the heat or from fever, and any increase in urinating due to diabetes, kidney disease, diarrhoea, vomiting or recovery from burns.

Huaying Zhang of China's Beverage Institute for Health and Wellness said we get 80 per cent of our liquid requirements from beverages, and the rest from solid food, but diets differ around the world.

If you don't maintain the right liquid balance, it can affect your performance as well as your health, he said.

Zhang said dehydration reduces your plasma and your ability to regulate body temperature. This in turn can cause cardiovascular and neurological problems that could result in dizziness, fainting, circulatory shock, mental confusion, delirium, convulsions, coma and even death.

One study seemed to show that low fluid intake boosted the risk of bladder cancer. Kidney stones, urinary infections, dental disease and constipation can also result, Zhang said.

Kallaya noted that in a hot climate like Thailand's, it's essential to replace the fluid lost during the course of a day.

Any beverage will do, even those containing sugar, caffeine and alcohol, she said. But these should be consumed in modest amounts on the basis of how much energy, nutrients and water you need.

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Daily Xpress/Asia News Network