Exercise and water metabolism

Water metabolism is one of the most basic and important metabolic activities of the human body. First of all, water is the core component of life, and most of the human body is made up of water. Maintaining the dynamic balance of water in the body is one of the most important functions of the kidneys. Too much water may lead to problems such as increased blood volume and edema; too little water will affect cell function and the excretion of metabolic waste. Therefore, the balance of water metabolism is crucial to maintaining life and health.

When kidney function is abnormal, excess water in the body cannot be discharged in time, which will cause increased blood volume, increased blood pressure, eyelid or lower limb edema, etc. Worse, high blood pressure itself will further damage the kidneys, forming a vicious cycle and seriously endangering physical health.

At this point, moderate aerobic exercise is particularly important. It can not only enhance cardiopulmonary function and improve blood circulation throughout the body, but also improve kidney perfusion and oxygen supply, help enhance kidney function, and thus improve water metabolism. Exercise can discharge excess water in time, which can not only help lower blood pressure, but also effectively relieve edema.

It is worth noting that exercise can also reveal the hidden "pseudo-normal kidney function" phenomenon. In modern society, many people work in offices for a long time and have almost no physical activity, which leads to severe muscle atrophy. In this case, the muscles produce very little creatinine, and the blood test results show that the creatinine is low. On the surface, it seems that "kidney function is normal", but in fact there may be potential risks.

For a person who has been exercising for a long time and has good muscle mass, his creatinine level reflects the true state of kidney function. Once kidney function declines, creatinine will rise, providing early warning signals in time to avoid delayed diagnosis. This is why the true health judgment must be combined with a comprehensive analysis of exercise status, muscle mass and blood indicators. It is not accurate to just look at the blood test numbers.

Ultimately, the treatment of chronic diseases depends on oneself. Doctors have limited time for diagnosis and treatment, and can often only deal with surface symptoms. Only when patients themselves deeply understand the changes in their bodies and observe the details of their lives can they find the real cause of the disease.

For example, problems such as high blood pressure and edema are probably not simply organic diseases, but are caused by long-term lack of exercise and decreased water metabolism. If you only rely on medication control without changing your lifestyle, not only will the effect be limited, but you may also miss the chance to cure it. Once you develop a habit of regular exercise, enhance kidney function, and improve water metabolism efficiency, many so-called "chronic diseases" may be gradually reversed.

(The author of this article is not a medical professional, and the above is only a personal opinion and is not used as a medical basis for anyone).

Peter lee in Toronto