According to new research, drinking eight glasses of water each day for the rest of your life could lower your chance of heart failure 25 years later. According to a press release from Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D., a researcher at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland, the findings, presented on August 24 at the European Society of Cardiology Congress 2021, suggest that maintaining good hydration can slow down or even prevent changes within the heart that lead to heart failure.
According to National Institutes of Health experts, staying hydrated may be linked to a lower chance of getting heart failure. Their findings, published in the European Cardiac Journal, imply that drinking enough fluids throughout life not only supports critical bodily functions but may also lower the likelihood of developing severe heart problems in the future.
Heart failure, a chronic ailment that occurs when the heart fails to pump enough blood for the body’s needs, affects around 6.2 million Americans, or slightly more than 2% of the population. It is also more prevalent in persons 65 and older.
“Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce long-term risks for heart disease,” said Natalia Dmitrieva, Ph.D., the lead study author and a researcher in the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s (NHLBI) Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine.
Similar to reducing salt intake, drinking enough water and staying hydrated are ways to support our hearts and may help reduce long-term risks for heart disease. Drinking enough fluids throughout life not only supports critical bodily functions but may also lower the likelihood of developing severe heart problems in the future.
Natalia Dmitrieva
Dmitrieva and colleagues sought for comparable linkages in large-scale population studies after performing preclinical research that revealed links between dehydration and cardiac fibrosis, a hardening of the heart muscles. To begin, scientists examined data from approximately 15,000 participants aged 45 to 66 who participated in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study between 1987 and 1989 and exchanged information from medical visits throughout a 25-year period.
The investigators focused their retrospective evaluation on people whose hydration levels were within a normal range and who did not have diabetes, obesity, or heart failure at the start of the trial. The final analysis included 11,814 adults, and the researchers discovered that 1,366 (11.56 percent) of them got heart failure later in life.
The researchers investigated the hydration state of the subjects using multiple clinical indicators to assess potential correlations with hydration. Looking at blood sodium levels, which rise when the body’s fluid levels fall, was notably helpful in identifying people who were at a higher risk of developing heart failure. It also assisted in identifying older persons who were at a higher risk of developing both heart failure and left ventricular hypertrophy, which is an enlargement and thickening of the heart.
For example, adults with serum sodium levels starting at 143 milliequivalents per liter (mEq/L) — a normal range is 135-146 mEq/L — in midlife had a 39% associated increased risk for developing heart failure compared to adults with lower levels. And for every 1 mEq/L increase in serum sodium within the normal range of 135-146 mEq/L, the likelihood of a participant developing heart failure increased by 5%.
In a cohort of about 5,000 adults ages 70-90, those with serum sodium levels of 142.5-143 mEq/L at middle age were 62% more likely to develop left ventricular hypertrophy. Serum sodium levels starting at 143 mEq/L correlated with a 102% increased risk for left ventricular hypertrophy and a 54% increased risk for heart failure.
The authors conclude that serum sodium levels above 142 mEq/L in middle age are related to an increased risk of developing left ventricular hypertrophy and heart failure later in life. According to the researchers, a randomized, controlled experiment will be required to confirm these early findings. However, these preliminary findings indicate that adequate hydration may help prevent or reduce the course of alterations within the heart that might lead to heart failure.
“Serum sodium and fluid intake can easily be assessed in clinical exams and help doctors identify patients who may benefit from learning about ways to stay hydrated,” said Manfred Boehm, M.D., who leads the Laboratory of Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine.
Fluids are required for a variety of body processes, including assisting the heart in efficiently pumping blood, sustaining blood vessel function, and orchestrating circulation. Despite this, many people consume significantly less than they require, according to experts. While fluid recommendations vary depending on the demands of the individual, the researchers recommended a daily fluid consumption of 6-8 cups (1.5-2.1 liters) for women and 8-12 cups (2-3 liters) for males. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also offers advice on how to stay hydrated.
