We all know that drinking water is essential, but most of us underestimate just how deeply it affects our health, energy, and overall wellbeing. From the way our brain functions to how our joints move, water plays a part in almost every process in the body. This is why hydration is so often described as the foundation of health.
One of the best resources on this subject comes from Dr F Batmanghelidj, whose pioneering work on hydration revealed just how many functions depend on water. In his well-known books, including Your Body’s Many Cries for Water and Water and Salt, he explained in simple terms why your body needs water to survive and thrive.
Dr Batmanghelidj and the water connection
Dr Batmanghelidj was a qualified medical doctor who turned much of his attention to hydration and natural health. His book Water and Salt (sometimes referred to as Dr F Batmanghelidj Water and Salt) outlines the combined importance of hydration and mineral balance. He demonstrated through clinical experience that even mild dehydration can contribute to a wide range of problems — many of which can improve when water intake is prioritised.
Because of this, his work is often called the Batmanghelidj water approach: a way of seeing hydration as much more than just quenching thirst. He reminded us that the body needs water at every level, from the cellular to the systemic.
Why your body needs water: insights from Dr Batmanghelidj
Here are some of the many reasons outlined in Dr Batmanghelidj Water and Salt that highlight why the body needs water:
Without water, nothing lives.
Comparative shortage of water first suppresses and eventually kills some aspects of the body.
Water is the main source of energy - it is the ‘cash flow’ of the body.
Water generates electrical and magnetic energy inside each and every cell of the body - it provides the power to live.
Water is the bonding adhesive in the architectural design of the cell structure.
Water prevents DNA damage and makes repair mechanisms more efficient - less abnormal DNA is made.
Water increases greatly the efficiency of the immune system in the bone marrow, where the immune system is formed (all its mechanisms) - including its efficiency against cancer.
Water is the main solvent for all the foods, vitamins, and minerals. It is used in the breakdown of food into smaller particles and their eventual metabolism and assimilation.
Water energizes food, and food particles are then able to supply the body with this energy during digestion.
Water increases the body’s rate of absorption of essential substances in food.
Water is used to transport all substances inside the body.
Water increases the efficiency of red blood cells in collecting oxygen in the lungs.
When water reaches a cell, it brings the cell oxygen and takes the waste gases to the lungs for disposal.
Water clears toxic waste from different parts of the body and takes it to the liver and kidneys for disposal.
Water is the main lubricant in the joint spaces and helps prevent arthritis and back pain.
Water is used in the spinal discs to make them ‘shock-absorbing water cushions’.
Water is the best lubricating laxative and prevents constipation.
Water helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Water prevents clogging of the arteries in the heart and the brain.
Water is essential for the body’s cooling (sweat) and heating (electrical) systems.
Water gives us power and electrical energy for all brain functions, most particular thinking.
Water is directly needed for the efficient manufacture of all neuro-transmitters, including serotonin.
Water is directly needed for the production of all hormones made by the brain, including melatonin.
Water can help prevent attention deficit disorder in children and adults.
Water increases efficiency at work; it expands your attention span.
Water is a better pick me-up than any other beverage in the world- and it has no side effects.
Water helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.
Water restores normal sleep rhythms.
Water helps reduce fatigue - it gives us the energy of youth
Water makes the skin smoother and helps decrease the effects of ageing.
Water gives lustre and shine to the eyes.
Water prevents glaucoma.
Water normalizes the blood-manufacturing systems in the bone marrow - it helps prevent leukemia and lymphoma
Water is absolutely vital for making the immune system more efficient in different regions to fight infection and cancer cells where they are formed.
Water dilutes the blood and prevents it from clotting during circulation.
Water decreases premenstrual pains and hot flushes.
Water and heartbeats create the dilution and waves that keep things from sedimenting in the bloodstream.
The human body has no stored water to draw on during dehydration, therefore, you must drink regularly and throughout the day.
Dehydration prevents sex hormone production - one of the primary causes of impotence and loss of libido.
Drinking water separates the sensations of thirst and hunger.
To lose weight, water is the best way to go – drink water on time and lose weight without much dieting. Also, you will not eat excessively when you feel hungry but are in fact only thirsty for water.
Dehydration causes deposits of toxic sediments in the tissue spaces, joints, kidneys, liver, brain and skin. Water will clear these deposits.
Water reduces the incidence of morning sickness in pregnancy.
Water integrates mind and body functions. It increases ability to realize goals and purpose.
Water helps to prevent the loss of memory as we age. It helps reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease. And Lou Gehrig’s disease (motor neuron disease).
Water helps reverse addictive urges, including those for caffeine, alcohol, and some drugs.
This extensive list illustrates the many roles water plays — from energy metabolism to emotional balance.
Dr Batmanghelidj Water and Salt: The mineral connection
In Dr Batmanghelidj Salt and Water, he emphasised that hydration works best when combined with the right minerals. Salt, in its natural unprocessed form, provides essential electrolytes that help the body retain and use water efficiently. According to his view, both hydration and mineral balance are necessary for maintaining long-term vitality.
This connection between water and natural salt intake is one of the reasons his work continues to be discussed today. When people search for Dr Batmanghelidj Salt, they are often looking for this guidance on pairing hydration with mineral balance.
Why the body needs water throughout the day
One of the key messages from Dr Batmanghelidj is that the body cannot store water in reserve. Unlike fat or carbohydrates, there is no backup supply of hydration waiting to be tapped into. This is why regular, consistent drinking is crucial.
He recommended drinking at intervals throughout the day, not just when thirsty. Thirst, he explained, is already a late signal of dehydration. By that point, processes inside the body are already under stress.
Listening to your body’s cry for water
Hydration is about far more than avoiding dry mouth. As Dr F Batmanghelidj Water and Salt highlighted, water underpins nearly every function of the body. From cellular repair to mood regulation, from energy production to digestion, the message is clear: the body needs water to function at its best.
Taking inspiration from Batmanghelidj water principles is simple. Drink regularly, choose clean sources of water, and be mindful of mineral balance. By doing so, you respect one of the most basic, and most powerful, foundations of health.
