8 Important Factors Affecting Body Fluid Balance

Body Fluid Balance

Water in the human body is distributed to two compartments namely the extracellular and intracellular spaces. Two thirds of total body fluids are in intracellular space, more compared to those in the extracellular space (one-third of total body fluid). Extracellular fluid consists of plasma and interstitial fluid, wherein the interstitial fluid is more numerous (4/5 of extracellular fluid) than the plasma (1/5 of intracellular fluid). Actually extracellular fluid is also present elsewhere but there are very few in number, namely cerebrospinal fluid, intraocular fluid, joint fluid, pericardial fluid, intrapleural fluid, intraperitoneal fluid, and digestive fluid.

Fluid balance is part of the body's control to maintain homeostasis. Fluid homeostasis can be maintained by the body by regulating extracellular fluid, which in turn affects the intracellular fluid.

The body can achieve the required fluid balance so the body must arrange for the input fluid to be equal to the output fluid (balance concept). The body can also experience changes in fluid balance, namely positive balance (more input than output) or negative balance (more output than input).

There are 8 important factors affecting body fluid balance, including :

1. Age
   A person's age affects organ function. Very young individuals may have organs that have not developed at maximum function, and very old individuals may begin to have reduced organ function as part of the aging process. In both cases, the ability of the organs (heart, kidneys, lungs) to efficiently manage fluid and electrolyte balance is also affected. Because age is an uncontrolled influence factor, it makes it even more important to regulate the controlled influence factors mentioned earlier for very young and very old individuals. 
2. Food and Fluids intake
   The food and fluids we eat and drink play a major role in regulating fluid and electrolytes. Apart from drinks, we also eat food, especially fruits and vegetables, which provide fluids for us. The type of food and drinks we enter may interfere with fluid and electrolyte balance. A person's age affects organ function. Very young individuals may have organs that have not developed at maximum function, and very old individuals may begin to have reduced organ function as part of the aging process. In both cases, the ability of the organs (heart, kidneys, lungs) to efficiently manage fluid and electrolyte balance is also affected. Because age is an uncontrolled influence factor, it makes it even more important to regulate the controlled influence factors mentioned earlier for very young and very old individuals.
3. Medicine
   Drug intake (prescribed, free, recreational) is another influencing factor. Certain medications can cause fluid retention, and other medications can increase urination. Drugs can also interfere with electrolyte levels or their functionality by matching them to place receptors at the chemical level.
4. Environmental Temperature
   People who live in hot environments (high temperatures) and low air humidity have increased loss of body fluids and electrolytes through sweat. While someone who is active in a hot environment can lose fluids up to 5L per day.
5. Diet
   A person's diet affects fluid and electrolyte intake. When inadequate nutritional intake, the body will burn protein and fat so that serum albumin and protein reserves will decrease even though both are very necessary in the process of fluid balance so that this will cause edema.
6. Stress
   Stress can increase cell metabolism, blood glucose, and breakdown of muscle glycogen. This mechanism can increase sodium and water retention so that if prolonged it can increase blood volume.
7. Conditions of illness
   The conditions of illness greatly affect the body's fluid and electrolyte balance conditions for example:
   
   • Trauma such as burns will increase water loss through IWL.
   • Kidney and cardiovascular disease greatly influences the regulating process of the body's fluid and electrolyte balance with a decrease in the level of consciousness that will experience impaired intra-fluid fulfillment due to the loss of the ability to fulfill it independently.
8. Medical Actions
   Many medical actions affect the body's fluid and electrolyte balance such as: suction, nasogastric tube and others.

Reference :

1. Sherwood L,Human physiology from cell tosystem. 8th ed. Belmont:Books/Cole-Thomson Learning; 2013
2. Silverthron DU, Human physiology an integrated approach. 5th ed. San Fransisco: Pearson; 2010.

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