Why to drink water if it is produced during the chemical reactions during respiration?

The formula for respiration is:

Glucose + Oxygen –> water + Carbon dioxide + Energy (ATP)

Asked a group of students of class VII, KV AFS Bidar

Answer:

Water is just a product during respiration. The amount of water obtained during respiration is not sufficient to carry out all the functions. Water has a multitude of functions in human body. See the picture below.

FUNCTIONS OF WATER IN HUMAN BODY

About 78% of human body is water.

The water:

• Transports nutrients and oxygen into cells
• Moisturizes the air in lungs
• Helps with metabolism
• Protects our vital organ
• Helps our organs to absorb nutrients better
• Regulates body temperature
• Detoxifies
• Protects and moisturizes our joints

For all the above functions we require more water than produced as a byproduct of respiration.

More details on the role of water in human body can be read from:

• http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html
• http://www.nestle-waters.com/healthy-hydration/water-fonctions-in-human-body
• http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Water_a_vital_nutrient
• http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/purpose-water-function-provides-body-3344.html
• http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Human_Physiology/The_respiratory_system