Importance of fluid and electrolyte balance in health-1

Importance of Fluids and Electrolyte Balance in Health

Cells, which are the fundamental building block of the structure and operation of life, require a balance of fluids and electrolytes to function normally. Tissues would not survive without fluids and electrolytes because fluids primarily convey different nutrients to and all of the waste from each cell.

Different body fluids, such as cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, and lymphatic fluid, moisten, shield, and support the tissues' efficient operation. Untreated fluid electrolyte abnormalities can endanger a number of body systems, including the central nervous and gastrointestinal systems. An electrolyte imbalance can cause cardiac or respiratory arrest, death, or seizures. Various issues, most frequently abnormal sodium, potassium, or calcium levels. Electrolyte imbalances might cause major issues. For instance, potassium is essential for the proper operation of blood vessels and nerves. If untreated, hyperkalemia, or high potassium levels, which induce irregular heartbeats, can lead to cardiac arrest. Similar to how sodium works, its main job is to carry nerve signals. In the body, water follows salt, so an excess or decrease in sodium causes a decrease in water. People who consume too much sodium will experience thirst, a rapid heartbeat, and exhaustion as the cells become dehydrated. Low sodium levels might result in unconsciousness and confusion. Calcium is a crucial electrolyte that is also very vital. Calcium aids in both the transmission of nerve impulses and the activation of the clotting process in the body. The best-known use of calcium is in the development of robust bones and teeth. Calcium also plays a role in the contraction of smooth and cardiac muscles. Both high and low calcium levels can result in muscle tremors, sudden seizures, and bone pain.

As a result, controlling fluids and electrolytes affects many different physiological systems and is crucial to preserving homeostasis so that the body can function. The kidneys' function is primarily responsible for preserving the fluid and electrolyte balance. By regulating the amount of fluid and electrolytes released in the urine, the kidneys contribute to the maintenance of electrolyte balance.

Acid -Base Balance

The management of hydrogen ions in physiological fluids, particularly in the extracellular fluids, is known as the acid-base balance. Inorganic acids, bases, or salts disintegrate or separate into ions and are encircled by water molecules when they are in contact with water. the level of hydrogen ions as determined by the pH scale. Every chemical reaction and bodily mechanism are impacted. The concentration of hydrogen ions can have an impact on the distribution of ions, hormones, and enzymes. The interstitial fluid and blood pH are kept between 7.35 and 7.45. A pH change of just a few tenths of a unit can have devastating effects.

Acid

Acids are any molecules that split apart in solution to produce a hydrogen (H+) ion. These compounds cause hydrogen ions to form in solution. The word "acid," which refers to the sour taste and pungent odor of many things, is derived from the Latin "acidus," which meaning "sour." Examples: Since acetic acid is diluted in water, vinegar has a sour taste. Lemon contains citric acid, which gives it a tart flavor.

Examples:

When hydrochloric acid dissolves in water, H+ and Cl- ions are produced.

H+ + CI- + HCl                                                          

Base

A base is any molecule that can take an ion of hydrogen. Any chemical that dissolves in water and releases OH- or negatively charged hydroxide ions is referred to as a base. They are compounds that either eat up acid or neutralize it. When acids are combined with bases, they lose their distinctive sour flavor and ability to dissolve metals. Because they act as the "base" to create specific salts, they are referred to as bases.

Examples: When sodium hydroxide dissolves in water, Na+ and OH" ions are produced.

pH = NaOH Na+ + OH

Level of Various Body Fluids

Mechanism of Acid Base Balance Theory

The typical ranges for each fluid are very constrained, despite the possibility that the pH of physiological fluids can vary. The pH of blood is maintained between 7.35 and 7.45 by homeostatic processes. A condition known as acidosis develops when the blood's pH drops below 7.35, while alkalosis develops when the pH increases over 7.45. Both ailments have the potential to substantially impair homeostasis. Three systems work together to maintain the extracellular fluid's pH within an acceptable range:

• Respiratory control (reacts rapidly in seconds to minutes)
• Renal control (reacts slowly, in minutes to hours)
• System of chemical buffers (reacts very rapidly, in less than a second)

Respiratory Regulation

The respiratory system reacts quickly to a pH change and works to return the body's pH to a normal range. The pH of the body changes as carbon dioxide concentration rises. As a result, the respiratory system regulates itself by removing de from the body. In an acid base disturbance, it is the second line of defense.
The brain's medullary respiratory center is activated when blood pH drops and carbon dioxide levels rise (hypercapnia). In response, the medullary respiratory center speeds up and deepens breathing. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the blood decreases in response to the increased rate and depth of ventilation because more carbon dioxide is eliminated from the body through the Jungs. As carbon dioxide levels declines, concentration of hydrogen ions decrease and thus, the pH is returned to their normal range.

Renal Regulation

Typically, the body eats more acid-producing food than base-producing food. Therefore, it excretes hydrogen ions in addition to adjusting pH. Kidneys are able to complete this duty. In response to the body's needs, the kidneys not only excrete but also secrete hydrogen ions. The third line of defense is this.

The kidneys excrete more hydrogen ions (acids) and reabsorb sodium ions (bases) when the blood pH decreases (becomes acidic), which causes the urine to become more acidic and raises blood pressure. Similarly, if the blood pH rises (becomes more alkaline), the kidneys produce less urine and secrete more hydrogen ions into the urine (in the distal convoluted tubules), which reduces the blood pH by making the urine less acidic. As a result, the kidneys control acid-base balance.

The following are the main renal mechanisms for pH regulation:

• Lons of hydrogen (H+) are excreted.
• Utilization of bicarbonate
• Acid excretion that is titratable
• Ammonium ions' (NH4+) excretion

Decreased urine pH, increased blood fluid pH, stimulation of H+ secretion, reabsorption of Na+ by distal tubules, stimulation of NH4+ excretion

Buffer System

In terms of pH regulation, it serves as the first line of defense. The elements that prevent a solution's pH from changing are known as buffers. To buffer is to balance. Buffering agents respond quickly. When excess hydrogen ions are added to a solution, they chemically attach to them and stabilize pH by releasing hydrogen ions when their concentrations start to fall. The body's three main chemical buffer systems are as follows:

• Bicarbonate Buffer System
  • It is primarily an extracellular buffer system and the most significant buffer system in plasma. The sodium bicarbonate salt of weak acid carbonic acid (H2CO3) makes up the bicarbonate buffer system (NaHCO3).
  • A salt and a weak acid are produced when bicarbonate combines with a strong acid. NaCl + H2CO3 = HCL + NaHCO3
  • Water and a weak base are produced when carbonic acid interacts with a strong base Buffer: NaOH + H2CO3 H2O + NaHCO3.
  • Its plasma concentration is quite low. It is made up of a weak base called prosphate (NaH2PO4) and a weak acid.
  • Monohydrogen phosphate sodium
• Phosphate Buffer System
  • The buffer is primarily intracellular. Its plasma concentration is quite low. It is made up of sodium dihydrogen phosphate and a weak acid (NaH2PO4)
  • A salt and a weak acid are produced when sodium monohydrogen phosphate interacts with a strong acid: NaCl + NaH2PO4 vs. HCL + Na2HPO4
  • Sodium dihydrogen phosphate reacts with both a weak base and a strong base to form water: H20 + Na2HPO4 + NaOH + NaH2PO4
• Protein Buffer System
  • Due to its large concentration in plasma and body cells, it is the most prevalent and significant substance. An essential intracellular protein found in red blood cells is hemoglobin. Proteins can combine with or release hydrogen ions since they are made of amino acids. Proteins' buffering abilities are mostly attributed to their carboxyl and amino groups.
  • A hydrogen ion can receive or lose one or more carboxyl groups (amino acids):H+ + NH2-CH2-COO- NH2CH2COOH
  • A hydrogen ion can be added to or removed from hemoglobin: Hb + H+ H - Hb+