title: Types and characteristics of drinking water for hydration in the elderly.
abstract: The role of hydration in the maintenance of health is increasingly recognized. Hydration requirements vary for each person, depending on physical activity, environmental conditions, dietary patterns, alcohol intake, health problems, and age. Elderly individuals have higher risk of developing dehydration than adults. Diminution of liquid intake and increase in liquid losses are both involved in causing dehydration in the elderly. The water used for drinking is provided through regular public water supply and the official sanitary controls ensure their quality and hygiene, granting a range of variation for most of its physical and chemical characteristics, being sometimes these differences, though apparently small, responsible for some disorders in sensitive individuals. Hence, the advantages of using bottled water, either natural mineral water or spring water, are required by law to specify their composition, their major components, and other specific parameters. It is essential to take this into account to understand the diversity of indications and favorable effects on health that certain waters can offer.
authors.affiliation: a Departamento de Medicina Celular y Molecular, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB) , Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) , Madrid , Spain.
authors.forename: Ángela
authors.initials: Á
authors.lastname: Casado
authors.forename: Primitivo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gil
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003681:Dehydration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D059022:Food Safety; D006801:Humans; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000032:analysis*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D008900:Mineral Waters
keywords: Elderly hydration; drinking water; natural mineral waters; types of water; water classification