Body Fluids: Distribution,
Composition
Human Physiology I (24PTH-102)
Tutor Name: Sohini Basu
Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy (UIAHS)
Chandigarh University
Body Fluids
• The cells that make up the bodies of all but the simplest multicellular animals, both
aquatic and terrestrial, exist in an “internal sea” of extracellular fluid (ECF)
enclosed within the integument of the animal.
• From this fluid, the cells take up O2 and nutrients; into it, they discharge
metabolic waste products.
• The ECF is more dilute than present-day seawater, but its composition closely
resembles that of the primordial oceans in which, presumably, all life originated.
• Body fluids are considered to be the interstitial fluids, saliva, tears, and gastric
juices. They moisten the tissues, muscles, body organs and skin.
• The normal body in an average adult male is composed of water (60%), minerals
(7%), protein and related substances (18%), and fat (15%).
• Water, denoted by the term total body water (TBW), and the electrolytes need
special emphasis.
Body Fluids
Total body water (TBW):
• Water is the principal and essential constituent of the human body.
• The total body water is about 10% less in a normal young adult female
(average 50%) than that in average adult male (60%) due to relatively
greater amount of adipose tissue in the females.
• In both sexes, the value tends to decrease with age
Body Fluids
Body Fluid Compartments:
• TBW is distributed into two main compartments of the body fluids separated
from each other by membranes freely permeable to water.
1. Intracellular fluid compartment comprises about 40% of the body weight, the bulk
of which is contained in the muscles.
2. Extracellular fluid compartment constitutes about 20% of the body weight. ECF
compartment comprises following:
i. Plasma
ii. Interstitial fluid including lymph
iii. Transcellular fluid
iv. Mesenchymal tissue fluid
Body Fluids
Body electrolytes
• Electrolytes constitute about 7% of the total body weight and they perform
many major functions in the body. The distribution of electrolytes in various
compartments differs markedly.
Body Fluids
Functions of electrolytes
1) Electrolytes are the main solutes in the body fluids for
maintenance of acid–base balance.
2) Electrolytes maintain the proper osmolality and volume of
body fluids.
3) The concentration of certain electrolytes determines their specific
physiologic functions, e.g. the effect of calcium ions on
neuromuscular excitability.
Body Fluids
Fluid Imbalance
• Two types of fluid imbalances are excessive fluid volume (also
referred to as hypervolemia) and deficient fluid volume (also
referred to as hypovolemia).
• These imbalances primarily refer to imbalances in the
extracellular compartment, but can cause fluid movement in the
intracellular compartments based on the sodium level of the blood.
Body Fluids
Excessive Fluid Volume
Excessive fluid volume (also referred to as hypervolemia)
occurs when there is increased fluid retained in the
intravascular compartment.
Patients at risk for developing excessive fluid volume are
those with the following conditions:
• Heart Failure
• Kidney Failure
• Cirrhosis
• Pregnancy
Body Fluids
Excessive Fluid Volume
• Symptoms of fluid overload include pitting edema, ascites, and dyspnea
and crackles from fluid in the lungs.
• Edema is swelling in dependent tissues due to fluid accumulation in the
interstitial spaces.
• Ascites is fluid retained in the abdomen.
• Treatment depends on the cause of the fluid retention. Sodium and fluids are
typically restricted and diuretics are often prescribed to eliminate the excess
fluid.
Body Fluids
Deficient Fluid Volume
Deficient fluid volume (also referred to as hypovolemia or
dehydration) occurs when loss of fluid is greater than fluid input.
Common causes of deficient fluid volume are diarrhea, vomiting,
excessive sweating, fever, and poor oral fluid intake.
Individuals who have a higher risk of dehydration include the
following:
• Older adults
• Infants and children
• Patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes mellitus and kidney disease
• Patients taking diuretics and other medications that cause increased urine output
• Individuals who exercise or work outdoors in hot weather
Body Fluids
In adults, symptoms of dehydration are as follows:
• Feeling very thirsty
• Dry mouth
• Headache
• Dry skin
• Urinating and sweating less than usual
• Dark, concentrated urine
• Feeling tired
• Changes in mental status
• Dizziness due to decreased blood pressure
• Elevated heart rate
Body Fluids
In infants and young children, additional symptoms of dehydration
include the following:
• Crying without tears
• No wet diapers for three hours or more
• Being unusually sleepy or drowsy
• Irritability
• Eyes that look sunken
• Sunken fontanelle
Dehydration can be mild and treated with increased oral intake such
as water or sports drinks.
Severe cases can be life-threatening and require the administration of
intravenous fluids.
Recap
2024
• What is the percentage of water in an adult male?
• What are the most abundant cations and anions in ECF?
• Name two fluids present in ECF compartment.
• Antidiuretics are used in hypervolemia. True/ False
• Sunken fontanelle is a symptom of hyperhydration . True/ False
• Older people have greater water content compared to young ones. True/ False
Aug 11, 2024 Pro VC-Academic Affairs 22
