If adequate water is not consumed on a daily basis the body fluids will be out of balance, causing dehydration. When dehydration is severe, it can be life-threatening.
Reviewed last on: 8/8/2007
Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD, family physician specializing in nutrition, fitness, and preventive health, St. John's Mercy Medical Center, St. Louis, MO, and Assistant Clinical Professor, St. Louis University's School of Medicine, Department of Community and Family Medicine.