Thirst

The sensation caused by dehydration of the body is called thirst. Water is required for many of the body's physiological processes, and excess or decreased water intake is associated with health problems.

Physiology
A daily intake of 1-2 liters of water is required for the normal physiological functioning of the body, depending on the ambient weather conditions. The absolute minimum over the long term is about 1.6 liters (600 ml for urine, 200 ml for fecal losses, and 800 ml for losses via the skin and lungs). This includes water contained in food (i.e., it is not necessary to drink 1-2 liters of water a day).

The sensation of thirst is a dry feeling in the back of the throat and an intense desire to drink fluids. Thirst is regulated by the hypothalamus in response to subtle changes in the body's electrolyte levels, and also as a result of changes in the volume of blood circulating.

Role in disease
Polydipsia is the medical term for consumption of large quantities of water and may be a sign of various diseases (diabetes mellitus, diabetes insipidus, and some psychiatric conditions).

Much of the world's disease is caused by the lack of clean drinking water. Lack of water in the diet will eventually cause death by hypernatremia and dehydration, particularly when sweating consumes much of the body water.

It is also possible to overhydrate, which sometimes happens with athletes who consume too much water, thereby diluting the concentration of salts in the body.

Trinken שתייה 飲む Drinken Drikking Beber 飲水