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With temperatures rising, you could be making extra of an effort to remain hydrated and hold that big Stanley tumbler stuffed to the brim. Possibly you’re even trying to jump on the “sexy water” bandwagon by including ice, fruit and varied dietary supplements to make your H20 consumption extra enjoyable. No matter it takes, proper?
However there’s extra to wholesome hydration than cute water bottles and TikTok traits. Dehydration — particularly in case you’re hitting up a pool party or boozing by the beach under a blazing sun — is a well being situation that may wreak havoc in your physique if it’s not addressed rapidly. It additionally could be the underlying trigger for signs — a few of them critical — you could be attributing to one thing else.
Given the extent of confusion on the market — like, how a lot water is sufficient, how have you learnt in case you’re dehydrated and is that iced espresso making it worse? — we turned to well being specialists to debunk essentially the most frequent hydration myths they encounter. Right here’s what it is advisable to know.
Fable #1: You must drink eight glasses of water per day
How a lot water you need to imbibe every day is determined by your particular person wants. In keeping with Dr. Dana Cohen, medical adviser for Cure Hydration, a great aim is to drink roughly half your weight in ounces of water every day.
However physique weight isn’t the one factor we should always think about, Cohen says. You might want extra water primarily based in your train and degree of exercise, the quantity you sweat, your age, any drugs you’re taking, your weight loss plan and the warmth and humidity in your setting. For instance, in case your weight loss plan is excessive in water-based meals like fruit, smoothies or soups, chances are you’ll not want as a lot water.
Fable #2: Water is the one factor that hydrates you
Nope. Together with fruits, greens and different water-based meals corresponding to celery, different drinks, excluding those who include alcohol, can assist hydrate you. Actually, some studies claim that milk is extra hydrating than water.
Fable #3: Espresso is dehydrating due to the caffeine
The caffeine in coffee is a mild diuretic, which implies it will increase urine manufacturing. Urinating extra usually can lead you to lose water, which your physique wants for hydration. Nevertheless, because you soak up extra liquid than you lose whereas consuming espresso, it doesn’t have sufficient of an impact to result in dehydration, and might actually count towards your hydration goals for the day.
That mentioned, espresso shouldn’t be your solely supply of liquid. Be sure to drink different fluids (like water) and to monitor your caffeine intake, which, in extra, may cause different well being points. The United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines say to restrict your every day consumption to round 400 milligrams of caffeine, or about 4 cups of espresso.
Fable #4: Being dehydrated simply means you’re thirsty
When functioning correctly, our bodies are made of about 55% to 60% water. Once we are hydrated, our cells have sufficient water inside them to operate correctly, Cohen says.
When these cells are usually not correctly hydrated, they aren’t working effectively. That’s as a result of our our bodies are spending their assets making an attempt to warn us about our hydration ranges. That headache or fatigue you’re feeling if you end up dehydrated is an indication your physique is expending power on this warning system, and pulling assets from different necessary features.
Being hydrated isn’t nearly getting sufficient water, nonetheless. It additionally implies that our our bodies are in homeostasis, that’s, our mineral, vitamin and fluid ranges are balanced.
Fable #5: Thirst is the one signal of dehydration
Whereas one of many first signs of dehydration is elevated thirst, some indicators could also be straightforward to misinterpret as signs of one thing else. These indicators embody dizziness, weak point, fatigue, headache, dry pores and skin, dry mouth or fatigue, says Cohen.
One main indication that you just’re dehydrated, Cohen provides, is that your urine could seem amber-colored. For those who use the toilet, you may additionally discover a smaller quantity of urine than traditional.
Fable #6: You don’t have to see a health care provider for dehydration
Not essentially. The longer you go with out water, the extra you danger critical signs of dehydration. Extra extreme dehydration, Cohen warns, can current with anuria (no urine output), dizziness that makes it tough to face or stroll usually, low blood stress, quick coronary heart fee, fever, lethargy and confusion. In extreme circumstances it could result in seizures, shock or coma — signs that require instant medical consideration.
Fable #7: For those who’re often consuming water, you shouldn’t be thirsty
You’re always refilling your water bottle — however in some way you continue to really feel thirsty. There may very well be an underlying issue driving this thirst, corresponding to anemia, having your interval or being diabetic. For those who really feel like you’re correctly hydrating however are thirstier than traditional, communicate to a health care provider. Sure drugs (corresponding to these for allergy symptoms or movement illness) may provide you with a dry mouth sensation that isn’t essentially related to not consuming sufficient water.
You’ll have seen electrolyte drink packets, drops and even drinks like Gatorade that promise to spice up your hydration. However are they actually higher than consuming plain water?
It relies upon. Electrolytes are minerals in your physique fluids — corresponding to sodium, potassium, chloride and magnesium — which are important for varied bodily features, corresponding to sustaining hydration. We lose electrolytes in sweat and excrete them in urine.
Nevertheless, on a typical day of sweating, we don’t want to consider our electrolyte ranges. That’s as a result of most adults get sufficient electrolytes via our meals consumption. says Dr. Jo Anna Leuck, a doctor at Burnett Faculty of Drugs at Texas Christian College.
You might want to spice up your electrolytes, nonetheless, in case you are doing intense train (corresponding to a workout for more than 75 minutes) or spending time within the warmth, as plain water is probably not sufficient to keep up hydration. It’s additionally necessary to complement electrolytes, Leuck says, in case you had an sickness, corresponding to a abdomen flu, that prevented you from getting them via your weight loss plan.
That mentioned, it’s necessary not to overdo electrolytes too. Consuming an excess of electrolytes can put pressure in your kidneys. An excessive amount of sodium, for instance, may cause dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to seizures and loss of muscle control.
Fable #9: There’s no such factor as consuming an excessive amount of water
Sure, you will be overly hydrated — and it could trigger main issues. Water toxicity happens when somebody drinks water too quick, throwing off their physique’s electrolyte stability — and a few individuals have even died from it. As Cohen says, “supersizing your Stanley Cup may very well flush important electrolytes out of your system as a substitute of correctly hydrating you.”
Consuming extreme quantities of plain water can result in a dilution of sodium within the bloodstream referred to as hyponatremia. That, Cohen says, “may cause water to maneuver into cells — together with mind cells — doubtlessly leading to swelling, elevated intracranial stress and, in extreme circumstances, can doubtlessly result in seizures.”
Because of this it’s a nasty concept to try to flush out your physique with water, or to drink excessively when doing heavy endurance train. It’s at all times finest to comply with your physique cues, corresponding to thirst, to information your water consumption.
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