Consultants debunk 9 hydration myths

With temperatures rising, you is likely to be making extra of an effort to remain hydrated and preserve that enormous Stanley tumbler stuffed to the brim. Perhaps you’re even seeking to bounce on the “attractive 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 developments. Dehydration — particularly for those who’re hitting up a pool social gathering or boozing by the seaside beneath a blazing solar — is a well being situation that may wreak havoc in your physique if it’s not addressed rapidly. It additionally is likely to be the underlying trigger for signs — a few of them critical — you is likely to 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 for those who’re dehydrated and is that iced espresso making it worse? — we turned to well being specialists to debunk probably the most frequent hydration myths they encounter. Right here’s what you should know.

Delusion #1: It’s essential to drink eight glasses of water per day

How a lot water you need to imbibe each day is determined by your particular person wants. In accordance with Dr. Dana Cohen, medical adviser for Cure Hydration, objective is to drink roughly half your weight in ounces of water every day.

However physique weight isn’t the one factor we must always contemplate, Cohen says. It’s possible you’ll want extra water primarily based in your train and degree of exercise, the quantity you sweat, your age, any medicines you’re taking, your food regimen and the warmth and humidity in your surroundings. For instance, in case your food regimen is excessive in water-based meals like fruit, smoothies or soups, it’s possible you’ll not want as a lot water.

Delusion #2: Water is the one factor that hydrates you

Nope. Together with fruits, greens and different water-based meals similar to celery, different drinks, apart from people who comprise alcohol, can assist hydrate you. In truth, some studies claim that milk is extra hydrating than water.

Delusion #3: Espresso is dehydrating due to the caffeine

The caffeine in espresso is a light diuretic, which implies it will increase urine manufacturing. Urinating extra usually can lead you to lose water, which your physique wants for hydration. Nonetheless, 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 truly depend in direction of your hydration targets for the day.

That stated, espresso shouldn’t be your solely supply of liquid. Ensure that to drink different fluids (like water) and to observe your caffeine consumption, which, in extra, may cause different well being points. The United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines say to restrict your each day consumption to round 400 milligrams of caffeine, or about 4 cups of espresso.

Delusion #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 within them to operate correctly, Cohen says.

When these cells will not be correctly hydrated, they aren’t working effectively. That’s as a result of our our bodies are spending their sources attempting to warn us about our hydration ranges. That headache or fatigue you are feeling if you find yourself dehydrated is an indication your physique is expending power on this warning system, and pulling sources from different vital 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.

Delusion #5: Thirst is the one signal of dehydration

Whereas one of many first indicators of dehydration is elevated thirst, some indicators could also be simple 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 might seem amber-colored. For those who use the toilet, you might also discover a smaller quantity of urine than normal.

Delusion #6: You don’t must 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 strain, quick coronary heart charge, fever, lethargy and confusion. In extreme instances it might probably result in seizures, shock or coma — signs that require fast medical consideration.

Delusion #7: For those who’re repeatedly consuming water, you shouldn’t be thirsty

You’re always refilling your water bottle — however someway you continue to really feel thirsty. There could possibly be an underlying problem driving this thirst, similar to anemia, having your interval or being diabetic. For those who really feel like you might be correctly hydrating however are thirstier than normal, converse to a health care provider. Sure medicines (similar to these for allergic reactions or movement illness) may also offer you a dry mouth sensation that isn’t essentially related to not consuming sufficient water.

You could 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 — similar to sodium, potassium, chloride and magnesium — which can be important for varied bodily features, similar to sustaining hydration. We lose electrolytes in sweat and excrete them in urine.

Nonetheless, 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 College of Drugs at Texas Christian College.

It’s possible you’ll want to spice up your electrolytes, nonetheless, in case you are doing intense train (similar to a workout for more than 75 minutes) or spending time within the warmth, as plain water is probably not sufficient to take care of hydration. It’s additionally vital to complement electrolytes, Leuck says, for those who had an sickness, similar to a abdomen flu, that prevented you from getting them via your food regimen.

That stated, it’s vital to not 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.

Delusion #9: There’s no such factor as consuming an excessive amount of water

Sure, you could be overly hydrated — and it might probably trigger main issues. Water toxicity occurs when somebody drinks water too quick, throwing off their physique’s electrolyte steadiness — 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 often known as hyponatremia. That, Cohen says, “may cause water to maneuver into cells — together with mind cells — probably leading to swelling, elevated intracranial strain and, in extreme instances, can probably result in seizures.”

For this reason it’s a foul thought to try to flush out your physique with water, or to drink excessively when doing heavy endurance train. It’s all the time finest to observe your physique cues, similar to thirst, to information your water consumption.