Consultants debunk 9 hydration myths

With temperatures rising, you could be making extra of an effort to remain hydrated and preserve that enormous Stanley tumbler crammed to the brim. Possibly you’re even trying to leap 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 traits. Dehydration — particularly when you’re hitting up a pool social gathering or boozing by the seashore below a blazing solar — is a well being situation that may wreak havoc in your physique if it’s not addressed shortly. 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 when you’re dehydrated and is that iced espresso making it worse? — we turned to well being consultants to debunk probably the most frequent hydration myths they encounter. Right here’s what you have to know.

Delusion #1: You could drink eight glasses of water per day

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

However physique weight isn’t the one factor we should always contemplate, Cohen says. You might want extra water based mostly in your train and stage of exercise, the quantity you sweat, your age, any medicines you’re taking, your food plan and the warmth and humidity in your setting. For instance, in case your food plan is excessive in water-based meals like fruit, smoothies or soups, you could 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 comparable to celery, different drinks, except people who include alcohol, may also help hydrate you. Actually, 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 suggests it will increase urine manufacturing. Urinating extra typically can lead you to lose water, which your physique wants for hydration. Nonetheless, because you absorb extra liquid than you lose whereas ingesting espresso, it doesn’t have sufficient of an impact to result in dehydration, and may really depend in the direction of your hydration targets for the day.

That stated, espresso shouldn’t be your solely supply of liquid. Be certain to drink different fluids (like water) and to observe your caffeine consumption, which, in extra, could cause different well being points. The United States Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines say to restrict your day by 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 inside them to operate correctly, Cohen says.

When these cells are usually not correctly hydrated, they don’t seem to be 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 essential features.

Being hydrated isn’t nearly getting sufficient water, nevertheless. 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 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 simply’re dehydrated, Cohen provides, is that your urine might seem amber-colored. In case you use the toilet, you may additionally discover a smaller quantity of urine than regular.

Delusion #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 threat critical signs of dehydration. Extra extreme dehydration, Cohen warns, can current with anuria (no urine output), dizziness that makes it troublesome to face or stroll usually, low blood stress, quick coronary heart charge, fever, lethargy and confusion. In extreme circumstances it may result in seizures, shock or coma — signs that require speedy medical consideration.

Delusion #7: In case you’re usually ingesting water, you shouldn’t be thirsty

You’re continuously refilling your water bottle — however someway you continue to really feel thirsty. There could possibly be an underlying situation driving this thirst, comparable to anemia, having your interval or being diabetic. In case you really feel like you might be correctly hydrating however are thirstier than regular, converse to a health care provider. Sure medicines (comparable to these for allergic reactions or movement illness) may also offer you a dry mouth sensation that isn’t essentially related to not ingesting 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 ingesting plain water?

It relies upon. Electrolytes are minerals in your physique fluids — comparable to sodium, potassium, chloride and magnesium — which are important for varied bodily features, comparable 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 by means of our meals consumption. says Dr. Jo Anna Leuck, a doctor at Burnett College of Medication at Texas Christian College.

You might want to spice up your electrolytes, nevertheless, in case you are doing intense train (comparable to a workout for more than 75 minutes) or spending time within the warmth, as plain water might not be sufficient to keep up hydration. It’s additionally essential to complement electrolytes, Leuck says, when you had an sickness, comparable to a abdomen flu, that prevented you from getting them by means of your food plan.

That stated, it’s essential to not overdo electrolytes too. Consuming an excess of electrolytes can put pressure in your kidneys. An excessive amount of sodium, for instance, could cause dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea, in addition to seizures and loss of muscle control.

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

Sure, you may be overly hydrated — and it may trigger main issues. Water toxicity occurs when somebody drinks water too quick, throwing off their physique’s electrolyte stability — and a few folks 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, “could 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.”

That is why it’s a nasty 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, comparable to thirst, to information your water consumption.