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My reader wrote feeling very confused about some things she had read recently about hydration: “Some liquids are not hydrating…Some waters claim certain nutrients, etc.? There are so many mixed messages out there! So hard to know what’s trustworthy.” What does water do in the body? Fun to geek out on this! To be sure I didn’t miss anything, I went to my copy of Krause’s Food and the Nutrition Care Process, one of my gigantic textbooks from grad school. Here’s some stuff to know: Muscles hold more water than fat or bone, teeth, nails, etc. Therefore, those with more muscle will have a higher proportion of water in their bodies, usually between 60% and 70% of their total body weight. Those with lower muscle mass or a higher fat mass compared to muscle will have 40%-50% of total body weight as water. We have an intricate biochemical system that typically keeps our fluid balance within homeostasis (homeostasis = stable within a range). Sodium and potassium are the key electrolytes that assure water moves where it needs to be in the body, but chloride, bicarbonate, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium also play important roles in maintaining equilibrium in body fluids. Water is required to:
Mild Dehydration: A loss of even 1%-2% of our bodily water, or a mild dehydration, will result in impaired cognitive function and alertness, an increase in heart rate, reduced appetite, and a decrease in exercise performance. We might notice a headache, fatigue, lightheadedness, poor skin turgor, darker urine, and low urine output. How long does it take to absorb water? Water is first absorbed through the mouth and stomach (as, incidentally, is alcohol). Most is absorbed through the small intestine. Plain water (or, presumably, plain herbal tea or coffee) is absorbed in anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes. However, any added element will slow down absorption. Water taken with food might take 40 or more minutes to be absorbed. How much do you need to drink? Most adult humans daily require about half of their body weight in water as described in ounces. Confusing, right? This is more clear: if you weigh 140 lbs, consume about 70 oz of water daily. Those who have a higher fat to lean mass ratio require a bit more than that since they will hold relatively less in muscle. If you are in a large body, we will want to calculate your needs a bit differently. An important caveat is that our food delivers up to 19% of our daily water consumption, and that is especially true for those who have increased their intake of vegetables and fruit. Athletes or others that sweat a lot, whether often or periodically, will feel better if they add 8-16 ounces of water (more, depending) on top of the recommended amount to replenish what they lose. For the majority of people, simply increasing their fluid is adequate (see Wh at Counts below). A few people will also want to add electrolytes (see Electrolyte Drinks below). How do you know if you’re having enough? Signs of hydration: urine is light yellow to nearly clear; good skin turgor (pinch the skin on the top of your hand. It should go right back to normal; less true for the elderly); and lips are moist (harder to tell in dry environments). Thirst is not always informative. It’s important to know that among adults, athletes who exercise hard and often, sick people (especially those who are hospitalized), and older adults all typically have impaired thirst cues. These folks can’t rely on thirst to tell them they need more water. This is also true for people who are sweating in hot weather; thirst may not keep up with the body’s need for water. What Counts? Water and ice, herbal teas, decaf coffee, milk, soups, stews, vegetables, fruit, and smoothies are all contributors to proper hydration because they all contain water. Some beverages are conditionally hydrating. The condition is that they contribute to hydration when they are consumed in smaller amounts, and they become increasingly more dehydrating when consumed in higher amounts. Conditionally hydrating products include: caffeinated beverages of all kinds; sweet beverages of all kinds, including fruit juices; and alcohol. In small amounts, they can be considered contributors to hydration. However, as their intake increases, caffeine, sugar, and alcohol all cause the body to release bodily fluid in urine by pulling the body out of homeostasis (balance). Filtered water can be safer for you because it filters out certain environmental toxins. That said, the water most places in the U.S. is very safe. Obviously, there have been some well publicized places where it has pointedly not been safe. What if I don’t like water? If you don’t like the taste of water, you can see lots of options in the last section! Here are a few more: you can add a dash of juice or chopped fruit to your water with some herbs, and voilá! Flavored water. Lemon, mint, and cucumber is a classic combo. Try adding rosemary and strawberries. Or just drink warm, chilled, or room temp herbal tea. You’ll take in added antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients with these choices, too! If you choose water flavoring packets, I strongly recommend you read the label so you can avoid artificial sweeteners, artificial flavors, and artificial colors. This swings me back to my focus on mental health: these artificial ingredients can disrupt your gut bacteria and in some people will contribute to symptoms of ADHD and anxiety. Water with Nutrients Added There’s a new thing where inulin is added to flavored carbonated beverages (e.g., POPPI, OLIPOP). Since I’m all about getting more prebiotic fiber (feeds the “good” gut bacteria) in my clients, this sounds great to me! Be aware that if you have not been eating much in the way of fiber, these products are likely to get your digestion moving. Also, as with many such products, they sound better than the reality demonstrates. NPR wrote a great article on this. Probiotic drinks like kombucha and kefir are terrific ways to support your gut microbiome and hydrate at the same time. Just read the label and choose the products with lower sugar contents. I won’t spend time on bottled waters with vitamins in them, but if you need to increase your vitamin intake, let’s talk about some more effective ways. If you like the flavor, have at it, but don’t expect much of a nutrient boost. Flavored Unsweetened Carbonated Water This is a terrific way to stay hydrated if you like it. Here are things to consider: Can linings have endocrine (hormone) disrupting chemicals in them. Carbonated water can trigger reflux in some people and will spike symptoms in some folks with IBS or IBD. Generally reduce artificial sweeteners and colorings, as described above. You could get a Soda Stream and make your own! Alkaline Water There is really no evidence that alkaline water is better than regular (tap or filtered) water. Among other things, there is inconclusive research that it might reduce bone loss. Proponents, like boot camp-type athletes, will say that exercise increases acid in the body (it does, temporarily) and that alkaline water will counter that acidic state to improve health. If you drink a normal amount of alkaline water, you will not have made any difference to countering your blood pH levels. If you drink an enormous amount (I know someone who drinks 2 gallons a day of it), you could be messing with your body’s ability to maintain acid:base balance, which it does beautifully on its own when we are reasonably healthy. The body works extremely effectively to maintain blood pH homeostasis. Also note that overconsumption of any fluid is going to wash out your electrolytes, which can also have a truly negative impact on health (see Electrolyte Drinks below). Electrolyte Drinks If you are generally consuming a food plan with a lot of variety (especially of vegetables and fruit) and you salt your food with Celtic sea salt or Himalayan pink salt, you will easily have the amount of electrolytes your body needs for fluid homeostasis without adding an electrolyte drink. It’s important to know that electrolytes are depleted when fluid loss is high. How does it happen?
Absolutely! Sodium and potassium especially will get washed out with the excess fluid, and depleted electrolytes can make us very sick in a variety of ways. Really consider the amount needed for you to stay adequately hydrated that I described above, and only drink a lot more than this when you know it’s necessary. Water follows salt and salt follows water: too much or too little of either will throw you out of fluid balance. Have you ever been puffy all over the morning after eating a really salty evening meal? The excess salt is causing your body to hold onto water, and it’s taking your kidneys a little longer to work through the imbalance. You might feel better taking electrolytes before or after very sweaty exercise, a few times a week, or even once daily, if you tend toward being slightly under-hydrated (or possibly “under-electrolyted”. I know people who don’t use salt in their cooking, then crave their electrolyte drinks). Remember to consult your doctor about illnesses and medication in relation to electrolyte drinks. If you’re hungover and pasty-mouthed, an electrolyte drink (or a salty meal along with your water!) can definitely help you rehydrate. If you are not an athlete in training, you will pretty much never need an electrolyte powder or beverage with very high sodium. Read the label, and avoid products that contain artificial sweeteners and colorings (like Gatorade). If you do feel better drinking electrolyte drinks, but you aren’t losing fluid regularly through sweat and are confident you’re drinking enough, it would be wise to be evaluated. Ditto for if you are thirsty all the time even when you feel you’re doing great at consuming enough fluids. A really simple homemade electrolyte drink is coconut water (which is a great source of potassium) with a pinch of Celtic or Himalayan pink salt in it. You can add a dollop of juice for flavor and that little bit of sugar that will help replenish your lost glucose stores. Tip of the Month Try the Hydration Habit Stacking Hack. Habit stacking involves linking a new habit (drinking water) with an existing habit you already do consistently. Here's how to use it for hydration:
Here are some examples of habit stacking for hydration:
Bonus Tip: Download a hydration tracking app or use a reusable water bottle with time markers to help you stay motivated. Remember how to measure your ideal hydration intake using the information above though!
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AuthorI am Mary Virginia Coffman (I go by “Mary Virginia”), a clinical nutritionist who focuses on mental health, digestive health, metabolic health, and nervous system regulation. My unique combination of clinical interventions, education, and coaching will help you feel well in body, mind, and spirit. Categories |
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