Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow Do You Know If You’re Dehydrated?Dehydration CausesHow Much Water Do You Need?Prevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How Do You Know If You’re Dehydrated?
Dehydration Causes
How Much Water Do You Need?
Prevention
Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluids than you are consuming. The sense of thirst is the body’s way of telling you that you are mildly dehydrated. Another symptom is darker urine (such as the color of apple juice).
If you are thirsty, you need to increase your fluid intake from beverages and foods. But what if you drink adequate amounts of fluids and are still thirsty?
This article will explain how to know if you’re dehydrated, the causes of dehydration, and tips for prevention.
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Dehydration causes imbalances inelectrolytes(charged minerals in the blood and body fluids involved in many body processes). This can cause a variety of symptoms.
Dehydration occurs when there is an imbalance between fluid intake and fluid loss.You lose fluids when you urinate, sweat, breathe, and have bowel movements. You can be considered dehydrated when you’ve lost 3% or more of your body weight from water depletion.
Mild to moderatedehydration symptomsinclude:
Symptoms of severe dehydration include:
Symptoms in KidsSymptoms of dehydration in infants and toddlers may include no wet diapers, lack of tears when crying, and listlessness.
Symptoms in Kids
Symptoms of dehydration in infants and toddlers may include no wet diapers, lack of tears when crying, and listlessness.
Can Dehydration Cause Stomach Pain?
Dehydration is caused when you are not consuming enough fluids to replace your fluid losses. Different variables can increase the risk of becoming dehydrated.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Not taking enough fluids to replace your losses can cause a person to become dehydrated. As people age, their desire to drink can decrease. This can impact fluid intake and increase the risk of dehydration.While it may seem like a simple task, this is one of the most common causes.
You’re Hungry
Some people forget to drink when hungry, which can impact the amount of fluids they consume. Without proper fluid intake, your losses can exceed your intake, which can increase the risk of dehydration.
Drinking Too Much at Once
Drinking too much at once probably won’t cause dehydration. However, it may reduce your overall fluid intake throughout the day.
Sweating Too Much
Living in climates with high temperatures or engaging in prolonged physical activity raises body temperature and causes sweating. When you sweat, you need to replace the fluids that are being lost.
If your sweat output exceeds your fluid intake, you can become dehydrated. The rate people sweat and the composition of their sweat (how much sodium and other electrolytes) can vary widely.
Too Much Coffee or Soda
Caffeine can have mild diuretic effects (causing increased urine production). It inhibits sodium reabsorption, which increases water excretion.Yet, the research suggests that diuretic effects are mild, short in duration, and people who are used to drinking coffee are likely not affected.
Caffeinated coffee contains about 95 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per 8 ounces,while one 12-ounce soda contains about 33 mg of caffeine.Some research suggests that consuming 500 mg of caffeine (equivalent to about five 8-ounce cups coffee) may increase urination, but probably not to the point of dehydration.
Medication
Certain types of medications can increase fluid loss. For example, diuretics are used when you haveswelling or edema.Other types of medications prescribed to lower blood pressure and blood sugar can increase the risk of dehydration, especially when you are not drinking enough fluids.
Drinking Alcohol
You Have a Virus
You May Have a Condition
Polyuria (excess urine)andpolydipsia (excess thirst)are twosymptoms of diabetes.They occur when there is a disruption in the metabolism of sugar (glucose). Instead of sugar being taken to the cells to use for energy, it remains in the blood.
The body rids itself of excess sugar through urination. The more you drink, the more you urinate; and the more you urinate, the more thirsty you become. Other symptoms of diabetes include excess hunger, blurred vision, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet.
Chronic Dehydration: How to Rehydrate With Ongoing Symptoms
Your water needs, like nutritional needs, are individual. The amount of water you need daily depends on your activity level, age, sex, overall diet, and the temperature where you live, to name a few.
It also varies based on your health status. For example, during times of illness, your water needs are increased. For most healthy adults, the National Academy of Medicine recommends consuming 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women daily.
Tips to Prevent Dehydration
Your fluid needs increase at various times. These include times of illness (like when you have a fever), during and after exercise, in hot climates, and or when you are experiencing digestive issues like diarrhea and constipation.
Ways to prevent dehydration include:
How Dehydration Is Recognized and Treated Clinically
Summary
Dehydration occurs when you cannot consume enough fluids to keep up with your losses. An increase in fluid loss can occur during extreme heat, prolonged exercise, bouts of illness, medication intake, or due to certain conditions.
To prevent dehydration, consuming adequate fluids and incorporating some hydrating foods into your eating plan is important. If you feel like you are consuming adequate fluids but are still experiencing symptoms of dehydration, reach out to your healthcare provider for a workup.
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Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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