as summer At the top there are more opportunities to spend time in the sun. But absorbing its rays also means you can become dehydrated more quickly. You’ve probably all heard that we should drink eight glasses of water every day, but is that true? How much H2O do you really need?
Why is hydration important?
“The most important nutrient needed to sustain life is hydration,” says William Adams, MD, assistant assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In the locks,
50 to 70 percent of our body is made up of water; It is essential for many cellular, metabolic, and thermoregulatory functions in our body. For example, water helps deliver nutrients to cells, prevents infection, prevents constipation, promotes joint health, and conducts nerve impulses.
Stavros Kavouras is Professor of Nutrition at Arizona State University, where he directs the Hydration Science Lab. he says In the locks“We continue to look for ways to get rid of underhydration [affects] Body. Especially in the last decade, we’ve found that it can impact things like heart disease, dementia, glucose imbalances, and the development of diabetes. So there is a lot of chronic disease data that you would never normally associate with less water.”
Even lack of water can affect cognition and driving ability, says Kavouras.
Should we really be drinking eight glasses of water every day?
While eight glasses of water every day is a little health advice, it’s not that simple. According to Adams, the US National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommend that women should drink 2 to 2.7 liters of water per day and men should drink 2.5 to 3.7 liters of H2O daily.
For those of us unfamiliar with the metric system, that equates to roughly nine to twelve 8-ounce glasses for women and 11 to 16 eight-ounce glasses for men. Is.
In the US, these recommendations include water in food, which Kavouras says makes up about 20 percent of our water intake.
When do we need more water than normally recommended?
Some people may need more than these base recommendations.
“If someone exercises or exercises all day or lives in a hot climate, the total water requirement can be very high,” says Adams.
This is because of how and why we sweat. When we exercise or overheat, the body produces sweat. As you probably know, sweat is mostly water. So if you sweat, you lose water. If they exercise in a hot environment, they lose even more water. The same goes for people who work in hot environments and those who have to wear heavy clothing or uniforms to work.
“Water requirements can also increase for people moving to high elevations like the Rocky Mountains. When you’re at altitude, there’s less oxygen in the air, which requires faster breathing,” says Adams.
Humans lose water when they breathe, especially when the environment is dry.
“When someone hikes in the Rocky Mountains — even if it’s not hot — they run the risk of becoming dehydrated while breathing because of the increased water content.”
While the instant water loss during the day isn’t enough for someone hiking at high altitudes, “it can add up to an entire day,” he says.
“When someone hikes in the Rocky Mountains — even if it’s not hot — there’s a risk of dehydration because of the increased amount of water they’re breathing in,” says Adams. Getty/Anna Gorin
What are some early symptoms of dehydration?
If you’ve enjoyed spectacular views while hiking in the Rocky Mountains, you may not realize how labored your breathing is, how long you’ve been running, and how much water you’ve lost. Is. Luckily, your body has a few ways to let you know you’re approaching dehydration.
“One of the first signs of dehydration is feeling thirsty. This typically occurs when someone loses about 2 percent of their body weight in water,” says Adams.
The more dehydrated you are, the stronger the feeling of thirst.
One of the best ways to measure your hydration is to look at how often you go to the bathroom and what your urine looks like.
“You should go to the bathroom every two to three hours throughout the day, so about six or seven times a day,” he says. “And your urine should look less like lemonade and less like apple juice.”
If you don’t meet this standard, try to keep water nearby while you work. “A lot of people remember to take water with them when they go out, but forget to take it when they get home,” says Kavouras.
What are some good sources of water outside of water?
Adams emphasizes that drinking water is the best way to stay hydrated, but fruits and vegetables can also be good sources of water. The same applies to drinks such as milk, tea and juice.
However, pay attention to the sugar content of your drinks. Sugar-sweetened beverages contain water, says Adams, “the long-term effects of consuming just that can be detrimental to health.”
Can certain drinks be dehydrating?
Adams says there’s a common misconception about dehydrated foods and beverages. “All foods and beverages contain water, although the water content in these foods varies.”
The notion that caffeine is dehydrating is another misconception.
“While consuming high levels of caffeine can have a diuretic effect, consuming a cup of coffee has not been shown in the scientific literature to be a diuretic,” says Adams.
Alcohol may be the worst drink when it comes to water retention, says Kavours, because it suppresses a hormone called vasopressin, which helps you retain water. Lack of water retention can lead to dehydration. getty
If you drink the drink quickly – as is the case with coffee – your body doesn’t need all the liquids at once, so it gets rid of the excess and prompts you to seek the nearest restroom. the reason many people Think These drinks are dehydrating.
Alcohol may be the worst drink when it comes to water retention, says Kavours, because it suppresses a hormone called vasopressin, which helps you retain water. This lack of water retention can lead to dehydration.
Are Sports Drinks Like Gatorade Hydrating?
While sports drinks can be hydrating to aid in water retention, Adams says, “the retention capacity of these drinks makes no clinical difference in hydration status.” In other words, they’re no better at rehydrating you than water.
“Sports drinks may be beneficial when a person is exercising vigorously for more than 70 to 90 minutes… says.
What if you don’t like the taste of water?
Kavouras says people who don’t like the taste of water might want to add slices of cucumber or strawberry to liven up the drink’s look and taste. “A lemon or lime can also make a difference in your drink without really adding sugar or calories,” he says. “Another thing that helps people is carbonated water.”
then drink it; Your body will thank you.
Learn something new every day.
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