Dehydration: 6 surprising causes & Action Against Dehydration

Dehydration: 6 surprising causes

Your body is made up of around 60% water. Sometimes it suffices to lose 2% of it so that the mood immediately changes, the energy level drops and the cognitive functions slow down. Find out what can cause dehydration and how to prevent it.

1. DIABETES
People who have diabetes , and especially those who do not yet know they have diabetes, have an increased risk of dehydration. This is because when the level of sugar in the blood is too high, the body tries to get rid of this excess glucose by increasing the production of urine.

ON THE SAME SUBJECT
Infographic: why do we need to drink?
Infographic: why do we need to drink?
Tip : If you have diabetes, talk to your doctor about how to better control your blood sugar . If you are not, but you are often very thirsty, talk to your doctor who will check for diabetes .

2. THE RULES
Do you have your period? So don't hesitate to drink more water than usual. This is because estrogen and progesterone influence your body's hydration levels. And when these hormones jostle, such as during your period or when you havePMS , you need to drink a lot to stay hydrated. Especially since blood lost during periods also draws from the body's fluid level.

Tip : If your period is heavy and you need to change your tampon at least every two hours, talk to your gynecologist.

3. IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME
As if irritable bowel syndrome weren't bad enough, it also causes dehydration! This is mainly due to the symptoms of chronic diarrhea. But also because by eliminating from our daily diet raw fruits and vegetables, rich in water, we unwittingly reduce our water intake.

Tip : To increase your hydration levels, opt for whole wheat pasta and brown rice. When cooking, they will soak up water and give you much more than pasta and white rice.

4. HYPERTENSION
Many drugs, including many treatments for high blood pressure, work like diuretics. Quietly, they increase urine production and the risk of dehydration.

Tip : If you are being treated for high blood pressure , increase your daily intake of drinks .

5. STRESS
If you are under constant pressure, your adrenal glands become exhausted , causing adrenal insufficiency. The problem is, these glands also produce aldosterone, a hormone that helps regulate your body's fluid and electrolyte levels.

Tip: When you are under stress, don't hesitate to drink more. But finding a way to fight it is still the best solution to keep adrenal glands in good shape.

6. FOOD SUPPLEMENTS
Just because they're "natural" doesn't mean that food supplements don't have side effects. Certain plants like parsley, dandelion or watercress increase urine production, which can lead to dehydration. If you are considering taking a dietary supplement, talk to your doctor first, who will tell you if there are any potential side effects to be concerned about. And above all, follow this common sense advice which is to drink when you are thirsty. Thirst is your body's message telling you that you have a water deficit.

AGAINST DEHYDRATION: PLAIN WATER
"These studies show that sodas promote dehydration: they do not rehydrate a weakened organism, explain the scientists . Adolescents and young adults should be aware of this reality: only plain water is really effective in quenching thirst. . "

Another bad choice: alcohol . A glass of chilled rosé or a can of beer absolutely does not allow rehydration, on the contrary! Alcohol causes hormonal imbalance: the production of vasopressin by the brain is disrupted. However, this regulates the activity of the kidneys: they will therefore produce too much urine, which will cause the evacuation of a large amount of water. And worsening symptoms of dehydration ...

In a heat wave , only one rule: drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water daily. And instead of sodas, why not try fruit infusions in ice water.

NO, WATER IS NOT THE MOST HYDRATING DRINK!
For this study, published in the American journal of clinical nutrition , 72 men ( all physically active and aged 18 to 35) drank either 1 liter of plain water or a liter of another drink (cola, drink for sportsmen, beer, black coffee, orange juice, milk, black tea ...) over a period of 30 min. Their urine was then collected over the next 4 hours to measure the diuretic effects of the drinks. They also measured the amount of water retained by the body 2 hours after ingestion.

After 2 h, whole milk, skim milk, sports rehydration solution and orange juice had a higher hydration index than plain water. The researchers concluded that drinks that contain a little sugar, fat and protein are the ones that hydrate the most. In other words: drinking a glass of milk would hydrate more than drinking a glass of water .

In last position in this ranking, we find coffee , which is hardly surprising due to its diuretic effects. However, scientists point out that this study only looks at the immediate effects of drinking drinks. "Any subsequent ingestion of food or liquid cancels out the effects of the initial drink" they add, explaining that they did not observe any significant difference in the effect of the various drinks on the hydration status when they are consumed. over 24 hours.

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