Can drinking too much water kill you faster than dehydration? Is there an actual formula
you can use to determine the perfect amount of water your body needs? We have the answers.
After a tough workout or spending all day in the sun, nothing quenches your thirst like a
cold glass of water. Sure, fruit juices or sports drinks can hit the spot too,
but nothing can really compare to taking a big sip of just pure H20.
"Mmmmm!" "That is so f------ good!"
According to Healthline, hydration isn't the only reason we should regularly drink
water. Others include flushing out waste, balancing our body temperature, and helping
our brain to function properly. If that's not reason enough to enjoy some plain old water,
it can also help you to lose weight and fight off illnesses. However,
despite all these positives, it's possible to have too much of a good thing.
Over-hydrating can cause water intoxication, which causes a disturbance in how your brain
is able to function, according to Medical News Today. Signs that you've ingested too
much water include nausea, confusion, or vomiting. It can also become life
threatening because too much hydration can cause your cells to swell, which in turn
can cause the brain to expand in size and press up against the skull. In worst case scenarios,
this can lead to brain impairment or breathing trouble, according to WebMD. Thankfully,
there is an easy system to follow to make sure you're getting just the right amount of water.
Founder and Head Nutrition Coach of Fuel Your Fitness, Georgette Naber,
told the Food Network that getting the ideal volume of water is very important when it comes
to performing at the top of your game. In order to ensure you're drinking the right amount, she said:
"Take your bodyweight, divide it by two then add 15. That's how many ounces of water you
should be drinking per day, plus another 17 to 20 oz. for every hour of exercise."
The personal trainer also suggests having a recovery
shake after a hard workout. She explained:
"During high-intensity training, our cortisol rises (which is our
'fight-or-flight' hormone). Having a carb immediately post-workout actually shuts
off that response and puts your body in a position in which it can start recovering."
Sounds like the perfect method to feel great after your next long run or weight training session.
As we've mentioned, water isn't the only beverage that contains, well, water. All liquids do and
therefore should hydrate to some extent, at least in theory. However, not all beverages are
necessarily going to be your best bet for rehydration. The Cleveland Clinic suggests
that fruit juices, which tend to be high-carb and low-sodium, may cause some intestinal distress if
you consume them when parched. While this institution also warns against rehydrating
with caffeine due to its diuretic properties, some research suggests that iced coffee and tea really
don't make you pee much more than water, so they actually can count toward your daily fluid intake.
Booze, however, is still a no-no for hydration purposes. As a liquid, it taketh far more than it
giveth, since your body actively tries to flush it out of your system using any other liquids
you've got in the tank. What this means is, if you want to kick back with a beer after a hike,
a workout, or other strenuous physical activity, you're advised to stick to a
non-alcoholic brew — or at least to have no more than two low-ABV beers. And if
you do decide to knock back a few, you should probably offset with some supplemental water.
Since we've gone over the perils of over-hydrating or drinking the wrong
types of liquid, it's about time we talk about the obvious flipside of the coin. Dehydration,
a great danger that any one of us can face in a wide variety of circumstances,
is something that can prove fatal within just a matter of days.
"Agua…"
"I told you I ain't got no agua."
Of course, the kind of dehydration that ends in
death occurs when you've had no fluids at all enter your body,
so just being down a glass or two on your daily intake won't have such dire consequences.
Even slight dehydration, though, won't help you look and feel your best. If you're chronically
dry, you could end up constipated, plus you may experience muscle aches or itchy,
flaky skin. Mentally you won't be at your best, either, as you're likely to be tired and could
even have some brain fog. If you're really not great at keeping track of such things
as water intake, one way to see if you may be dehydrated is to check the color of your
pee. If it comes out dark, this could be an indication that your fluid levels are low,
so you should probably grab a non-alcoholic beverage ASAP.