Introduction

Good health depends on staying hydrated. To most people in the summer, staying hydrated might remind you of growing up and chugging ice water on a hot summer day.

But hydration can be achieved by many beverages beyond pure water and is important in many settings beyond that hot summer day. Staying hydrated includes drinking plain water, infused water, sparkling water, club soda, seltzer, 100% fruit juice, vegetable juice, sports drinks, electrolyte-enhanced beverages, milk, plain coffee, and eating foods high in water content.

Health Implications of Hydration

Keeping hydrated has numerous health benefits, including:

• Brain function and anxiety control;
• Heart pumping blood through the body;
• Blood volume and nutrient transport;
• Blood pressure regulation;
• Spinal cord and sensitive tissue health;
• Body temperature regulation;
• Weight maintenance and metabolism functions;
• Joint cushion;
• Detoxification and waste removal through urination, perspiration (sweating), and bowel movements.

From cognitive function to proper waste removal, hydration is necessary for almost every human body function.

It's important to note that you can overhydrate yourself. This will lead to hyponatremia, low blood sodium. Your risk for hyponatremia is higher if you are very physically active, you are under extreme heat stress, you are a woman or child, or you have kidney issues. To best prevent hyponatremia, don’t drink large amounts of fluids at one time.

Health Implications of Dehydration

Just like hydration, dehydration affects overall health, including energy levels, digestion, and mental clarity. Dehydration is when the amount of fluid we are losing is greater than the fluid that we are ingesting.

Dehydration comes in three forms: isotonic, hypertonic, and hypotonic. The cause of dehydration is different for each kind. Isotonic dehydration is when you lose fluid by vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, etc. Hypertonic dehydration occurs when you lose more water than sodium, caused by fever or hyperventilation (increased breathing rate). Hypotonic dehydration is when the body loses more sodium than water and is caused by diuretic (causes urination) medications.

Thirst is a warning signal from your body that you are already dehydrated. Learn to recognize the signs of early dehydration to prevent severe dehydration reactions. Symptoms other than thirst include fatigue, confusion and dizziness, headaches, mood changes, dark urine, less need to urinate, dry mouth and chapped lips, muscle cramps, and, in severe cases, kidney stones. Prevent dehydration by choosing the right beverages and making a daily hydration plan.

Hydration and Aging

With increasing age, chronic disease becomes more common. Hydration lowers disease risk, while disease can impair hydration. Dehydration, shown by elevated blood sodium levels, is linked to increased chronic disease risk and faster aging. Older people are prone to more dehydration because of decreased thirst perception, medications, chronic conditions, limited mobility, and fall risk. Early signs of dehydration are the same across all ages. Severe dehydration may lead to falling, urinary tract infections (UTIs), or kidney issues. It’s important to note that some symptoms of dehydration, such as confusion, memory issues, and dizziness, can mimic or worsen signs of dementia.

Need

Fluid intake needs vary for each person. Sex, age, pregnancy and breastfeeding status, and physical activity level determine fluid requirements. Most men should drink 13 cups (104 ounces) of fluid daily. Most women should drink 9 cups (72 ounces) of fluid daily. Some studies show that total daily fluid intake, from all fluid sources, should be 11.5 cups to 15.5 cups.

Hydration needs increase for those who live in hot climates, are physically active, are older, or sweat more than average. Those who are experiencing illness (fever, diarrhea, vomiting), disease (diabetes, heart disease, cystic fibrosis), or are on certain medications also might require more fluid intake to be hydrated.

Nourishing Hydration Sources and Beverages

• Water - Pure water is the best choice of beverage. It has no calories but can still be made fun and enjoyable to drink by infusing it or making it sparkle.

• • Infused Water - Adding a citrus wedge (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit), crushed fresh mint, peeled and sliced fresh cucumber or ginger, or crushed berries adds a delightful flavor to your water to make it more appealing adding few if any calories.
  • Sparkling Water - This water gets its carbonation (bubbles) from natural sources: a spring or well. It is important to know that sparkling water is not the same as club soda, seltzer, or tonic water. If you prefer club soda or seltzer, they have similar nutrient profiles to sparkling water. If sparkling water is plain, there are no calories. To some people, it is even more satisfying than pure water. Add a splash of 100% fruit juice to plain sparkling water to make it more appealing and tasteful.

• Milk - This is a good option for a nutrient-dense drink because it contains protein, calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. Choose unsweetened options. If you prefer an alternative to cow’s milk, soy, almond, rice, coconut, or oat drinks are other milk alternatives that can be hydrating. Soy milk is a good choice because it has a high protein content, is easily digestible, and is fortified with calcium and vitamin B12. Consult your doctor before giving children plant-based milk to prevent nutrient deficiencies.

• Juice - It is always better to choose whole fruits and vegetables over juice when possible. Whole fruits and vegetables still supply water content for hydration. Uniquely, whole fruits and vegetables contain fiber to keep you fuller for longer.

• • Fruit Juice - Drink 100% fruit juice. Be aware because packaging may show fruit, but it might not be 100% juice. Limit to one cup of 100% juice per day.
  • Vegetable Juice - Drink low sodium 100% vegetable juice. Limit to one cup per day.

• Sports Drinks - These beverages help high-intensity athletes who are active for 90 or more minutes, or during extreme heat and humidity. They contain helpful electrolytes. However, some sports drinks can contain little nutritional value due to added sugars.

• • Electrolytes - Electrolytes are chemical and essential minerals in bodily fluids – sweat, blood, and urine – that develop electrical charges when they are dissolved in blood to send signals to nerves and muscles. This often includes bicarbonate, calcium, chloride, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, and sodium.

Electrolytes are important for hydration because they help balance the level of fluid in the body based on hydration status (e.g., experiencing thirst if your sodium level is high). Pure water does NOT contain electrolytes. Although they can be found in hydration powders, sports drinks, fruit and vegetable juice, and bone broth.

• Coffee - Plain caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee consumption is associated with many health benefits and reduced overall mortality rate. Coffee is linked to lower risk of chronic diseases (e.g. cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory diseases, cancer, and cognitive issues), improved well-being, and reduced inflammation. Added sugar and cream can negatively affect the health benefits of plain coffee.

Be Cautious with The Following Beverages

Some beverages contain ‘empty calories’, and provide energy in the form of calories, but little to no nutritional value. For example, tonic water, alcohol, sodas, some fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened water, and sweetened coffee and tea should be limited.

Tonic water, seltzer, and club soda are all carbonated differently and contain different nutrients than sparkling water. Tonic water gets its bubbles from carbonated water with added minerals and quinine, a mineral isolated from tree bark. It contains about 32 grams of sugar and 124 calories in 12 ounces. Club soda and seltzer are carbonated by being injected with carbon dioxide gas. Sparkling water, seltzer, and club soda contain zero grams of sugar and zero calories in 12 ounces. So, it’s recommended to choose sparkling water, club soda, or seltzer when you are craving a bubbly drink.

Alcohol should only be consumed in moderation, and most sources will recommend avoiding it altogether. Alcohol is a diuretic. This means that when you are drinking alcohol, you are losing more fluid and must consume more fluid to compensate.

If you drink alcohol, drink at least one glass of water for every alcoholic drink. Alcohol is a Group 1 carcinogen. Strong scientific evidence shows that alcohol is highly associated with mouth, voice box, throat, esophagus, breast, liver, and colon and rectum cancer. With higher alcohol consumption comes a higher risk of cancer, therefore stopping alcohol consumption can reduce the risk of cancer.

Caffeine can be found in coffee, tea, energy drinks, and soda. Like alcohol, caffeine acts as a diuretic and requires you to drink more fluid to make up for what you are losing. The diuretic effect of caffeine is only observed when consuming more than 180mg. It is also short-term and does not necessarily lead to dehydration (just fluid loss). The recommendation for caffeine intake is up to 400mg (two to three cups of plain coffee) per day. Energy drinks may be risky for young people and those with medical conditions due to high amounts of caffeine and natural stimulants.

Added sugar in beverages can be empty calories, and are not helpful for the body. High sugar consumption increases the risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cavities, and gout. Added sugar in beverages is also linked to further dehydration. Children under age 11 should never have added sugar. If you keep sparkling water, coffee, and tea plain, they have no calories and are efficient at hydration without the high sugar content.

Making Hydration Practical

Keeping yourself adequately hydrated can seem intimidating. With a busy schedule and a preference for flavorful drinks over plain water, it can be challenging to meet the recommended 11.5 to 15.5 cups of fluid per day. Some small changes to make hydration more accessible and achievable include:

• Adding a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water;
• Choosing water over sugary drinks;
• Consuming water-based foods like fruits and vegetables;
• Drinking water when at restaurants;
• Freezing water in a freezer-safe bottle to have cold water all day;
• Infusing water;
• Keeping water accessible:
  • Using a reusable water bottle;
  • Keeping water where you can see it;
• Reading nutrition facts labels to watch out for added sugars;
• Serving water at mealtimes;
• Setting hydration reminders on your phone;
• Skipping flavored syrups at a coffee shop.

Conclusion

Hydration is something many people can overlook. Hydration is key to overall health. Choose a healthy and attractive beverage and devise a practical fluid plan to ensure you stay healthy through hydration.

Resources

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