5 Facts About Hydration to Test Your Hydration Knowledge

When it comes to fueling our bodies, we often focus on food. We reach for an afternoon snack when we’re sluggish and call ourselves “hangry” when we’re anxious, lethargic, or irritable. But research shows that people often mistake thirst for hunger because the symptoms typically overlap—including lack of concentration, headaches, nausea, low energy, and dizziness. Water plays a major role in our bodily functions and is vital to every organ and cell. Understanding our need for it could help us better manage our health, lose weight, sharpen our minds, and even improve our physical fitness. But first, we should clear up some common myths that we’ve likely heard about hydration.

True or False: Test Your Hydration Knowledge

1. Drink Eight Glasses of Water Daily for Proper Hydration

False
There’s no one-size-fits-all rule about water intake. This may come as a surprise to anyone who’s heard of the eight-per-day rule. The truth is more nuanced, however. The exact amount of water a person needs depends on several variables, including their diet, weight, health status, activity level, environment, and other factors. Although eight glasses of water per day may be enough for some people, a better goal is around 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women, according to the U.S. National Academies of Science. Keep in mind that up to 20% of our water may come from food, especially if we eat lots of fruit and veggies.

2. Caffeinated Beverages Don’t Count Towards Hydration

False
Drinking pure water is ideal, but caffeinated beverages can also be hydrating. Although caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it increases urination, the effects are typically too mild to make a difference overall. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), most people can safely consume up to 400 mg of caffeine daily without the risk of dehydration.

3. Dehydrated Driving is Similar to Drunk Driving

True
Most people try to drive responsibly and are fully aware of the dangers of drunk driving. But according to researchers at Loughborough University, dehydration can be just as risky. When it comes to cognitive impairment, drunk can look a lot like dehydrated. In fact, those who are even mildly dehydrated are shown to make the same clumsy driving mistakes, including lane drifting and late braking. Water consumption is vital to brain functioning and can positively or negatively impact our thinking, memory, and concentration.

4. Drinking When Thirsty is the Best Way to Avoid Dehydration

False
Most people are already dehydrated by the time they feel thirsty. That’s because thirst is the body’s response to poor fluid intake. Waiting for cues is a dangerous approach, especially for older adults whose bodies send fewer thirst signals. To avoid dehydration, drink water several hours before going outdoors and continue hydrating while you’re active. Afterwards, replenish any fluids you may have lost through sweating by drinking at least 12 to 24 more ounces.

5. Water Aids Weight Loss

True
Drinking water may help curb your appetite when your body registers the feeling of fullness. A study in the National Library of Medicine showed that people who drank two glasses of water before a meal ate 22% less than those who didn’t. In addition, water is shown to stimulate thermogenesis, the process of heat production. This happens when we drink cold water, which can speed up the metabolism by up to 30% as the body uses energy to regulate the water’s temperature.

 

Resources:
Yes, drinking more water may help you lose weight | Hub (jhu.edu)
Does Coffee Actually Dehydrate You? No, and Here’s Why – GoodRx
Immediate pre-meal water ingestion decreases voluntary food intake in lean young males – PubMed (nih.gov)
Hunger vs. thirst: tips to tell the difference | PKD Foundation Blog (pkdcure.org)
Study: Driving Dehydrated As Dangerous As Driving Under The Influence – CBS Pittsburgh (cbsnews.com)