Hydration for Health : Why and How

A. A gym trainer's advice

"Why does my gym trainer insist that for maximum muscle gain I must drink 3-4 liters of water every day?"  

"He may be right in doing so. By weight, water constitutes approximately 45%-60% of your body depending on your age, body fat % and sex. (Women have generally lower amount of body water because of higher fat % in their body. 

"By the same logic, obese persons with high body fat % will tend to have relatively less body water. This peculiarity combined with their larger body surface area puts them at greater risk of dehydration. 

"In other words, obese individuals will have a higher water need than non-obese ones.

"Your muscles, brain, heart, kidneys are approximately 75%-80% water. Therefore, it's very important to maintain fluid balance in your body for its optimum functioning. 

"Water transports nutrients and oxygen  to your muscles (and other parts of your body) and takes away waste products from them. 

"It regulates your body temperature by sweating and respiration. 

"It lubricates your joints. It also helps in reducing post-workout muscle soreness.  

"Besides,  adequate water intake helps against formation of kidney stones in the long run."

B. How much (water) should I drink?

"How much water should I drink every day?"

"8 glasses."

"I have three different sizes of glasses in my kitchen - 200 ml, 250 ml and 300 ml."

"Ok. You can drink as much as your body requires. In fact, this '8X8' rule, i.e., 8 glasses of 8 ounces (8 ounces= approx. 237 ml) does not have any scientific basis. Like many other popular myths this  also has been circulating there for a long time."

"Then why did you give me such an absurd answer?"

"Because you asked me such an absurd question. Even my dog never asked me this question -  he simply drank more water on a hot day and  and less on a cold day! 

"It's common sense that an athlete undergoing hard training on the track would need more water than his brother sitting in the classroom.

 "Ultra marathon runners might require even more than 10 liters of fluid intake during their 18-24 hours event...!"

"How do I know if my water intake is adequate?"

"Generally, by looking at the color of your urine.  If it is pale yellow, you are well hydrated; if it is clear, you are on your way to over-hydration; if it's dark yellow or light brown with strong smell, you are probably dehydrated."

"So, each time I pee, I have to check its color!"

"Don't get alarmed if sometimes it's bright yellow or pinkish in color. It may be due to vitamin B complex supplements or some foods you have consumed, e.g., beets.

"However, if there is a persistent change in the color of your urine, you must consult your doctor. " 

C. Never overdo it

"What if I over-hydrate myself?"

"You may end up with hyponatremia."

"What's it?"

"Hyponatremia ('hypo' - low, 'natrium' - sodium) is a condition in which sodium* content in blood goes down below its normal level.

"It may happen due to some medical condition, medication or overconsumption of water.

"Sodium is an important electrolyte which is needed in your body for fluid balance in cells, maintenance of blood pressure and proper functioning of  nerves and muscles. 

"Major symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea or vomiting, headache, confusion, extreme fatigue, muscle cramps. In extreme cases it may also lead to coma and even death." 

*[ Sodium's Latin name is 'natrium'. We obtain most of our dietary sodium from common salt (chemical formula NaCl, i.e., sodium chloride) which is added during cooking or is present in many packaged and processed foods.]

D. Good and not-so-good ways of hydration 

"What are different ways to hydrate oneself?"

"Apart from drinking water, you can eat foods rich in water (fruits, vegetables, soup, etc.). 

"Also, you can add lemon, cucumber, orange or strawberries to your water to improve its taste as suggested by some health and fitness columnists."

"It sounds weird."

"These are some of the ways for enhancing the flavor of water. Some people don't like the taste of normal water."

"You are right. My uncle never liked the taste of water. Whenever he feels thirsty, he turns to his favorite wine..."

"I am afraid, the old man is rather dehydrating himself. 

"All alcoholic drinks (higher the alcohol content higher their diuretic effect) as well as all caffeine-containing and sugary beverages, e.g., tea, coffee, soda, energy drinks, soft drinks, etc., act as diuretics. They encourage extra urination and thereby rob your body of water."

E. Energy drinks

"I always carry branded energy drinks with me while going for long runs.  Are they good?"

"Yes."

"For my body's fluid balance?"

"No, for the companies' bank balance."

"What would you recommend for me?"

"My dear weekend warrior, you can consume home-made energy drinks with lemon and honey or lemon and sugar and salt. You can also consume banana or any other easily digestible complex carbohydrate for energy for your prolonged activity. Don't go for costly solutions if you can get it cheaper. 

F. Can we trust our thirst?

"Can we not make the entire issue of hydration as simple as this - 'Drink water whenever you feel thirsty'?"

"No. As you age, your thirst sensation decreases. 

"You cannot trust your thirst alone as an indicator of requirement for hydration. 

"In this regard, the elderly have to be more careful because they already have less total body water; any further dehydration may make their condition worse."

G. Insensible bosses and insensible losses

"Can I talk something about my boss?"

"How does it relate to our topic?"

"It probably does. His meetings are very long. He is fond of talking about himself for hours..."

"I know, these meetings are mostly about vigorous  nods and sketchy notes by the hapless juniors."

"He is no doubt very generous. His generosity is reflected in more than 2-3 servings of snacks and coffee to us during the meeting. Surprisingly, I find all this so nauseating and I always come out of the meeting room with a terrible headache. I am completely drained. Does it have something to do with my dehydration?"

"In all probability, yes. 

"Next time, before leaving for the meeting room, drink a glass of water. Drink water during the meeting also. 

"Avoid accepting snacks and coffee offered by him (if you have the guts to do so and your boss has the magnanimity of not getting offended by your act). 

"If you can't do that, drink one glass of water before drinking coffee. One for one."

"But why should I bother about hydration if I am sitting in an air-conditioned room, while doing nothing...?"

"Even if you are sitting in an air-conditioned room, your body is continuously losing water through your skin and breath. Such a loss is called 'insensible loss'. You cannot perceive it, you cannot measure it." 

H. Sweating and weight loss

"Does sweating burn fat?"

"No. Had it been true, all gyms of the world  would have been replaced by sauna rooms! 

"In fact, sweating is your body's natural mechanism to keep you cool. It has nothing to do with fat loss. 

"Your apparent 'weight loss' is actually the loss of water from your body. During a 24-hour ultra run a runner might lose 2 kg of his body weight, but the moment he re-hydrates himself, he regains his previous weight. 

Medical disclaimer - The blog content is provided for general educational purpose only. It does not substitute professional medical advice. Reader is advised to consult his doctor before starting any fitness program to avoid any health risks.

Shyam Chaturvedi