What to Know About Dehydration

By the time you grab a glass of water to quench your thirst, you might not have noticed you were dehydrated! Thirst is your body’s way of desperately signaling you to get more liquids so that it can function properly. 

The importance of hydration has likely been discussed at some point in your life, but have you thought about it recently? Interestingly enough, most individuals actually live in a chronic state of dehydration. A person can lose 3-4% of their own body weight through loss of liquids and not experience any significant symptoms. No wonder we can suddenly get so thirsty.

From time to time, dehydration can happen to everybody. You might forget to bring a water bottle to the gym or not drink enough glasses in a day. Sometimes it can be hard to remember to drink water until you are practically parched. 

So let’s get to the bottom of this common condition. Dehydration occurs when your body is losing more fluids, through actions like sweating and urination, than the amount you consume. These actions are important for your body to do, but it is even more important for you to replace the fluids lost. It is crucial to note that the body is not just losing water; it is also losing electrolytes such as salt and potassium, which are essential to your bodily functions. 

Certain health conditions and lifestyles can also put people at a higher risk for dehydration.

• ILLNESS: When you get sick, you are more prone to dehydration. Fever, vomiting, and diarrhea cause the body to lose liquids quickly. If you have diabetes, this can also contribute to your individual risk level.
  
• ENVIRONMENT: Hot, desert weather or frequent sunny days outside can get you dehydrated quicker. High altitude can also be a significant factor, so if you live in the mountains, consider your location responsible for some of your risk of becoming dehydrated. Or, if you’re an athlete, you’ll probably need to consume more water due to the intense sweating from each workout or training.

• AGE: It could also simply be your age that increases your risk. Infants and young children can have trouble telling when they are thirsty and obtaining the fluids they need. Older people may have mobility issues that make it harder to always acquire water. Dehydration can affect anyone, but there are certain factors that are vital to look out for when considering your own personal risk.

Extreme dehydration occurs when you lose more than 10% of your body weight in fluid. In this case, a visit to the emergency room would be necessary. This is much less common than mild dehydration. The ultimate goal is to prevent dehydration, but mild dehydration can be dealt with at home if needed. 

All this being said, it is essential to nourish the body with liquids before symptoms arise. As soon as you start sweating, grab your water bottle! If you get sick, drink your liquids! When the temperature goes up, hydrate more often! If your imbalance of fluids is not addressed, there is potential for some not-so-fun health complications.

5 Symptoms of Mild Dehydration

Mild dehydration is not the best situation to be in, but it is certainly not the worst: it can easily be treated by taking the right steps! But first, it is necessary to take a look at five symptoms common in adults that can point to dehydration as their cause. We need to know how to spot dehydration before we can address it.

1. Thirst: This is the most obvious symptom, and as discussed earlier, when a person is thirsty this means that they are already dehydrated. The sensation of thirst includes having a need to drink water and the feeling of dry mouth and tongue. 
2. Urination Changes: Another symptom that is fairly common is less frequent urination paired with darker urine. Ideally, urine should be close to a clear color! Even when it starts to appear slightly yellow, this could be a sign that you’re nearing dehydration.
3. Fatigue: Extreme tiredness is a glaring red flag that you aren’t drinking enough water. When your body isn’t receiving the fluids it needs to function, you begin to slow down and your energy decreases. This could be confusing because your body may still experience fatigue even without exerting a ton of physical force or by doing a rigorous exercise. Without water, you will not have the energy you need. The fatigue can get even worse if you choose to exercise without being properly hydrated.
4. Lightheadedness: Dizziness and headaches may begin to arise if you are dehydrated. Lightheadedness can involve feeling faint, “woozy”, unbalanced, or having cloudy vision. Your body may also feel heavier than usual and you may have nausea. Headaches involve throbbing, uncomfortable pains in the head.
5. Cravings: The symptom that might surprise you the most is food cravings, but especially for sweets. These cravings can be due to your body struggling to break down glycogen to release glucose into the bloodstream to use as energy. Thus, you may start to lean towards eating sugary sweets.

Symptoms of dehydration can differ with age. Some signs of dehydration in children include: no tears when crying, no wet diapers for three hours, sunken eyes and cheeks, and more. As long as you are aware of the symptoms that match your age group, you should be able to spot and correct your body’s balance of liquids in no time.  

The good news is that mild dehydration can be treated at home by taking in healthy liquids. It’s time to stop letting the feeling of thirst or any of these symptoms develop - get hydrated before your body is begging for water!

How To Find Instant Dehydration Relief

Our VitaCup Hydration Coffee will do just the trick to keep you hydrated. Enhanced with electrolytes and minerals for optimal rehydration, this instant medium roast coffee is ready to elevate your day. This light and refreshing gourmet coffee features superfood ingredients like coconut water and pink Himalayan salt and natural magnesium.

Hydrating coconut water ingredient serves as a dose of natural potassium. This contributes to improving nerve, muscle, and cell health.

The mineral-dense Himalayan pink salt provides two important substances. The first is sodium, which balances and regulates nerve transmission and muscle contractions. The second is chloride, which maintains the body’s balance of fluids and acid-base equilibrium.

The Aquamin Magnesium® is easily absorbed by the body and assists with proper organ function.

Sip on VitaCup’s new mellow, smooth Hydration Coffee, and your body will thank you!