Three fundamental tips to ensure you are well hydrated

There are few tips that are as beneficial for health as the “keep hydrated”.

More than that between 55% and 60% of the composition of the human body is water, The precious liquid is vital for the functioning of our organism.

It is fundamental, for example, to keep the joints lubricated, so that the cells can feed and to regulate the temperature of the body. It is practically for the majority of the functions of the organism.

But, what do you really want to say “stay hydrated”?

At BBC Mundo we decided to investigate this subject and ask an expert about some of the most widespread myths that exist about hydration.

Do not guide yourself only by sed to know if you are well hydrated

Si bien la thirst is the most obvious way that our body has to warn us that we are low in water levels, it may not be enough since it is an indicator that deteriorates with age and that, depending on the circumstances, may not be from all reliable.

Sed is a mechanism that scientists believe occurs in an area of ​​the brain known as lamina terminalis. A study published by magazine nature in 2015 -conducted by a group of scientists from the University of Columbia, in New York- demonstrated that when handling it lamina terminalis in animals, it could be achieved that they avoided the water, despite being dehydrated.

and there lamina terminalis is in a zone of the brain which means that many of your cells are not protected by the blood-brain barrier, which prevents the invasion of, for example, a certain type of bacteria, virus and toxins”.

That’s what there is lamina terminalis suffer a greater wear with the step of the years.

“The sensation of sed varies between people and deteriorates as we age”, explained to BBC Mundo the doctor Natalia Dmitrieva, who has just published a study for the National Institutes of Health (NIH, by its acronym in English) of the USA on the relationship between good hydration and a healthy drink.

And due to which the function of it lamina terminalis can deteriorateexperts recommend creating a hydration habit.

“The best way to keep well hydrated is be actively aware of the amount of liquids we consume every day”, says doctor Dmitrieva.

Los Centers para el Control de Enfermedades de EE.UU. (CDC, for its abbreviations in English) recommend basic things like take a bottle of water every day and be filling it or asking for water in restaurants instead of another type of drink, to get used to drinking more water.

To be well hydrated, it is recommended to drink 8 glasses of water a day, although this quantity can vary.

“The National Academies of Medicine of the USA, for example, suggest that the majority of women should consume between 6 and 9 glasses (1.5 to 2.2 liters) of liquids per day, and men from 8 to 12 glasses (2 to 3 liters)”, commented doctora Dmitrieva.

“These recommendations are created by scientists and medical professionals based on current knowledge about the amount of water needed to maintain a healthy water balance”.

But what is clear is that soil hydration depends on water consumption. There are foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, whose composition is mostly water and which also contribute to keeping us hydrated.

And that food is our main source of electrolytesnutrients -such as potassium and magnesium- that are essential to maintain hydration in the body, can help regulate the chemical reactions that occur inside the cells, in addition to maintaining the fluid balance between the internal and external parts of the mismas.

foods like los bananas, los avocadoes y el yogur tienen potasiowhile las espinacas y las nueces son buenas fuentes de magnesium.

Pay attention to your alcohol and coffee consumption?

If you drink coffee frequently, this news could make you happy.

It is well known that caffeine, the coffee compound that gives you the energy boost, has diuretic properties. It is decir, which stimulates the production of urine and the elimination of liquids.

but The levels of caffeine we normally consume are very low as to cause dehydration and, in some cases, could cause the opposite effect.

A study by the school of sports sciences at the University of Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, concluded that there were no changes in the levels of hydration of 50 men who consumed between 3 and 6 cups of coffee a day, due to which the body gets used to the caffeine levels.

“The data suggest that coffee, when consumed in moderation by men used to caffeine, has moisturizing qualities similar to those of water”, says the studio.

According to the University of Birmingham, for coffee to have a diuretic effect that can be recorded, a person must drink the equivalent of 5 cups of 8oz in a day, that is, more than 500mg of caffeine. If it is lower than that, the water levels that are consumed with coffee are greater than the diuretic properties of caffeine.

The same principle can be seen in alcoholic beverages and alcohol percentages.

In the case of alcoholic beverages, their potential to dehydrate us depends on the degree of alcohol they contain.

A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that drinking spirits with a high level of alcohol caused more dehydration than drinking beer, even when the amount of alcohol consumed was the same.

The secret is in the alcohol-water ratio, which in the case of beer is on average 5% vs. 95%, en el del vino es de 20% vs. 80% and in certain liquors -such as gin and whiskey- are 40% vs. 60%.

This is why experts recommend drinking in moderation, and consuming plenty of water if you are drinking high-grade alcohol.

And for those who believe that “a beer hydrates”, doctor Dmitrieva says: “Beer should not be used as a drink with hydration purposes due to the negative effect of alcohol on health in general”.

Do not substitute water for other drinks to hydrate

It is well known that drinks with electrolytes can help to accelerate hydration in certain circumstances – after a rapid loss of electrolytes through sports activities or during an illness, for example, experts agree that, when it is time to hydrate, “there is nothing like water”.

And this has to do with the components of many beverages that claim to be moisturizing, such as sports drinks.

“Common people should consume water -not sports drinks- to stay hydrated” says the CDC, adding that the sugars and additives that these drinks sometimes have, can increase the risk of obesity and other conditions such as diabetes.

And this is especially important in the case of children and adolescents.

A 2011 study by the US Academy of Pediatrics. clarifies that even “pediatric athletes can benefit from the use of sports drinks that contain carbohydrates, proteins or electrolytes (…) the use of sports drinks instead of water in the sports field or in the school dining room is generally unnecessary in the average child involved in routine physical activity”.

If someone is uncomfortable with the taste of water, the CDC recommends natural solutions such as adding a few drops of lemon or lime, or promoting the consumption of beverages that do not contain any type of sweetener.

La Dr. Dmitrieva recalls that “there is increasing evidence from epidemiological studies that link chronic hypohydration with adverse health outcomes”.

“The hypohydrates age faster, have a 64% more chance of developing chronic illnesses later in life, and a 21% more chance of dying sooner”, concludes the expert. (I)