Can We Over Hydrate?
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (167025)
Boise, Idaho
September 20, 2024 8:29pm CST
We all know that we need to drink plenty of water each day. About 8 glasses is what we have been taught. Actually, our brains will signal us with feeling thirsty when we need to hydrate. Every organ of our body needs water to function correctly.
But are electrolytes even more important than water? What are they? They are minerals found in our blood, sweat, and urine. They dissolve in fluid and create positive or negative ions that are used in metabolic processes. Those ions are electrolytes containing Magnesium, Potassium, Chloride, Calcium, and Sodium.
Your body measures your blood volume and when it needs more fluid your brain signals you with the feeling of thirst. If you are drinking water when you are not thirsty blood electrolyte levels may become diluted, especially the sodium levels.
If the balance of fluid levels gets thrown off it messes with how our cells work. With our blood carrying around such important stuff as oxygen and the blood volume drops, our body must work extra hard to make things continue flowing smoothly. So our body has special sensors that monitor our fluid levels and trigger responses to keep things all balanced. This involves our kidneys which regulate water and salt levels.
Besides the powders and drinks that contain electrolytes, we also need to eat a balanced diet with food that contains electrolytes. This includes pickled foods, table salt, cheese, seeds and nuts, green leafy vegetables, avocado, sweet potato, and bananas.
Extreme exercise or illness may deplete electrolytes and you may consider more electrolyte intake through an electrolyte drink mix.
9 people like this
9 responses
@kaylachan (69772)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
21 Sep
I know a few people who could benifit from this info. Because a lot of us don't know how to hydrate properally.
4 people like this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Sep
That is so true. And it's So important.
2 people like this
@abhi_bangal (5534)
• Ahmednagar, India
22 Sep
@kaylachan, the information provided here in the form of various replies and comments is indeed very important and useful. Like I said I got to know a few new things and I got really excelling information in the sense that how problematic hydration can be. But I never knew that overhydration can also be equally problematic and can give fatal headaches.
2 people like this
@marguicha (223051)
• Chile
21 Sep
I have often thought that my body is wise most of the time. I drink more water during summer than in winter. The same thing happens with the kind of food I eat during different seasons. I have never really counted the glasses of water I drink but in summer I feel thirsty often at noon. And I then drink just water. But in winter I drink less but often make warm soups or consomes.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Sep
After the fast of sleeping I think our bodies need to re evaluate its need for hydration.
2 people like this
@marguicha (223051)
• Chile
22 Sep
@celticeagle Our bodies don´t count water in glasses. So the evaluation is thirst.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Sep
@marguicha Yep. The brain will signal you when it needs more hydration.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121596)
• Gainesville, Florida
21 Sep
I get dehydrated quickly because I work in a hot, physical environment, and I am sweating just about all day long. But I also drink water all day long to counterbalance that. I always check my urine color to assess my hydration or dehydration level. Clear urine=hydrated. Dark yellow or orange urine=dehydration.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
4 Oct
@moffittjc .......Certainly. And our organs need all the help they can get.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121596)
• Gainesville, Florida
28 Sep
@celticeagle I've noticed definite changes in my body as I age, so it's become even more important to watch my health.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121596)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Oct
@celticeagle Especially since I didn’t take good care of those organs very well in my younger years. Lol
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Sep
That's a mystery to be sure he is getting what he needs. I just try to be sure our animals have fresh water available to them. I wonder if there is an electrolyte kit for animals.
2 people like this
@sallypup (61135)
• Centralia, Washington
21 Sep
@celticeagle I'm trying to figure out if Beau needs more than a can of food each day. He screams for food at least four times a day.
2 people like this
@LindaOHio (178806)
• United States
21 Sep
Did you know that you can die from drinking too much water? I need to drink more because my kidney function is bad. Have a good weekend.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Sep
Yes! Our bodies can only utilize so much.
2 people like this
@abhi_bangal (5534)
• Ahmednagar, India
22 Sep
Oh my god, you have taught me body science in just a couple of minutes... Please don't take me wrong. But I've never read what I just read, not even in my school. Yes, there are various "sensors" inside our body that allows us to function properly.
But I've neevr heard what will happen if we are over hydrated. I've never imagined this situation. But does "over hydration" actually exists in our body? Or is it non-existent (because water is used up always and there will never ever be over-hydration) ?
1 person likes this
@abhi_bangal (5534)
• Ahmednagar, India
22 Sep
@celticeagle Oh come on... Have such incidents really happened? This is just a rhetoric question. I mean to say, over hydrating can be such fatal. I never knew that. Neither have I heard of such news in the past. I'm getting curious to know more about water drinking habits, hydration, over hydration, etc.
1 person likes this
@jstory07 (139743)
• Roseburg, Oregon
22 Sep
@celticeagle Powerade is cheaper here.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79875)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Sep
I keep a cold jug of tea in my fridge and consume quite a lot of iced tea just plain with no sugar,
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (167025)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Sep
That's a good idea. I can't drink straight water all of the time. I drink tea, coffee, pop, and Powerade too.
1 person likes this