11 Reasons You’re Still Dehydrated After Drinking Lots Of Water

“If the electrolytes are out of balance, you may be drinking enough water, but you still have dehydration,” said Dr. Natasha Trentacosta MD, Sports Medicine Specialist and Orthopedic Surgeon at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute. I am.

Electrolytes such as sodium, chloride, magnesium, and potassium are needed to send fluid to the cells, she says. For example, if you sweat too much in the gym and lose them, it can really throw things away. She focuses on electrolyte-rich drinks like coconut water and recommends eating high-fiber fruits and vegetables to counter these losses.

Believe it or not, drinking too much water can make you feel sick due to the effects on the electrolytes. “Especially if you consume too much water, electrolytes and fibers can be washed away,” explains Trenta Costa. The National Academy of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine recommends drinking about 91 ounces (2.7 liters) per day.

Are you the kind of person who drinks three glasses of lemon water first thing in the morning? If so, it’s important to drink water all day instead of swallowing it all at once. “Your body absorbs more water throughout the day, not just one shot,” says Scott Michael Schreiber DC, a board-certified rehabilitation specialist.

Talk to your doctor if you don’t have enough water to quench your thirst and are urinating excessively. “This may be the first sign of diabetes,” says Trenta Costa. People with diabetes often pee because the body is trying to get rid of sugar, which can dehydrate them. Worth being tested for diabetes.

Registered dietitian Christine Gillespie, MS, RD, LD states that illness can cause dehydration, whether or not vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or all of the above have been addressed. “It’s clear that you need to increase your water intake to combat these water losses, but it’s easy to say, especially when you’re sick,” she tells Bustle. “It may be easier to tolerate it all day long with water on hand rather than trying to drink large amounts at once.”

This is the moment when you might embark on a drink like Pedialyte or Gatorade. “These not only contain electrolytes, they are often lost by sweat and gastrointestinal loss, but are often more easily absorbed by the body,” says Gillespie.

Depending on the type of drug, dehydration may be more likely to occur. “Some drugs deliberately flush water and electrolytes from the body,” says Trentacosta, pointing out diuretics, laxatives, antacids, and even blood pressure medications as examples. Some of these may list dehydration as a side effect, so check with your doctor to see what they recommend regarding maintaining hydration.

Even if you drink more than 8 glasses a day, that may not be enough, depending on your physical constitution and level of physical activity. “You may not actually get as much water as you think,” says Dr. Trenta Costa. “A general recommendation is to drink about 8 glasses of water a day, which should be adjusted to the individual’s weight and activity level.”

Think about what you drink besides water. According to Gillespie, if you’re thirsty, try increasing your intake of hydration fluids such as water, tea, and sports drinks, and reducing alcohol-containing beverages. There may be a slight diuretic effect.

If you’re a big coffee and soda fan, the same is true. “Many people use these products as one of the liquids,” says Jaramillo. “In practice, each of these consumed beverages needs to be matched with an additional glass of water.” If you’re not a fan of ordinary water, Gillespie injects fruit to enhance the taste, or We recommend adding flavor drops.

Another easy way to feel dehydrated? I wear too many layers and sweat. “Sweating is your body’s way of trying to lower your body temperature,” says Unger. Be careful not to move while sitting on a bunch of three sweaters and blankets. You don’t always get dehydrated, but if you don’t understand why you’re always drinking water, you should consider it.

Hormonal imbalances are also possible, especially if you have to pee immediately after drinking a glass of water.

Bellett points out a hormonal imbalance, especially associated with stress, which can lead to a mineral deficiency in the body. “A lack of minerals prevents cells from absorbing water, which means they start urinating almost all of the water they drink and their body becomes dehydrated regardless of how much water they drink,” she said. Tells Bustle.

This and other health issues allow you to take the test at your clinic. If you don’t know why you always feel dehydrated or thirsty, it’s a good idea to start excluding things.

“When I’m thirsty, I’m already dehydrated,” says Schreiber. Therefore, you need to drink water all day long, not just when you are thirsty. “Your body absorbs more water throughout the day, not just one shot,” he explains.

It is difficult to remember to drink water, especially when you are busy or doing active work, so Trentacosta recommends tracking the amount of water you drink throughout the day. Consider getting a water bottle that marks the amount of water or using a water tracking app to make sure you have enough.

If you’re drinking plenty of water and still experiencing chronic dehydration, talk to your doctor about what’s happening and how to maintain hydration.