Did you know that the average human body is around 60% water1? While this can vary up to around 75% depending on age, sex, and body composition, it’s pretty wild to think that at least half to two thirds of your body is fluid!
Of course, this water isn’t just flowing around willy-nilly. Your body needs water for a wide range of vital processes, including temperature control, brain function, circulating blood, muscle recovery and so much more. So, making sure you have enough water in your system is key. But, it can be a struggle to stay properly hydrated when you’re out there busy living your best life.
Fortunately, we’ve got you covered. Exploring everything from signs of dehydration, to top tips for maintaining your water/electrolyte balance, our ultimate guide will show you everything you need to know about hydration…
What is hydration?
Hydration as a term is probably thrown about by friends, loved ones, and even strangers, more than a rugby ball during the Six Nations – but what does this actually mean?
In the dictionary, hydration is defined as ‘the process of causing something to absorb water’. But, when we talk about hydration in terms of the human body, we’re talking about how you absorb fluids from your diet.
Notice how we said fluids? It may surprise you, but it’s not just water that boosts your hydration (although it’s usually the easiest and most freely available). There’s also2:
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Other drinks, like milk, tea, coffee, juice, cordial, sports drinks etc.
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Fruits and vegetables with a high water content, such as melon, tomatoes, and cucumber.
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Soups and broths.
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Treats like jelly and ice lollies.
So, nearly everything you eat and drink can contribute to your hydration status – which is definitely a good thing. That’s because, according to the NHS, the average adult needs between 1.5l of fluid per day to function properly. This is just for a standard day too. As soon as you add exercise, hot weather, and possibly dehydrating foods/drinks, you may need more to keep your hydration balanced.
By the way: if you can’t visualise 1.5 litres, this works out as about the same as six to eight glasses, or two and a half pints.
A little thing called electrolytes
A common misconception is that hydration is all about topping up your fluid levels. But, this isn’t entirely true, due to a little thing called electrolytes. And what are electrolytes we hear you ask? Excellent question dear reader.
Electrolytes are minerals that the body uses for dozens of vital processes, including, but not limited to; regulating kidney function, triggering muscle contractions, supporting bone health, and managing energy metabolism.
The key electrolytes you need to know about are3:
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Potassium: helps to balance intracellular fluid levels, kidney and heart function, and muscle contraction.
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Sodium: helps to balance extracellular fluid levels, blood pressure, and muscle and nerve function.
Did you know?: sodium and potassium work closely together to maintain fluid homeostasis, which is the process in which the body self-regulates processes. Balancing these two electrolytes is essential.
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Calcium: important for bone health, muscle contractions, blood clotting and more.
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Chloride: helps manage blood volume, acid-base ratios, and is important for food digestion.
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Magnesium: important for blood pressure and blood sugar management, making proteins, DNA and more.
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Phosphate: important in energy production, and the construction of bones and teeth.
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Bicarbonates: helps to maintain pH levels in the body.
Now, normally, your diet is enough to keep your electrolytes – and hydration – levels in balance. Salty foods like pretzels, potassium-rich bananas, and dairy for calcium are all perfect for replenishing your body after regular activity.
The catch comes in unusual circumstances, such as when you’re exercising, just existing in hot weather, or after illness. In these cases, you may want to add some electrolyte supplements to replace what you’ve lost. Combining water and some salty snacks is one way to do this, but it’s not always easy if you’re out and about.
That’s where electrolyte supplements – like VITHIT Effervescents – come in handy. We’ve managed to pack four key minerals AND eight vitamins into a super-portable 12g sachet, perfect for hydration on the go. Whether you’re working out at the gym, heading on a hike with the girls, or playing sports all day, simply dissolve one of our effervescent packets into your water bottle for a delicious, refreshing, and hydrating drink.
What is dehydration?
We’ve banged on about what hydration is – but what about the opposite end of the scale: dehydration?
You naturally lose water throughout the day, via sweating, going to the toilet etc. So, you need to replace these fluids to ensure you stay healthy. But, did you know that, according to medical research, losing as little as 3% of your body weight in fluid can cause you to become dehydrated. Even a 1-2% fluid loss has been shown to negatively affect your cognition, psychomotor skills, and memory skills!
How to tell if you’re dehydrated
If you’ve ever done a hard workout, or forgotten your water bottle when you’re out and about, you probably know a little about what we’re talking about here – but some of the ways you can tell you’re dehydrated are4:
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You’re thirsty: this is the body’s natural response to dehydration. Basically, your brain is calling out for you to sip some water and give her something to work with!
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You have dark urine: if you’re dehydrated, your urine becomes more concentrated because your body is trying to retain as much liquid as possible. Your urine should normally be a pale yellow colour – if it’s a darker yellow, it’s a sign to get sipping.
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You are going for a wee less frequently: you may notice you’re not heading to the bathroom as often because your body is using every last drop of fluid it can.
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You feel dizzy or lightheaded, feel tired, or have a headache: your brain is pretty much water's biggest fan, and (like a diva we still love) will get exceedingly grumpy if its needs aren’t met.
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You have a dry mouth, lips, and/or eyes: your body is pulling water into more essential places, which leaves your lips and mouth feeling left out.
All of these are your body’s way of telling you to get something to drink, STAT! In normal circumstances, it’s time to hit the tap for some water. Or, you could have a sweeter, tastier, but still very healthy soft drink – like, say a VITHIT Classic?
[If we can get serious for a moment, dehydration can have big consequences for your body, especially if it’s prolonged or chronic. Remember, you can survive up to approximately 50 days without food, but this drops down to a maximum of five to six without water – it’s that important!]
Top tips for staying hydrated
Now that we’ve jammed all of this lovely knowledge at you, how about putting it into practice? We’ve picked out some of our super-mega top tips to make sure you’re staying hydrated like the absolute star you are5…
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Listen to your body: seriously, the first step is listening to what your body is telling you. They know you best – so if you’re thirsty, drink something!
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Snack on water-containing foods: including some water-rich snacks like tomatoes, cucumber and melon are a tasty way to top up at meal times.
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Consistency is key: drinking throughout the day is way better than chugging three glasses of water before bed. This keeps your fluid levels balanced, and can help you feel better for longer.
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BYOB (bring your own bottle): if you’re busy busy busy, you may forget to drink enough. So, make sure you bring a reusable water bottle everywhere you go. Trust us, you’ll feel better.
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Match your activity levels: if you’re HIIT-ing the gym, or steaming it up at hot yoga, you’re gonna need more water (and electrolytes) than if you were having a casual wander to the shops.
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Level up from plain water: where the situation calls for (like after you’ve been poorly, or smashing through any training PBs), switch up your hydration with an electrolyte-enriched drink.
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Moderate any highly caffeinated and/or sugary drinks: too much caffeine could have you buzzing for all the wrong reasons, so try not to reach for the coffee every time you want something to drink. And, while pop still counts in your fluid intake, maxing out on sugary drinks is not the best strategy if you want to stay healthy. If you do want the fizzy feel, choose a low-sugar alternative – VITHIT Sparkling anyone?
Common hydration questions
Still got some questions? We’ve got you. Check out our answers to some of the most commonly asked hydration questions below…
Why is hydration important?
Obviously if your body is over 50% water, keeping this topped up makes sense. But what about the practicalities? Being properly hydrated has loads of benefits, such as6:
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Keeping your brain function healthy, including helping to regulate your mood.
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Maintaining healthy digestion and bowel function.
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Helping joints stay lubricated and moving.
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Improved temperature regulation.
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Reducing the risk of developing kidney stones.
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Keeping your heart healthy.
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Nourishing your body and skin.
What impacts your hydration?
We’ve touched on them throughout this guide, but for ultimate clarity, find out what impacts your hydration below:
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Activity levels: if you exercise a lot, you will lose more water and electrolytes through sweating.
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Temperature: sweating is one way for your body to regulate temperature in hot weather, which is why you drink more when it’s hot.
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Illness: if you’re poorly, vomiting and diarrhea means you lose more fluids than you’re taking in, which is why staying as hydrated as possible when you’re ill is vital.
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Existing medical conditions: some existing medical conditions may mean you’re predisposed to dehydrating easier – such as diabetes, or certain heart conditions.
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Age: your thirst response declines as you age, so you may not notice if you’re getting dehydrated as easily.
Top tip: outside of these, your body uses up water and electrolytes just existing so there’s always a baseline that will impact your hydration – which is why you should drink regularly.
Can you be overhydrated?
Maintaining your hydration is essential, but is there such a thing as overhydration? Technically, the answer is yes – although it’s less common. Overhydration happens when you the water:electrolyte ratio is out of balance, and the presence of the latter is diluted too much. For example, if you exercise regularly, you may run the risk of overhydration if you drink only to replace water you lose through sweat, and not the salts.
We mentioned the importance of electrolytes earlier, and this is what we mean. If you have too few in your body, it can struggle to maintain blood homeostasis. That’s why you should always refuel your body with water AND electrolytes after especially intense workouts.
Top tip: you can use salty protein snacks with a water bottle, or use something like an effervescent electrolyte supplement to get everything you need in one.
Is water enough to hydrate you on its own?
Yes. Just because we make tasty vitamin juice drinks, doesn’t mean we’re going to sit here and say water isn’t enough: because most of the time, drinking plenty of water as part of a healthy, balanced diet is enough for the regular person.
But it’s a bit boring. And you’re interesting, exciting, one of a kind! Why should you settle for ordinary?
Now, a VITHIT drink on the other hand? That’s delicious, filled to the brim with nourishing vitamins, juice, and teas while masterfully being low in sugar, and still giving you the fluids your body needs. We know what we’d prefer…
VITHIT: the hydration sensation taking over the nation
Say hello to hydration with VITHIT. For a delicious, refreshing source of essential vitamins and minerals, explore the collection online today to find your new favourite flavour…
Disclaimer: this article is not intended as medical advice in any way. If you have any questions about your diet or hydration, please contact your doctor for expert advice and personalised information.
Interested in learning more? Check out… Are You Taking Enough Breaks? | Are Simple Sugars the Root of Health Concerns? | Flexitarianism: What’s All the Fuss About?
References
By:
Ciara McNulty
CORU Registered Dietitian DI047525
