Hydration isn’t complicated: just drink water

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Europe is meltingEastern United States now Trapped in a “heat dome” The Midwest has cornrows to look forward to, and if you’ve never felt the oppressive, sticky misery of the Asian monsoon season — consider yourself blessed. But as people compete on social media over who has the hottest (and… Whether air conditioning is ethical), it’s time to address a Non-negotiable Summer survival truth: hydration.

Staying hydrated is certainly not a controversial topic. Something as simple as drinking water can’t be distorted by the Wild West of wellness. But unfortunately, recent TikTok research has proven me wrong. “Sometimes, water alone isn’t enough,” says an influencer named Grace, a “holistic nutritionist,” in Partnership video With IV liquid. You mix a packet in it, stir it with an aesthetic glass straw, while spitting out trivia facts about the importance of electrolytes. “It’s about what your body does with the water.”

Next, I was Swipe with clip From actress Mayim Bialik’s podcast emblazoned with the phrase “You’re moisturizing wrong!” In this article, guest star Bialik, who is described as an “exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist,” claims that drinking too much water will not hydrate you properly. You’ll be urinating, she says, because plain water doesn’t have the “ideal pressure” due to the lack of sodium and glucose. At the conclusion of my dreaded TikTok search, another nutritionist mentioned that ice water exists In reality drying Based on the principles of traditional Chinese medicine because “the body cannot hold on to water.”

These are all prime examples of Wellness playbook.

It’s true that the body needs electrolytes, which are minerals that carry a positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water: things like potassium, magnesium, and sodium. (Sugar isn’t technically an electrolyte, but it’s also essential for hydration.) They’re important because they help maintain proper levels of fluid within your cells, contract and relax muscles, and play in many other chemical reactions within your body. You lose electrolytes when you sweat and when you urinate as waste. These are all facts that influencers and wellness brands use to establish their credibility by letting you in on the “real science” of how hydration works.

The next turn in the playbook is to convince you that “drinking more water”—a well-established, common-sense method of hydration that doctors often recommend—isn’t good enough. There is a better way, a secret about to be revealed. To wrap things up, either feed you a questionable but harmless method (e.g., room temperature water is better for hydration than cold water) or tell the electrolyte powder they use by the shilling that it will hydrate you much better or faster than plain water.

Take intravenous fluid Science page. “Hydration is essential,” the website says, while a video of dapper scientists wearing chunky glasses and smart lab coats plays in the background. “We advance it with science” and specifically, “advanced technology, clinical programs, and scientific leadership.” Scroll a little further down the page, and you’ll see the words “Water is the least studied nutrient” and “Just add the science… We love water (it’s a tremendous hydrator), but sometimes water alone isn’t enough.”

The site then goes on to describe Liquid IV’s four-step hydration philosophy. It boils down to: (1) making drinks delicious so you drink more; (2) Adding a “hydration multiplier,” also known as a proprietary blend of electrolytes; (3) Take credit for the sodium in the mix, which helps you retain water; and (4) taking credit for other electrolytes in the mix doing what the electrolytes do. Separate page for Results of its clinical study He says Liquid IV helps people rehydrate faster and retain fluids longer than water alone. Which, again, is how electrolytes work. It also says that the sugar-free version doesn’t spike blood glucose levels, which, to state the obvious, is an expected result from a sugar-free drink.

This is effective in promoting the message that IV fluid – and other electrolyte mixtures – exist in a vacuum better Of water in water. But it’s also missing a lot of key context.

the Instructions Liquid IV’s website states that the product is safe for daily consumption “during or after strenuous workouts, while traveling, after a night out, or for heat-related rehydration.” This is not “replace all water with IV fluid”. He continues to suggest one serving daily and consult a doctor for further questions. This is all good, but electrolyte imbalance is a two-way street. There is such a thing also Many electrolytes.

Take sodium. the Center for Disease Control It says the average American gets about 3,300 mg of sodium per day, which is higher than the federal recommendation less From 2300 mg. Liquid IV has more than 20 flavors, so the nutritional label varies, but generally one serving contains approximately 500 to 520 mg of sodium — or more than 20 percent of the recommended daily amount. Except for a condition or medication that affects your sodium levels, e.g PotsYou probably get enough of this electrolyte from your diet. Salt is not the only ingredient you should pay attention to. Ask any marathon runner or cyclist. Drinking too many sugary sports drinks can lead to a bad run.

But say you We are Someone needs to be more aware of hydration. It’s easy to overdo your electrolyte mixes and can have unintended health consequences. My husband suffers from chronic and severe migraines. In summer, it is often caused by dehydration and heat intolerance. Migraines are terrible, but my wife is doubly unlucky, as migraines often come with severe nausea and vomiting. It’s a vicious cycle, where dehydration makes his migraines worse, but nausea leaves him unable to rehydrate himself. Several times I had to take them to the emergency room to get saline solution. So, in an effort to be proactive, last summer they started drinking Pedialyte and Liquid IV daily to prevent heat-related migraines.

It was a real effort to take better care of themselves. But they ended up giving themselves high blood pressure from all the salt He can It occurs with many electrolyte supplements, along with other problems such as: Increased cardiovascular stress.

There is a time and place for electrolyte mixes and sports drinks. Mainly, when you need to hydrate yourself quickly after losing a large amount of body fluids in a short time and Your daily diet cannot compensate for this. So, if you are sweating a lot due to being active outdoors for several hours under the hot sun? Yes, an electrolyte drink is fine. If you, as a healthy human being, decide for some reason to go for a 30-minute run in sweltering heat, but immediately return to the air conditioning to eat Grandpa Rick’s BBQ? You probably won’t die drinking Powerade, but you can also drink plain water. If you get norovirus and have both ends of the gastrointestinal tract, go with God and get a Gatorade. But you don’t have to go crazy about how you moisturize. You don’t even have to spend a lot of money on electrolyte refills. Half a lemon and a little salt in the water An effective, budget-conscious alternative. (Or pickle juice, if that’s more your thing.)

I deeply understand the desire to “hydrate better.” I have fainted in hot weather, and sometimes while running long distances. It’s not fun! The few times this has happened has been absolutely terrible, and has motivated me to be better about hydration in hot weather. That’s why I tested Multiple wearable Sweat stains Which he claimed helped improve my electrolyte intake when I was training for a half marathon in extreme heat. That’s why I reviewed smart water bottles Of many flavours And the differences. (Adding flavor is also a valid “hack” for drinking more water.) Earlier this year, I installed a Home urinalysis laboratory In my toilet because naturally I did. I’ve invested in a lot of sports hydration packs and energy items. Ironically, what helped the most was the regular bottle of Awala. Apparently, I like drinking water from a straw better.

Which is a fancy way of saying that I’ve personally tested several “improved” methods of hydration. My rule is common sense, get past the influencers, and in most cases, drinking some cold water is good enough.