Author: James Anderson
The Diuretic Action of Weak and Strong Alcoholic Beverages in Elderly Men: A Randomized Diet-Controlled Crossover Trial PMC
A study in rats from 1968 has shown that the diuretic response to alcohol is directly related to alcoholic concentration [11]. This would suggest that strong (distilled) alcoholic beverages may provoke more dehydration than weak alcoholic beverages. The US Institute of Medicine concluded in 2005 [13] that the effect of alcohol consumption on increasing urine secretion is transient, and would not result in appreciable fluid losses.
One large study found excessive alcohol consumption is linked to accelerated facial aging. Rehydrating during and after exercise can prevent dehydration. Consuming electrolyte drinks can help a person rehydrate when they are exercising or have stomach flu. People can ensure that they are drinking enough by using various apps that monitor water intake.
Understanding how consuming alcohol leads to increased urination requires an understanding of ADH. ADH stands for antidiuretic hormone (also known as vasopressin). When the human body senses it is getting dehydrated, the pituitary gland produces ADH to reduce urination. However, larger sweat loss can be difficult to replace in the short term. A person losing a large amount of sweat through heat or exercise needs a longer recovery period, taking fluids and foods as necessary and replacing electrolytes.
Alcoholic ketoacidosis can develop when you drink excessive amounts of alcohol for a long period of time. Excessive alcohol consumption often causes malnourishment (not enough nutrients for the body to function well). Low daily water intake can cause constipation, lack of focus, and tiredness. A person who is already at risk of dehydration from one or more of the above factors should avoid or limit alcohol consumption.
Dehydration From Alcohol: 5 Tips to Prevent and Treat It
In conclusion, only moderate amounts of stronger alcoholic beverages (≥13.5%) resulted in a temporary diuretic effect compared to their non-alcoholic counterparts. AB and NAB did not differ at any time point in terms of the urine output, osmolality, and sodium and potassium concentration. This suggests that the consumption of moderate amounts of a weak alcoholic beverage such as beer is safe in terms of hydration for elderly men. More research is needed to establish whether similar effects apply to women. First of all, the diet-controlled crossover design minimizes the influence of confounding variates. Secondly, by testing moderate amounts of alcohol in a normal-life situation, the results can easily be translated to the real-life situation.
- During a steady blood alcohol concentration, alcohol acts as an antidiuretic, causing retention of water and electrolytes.
- An aliquot (5 mL) from each time-point was stored at −20 °C until further analysis.
- If you binge drink, you’ll likely lose 500 to 1,000 mL of fluids, causing dehydration.
- Chronic dehydration can occur when a person loses more water than they take in.
- How much water a person needs each day is difficult to assess and can vary from person to person.
- This may imply that the acute effect of alcohol on the cumulative urine output is directly dependent on the alcohol concentration and not on the net alcohol content.
Joining a local chapter of Alcoholics Anonymous may provide you with the support you need to cope. You should also follow all of your doctor’s recommendations to ensure proper nutrition and recovery. People who drink large quantities of alcohol may not eat regularly.
Alcohol begins to build up in your bloodstream
Consuming alcohol leads to dehydration and can affect several systems and functions in the body. It is important for a person to be aware of the signs and symptoms of alcohol-induced dehydration and the ways to avoid it. Alcohol is a diuretic and therefore causes excessive urination. Follow drinking behaviors that are best for you, not what everyone else is doing.
And above all, limiting your alcohol consumption in general is the best way to avoid dehydration. While hangover symptoms may remain, be sure to drink water to help speed your recovery. If you or someone else is experiencing these symptoms, seek immediate medical attention. Intravenous (IV) fluids may be required to stabilize you if you’re experiencing severe dehydration. All types of alcoholic drinks cause dehydration to an extent. However, alcohol’s dehydrating effects will be somewhat reduced in some of the “lighter” alcoholic drinks.
This seems to be supported by a recent study on the beverage hydration index [14]. According to this study, there were no differences in the cumulative urine output between lager and still-water up to 4 h after consumption. Nevertheless, experimental studies on the diuretic effects of alcohol in the elderly are lacking.
They can also reduce the amount of insulin your body produces, leading to the breakdown of fat cells and the production of ketones. BetterHelp offers affordable mental health care via phone, video, or live-chat. Dehydration contributes to hangovers but is just a piece of the puzzle. Although it’s unknown whether alcohol dehydrates muscle, it still has an effect. However, there is no scientific or clinical consensus for precise values of daily water requirements, according to one 2012 review.
What to do if you’re dehydrated
Were employed by the Dutch Beer Institute during executing the study and writing the manuscript. The founding sponsors had no role in the design of the study, the analyses, or in the decision to publish the results. None of the other authors have conflicts of interests to declare. The authors acknowledge the funding of the European Hydration Institute and the financial contribution of the Dutch Beer Institute. We would like to thank Astrid de Wilde and Lilian Groesbeek for their assistance during the data collection, and the participants for their enthusiastic participation. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
If you have a full stomach, it can essentially slow down the absorption of alcohol. Dehydration can affect multiple bodily functions and cause a wide range of symptoms. The action of suppressing this hormone exacerbates the diuretic effect and leads to dehydration. When its processed by enzymes in the liver, alcohol is converted into a large amount of acetaldehyde. In order to break this substance down and remove it from the body, your liver does most of the work of turning it into acetate.
The higher the alcohol content, the more dehydrating the drink will be. A heavy alcoholic drink like whiskey, brandy, or rum can dehydrate you more than lighter drinks. Stick to beer and wine to mitigate any dehydration you may experience. This also means drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can lead to a higher blood alcohol content (BAC). The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey based its adequate intake for total water intake on a combination of drinking water, beverages, and food.