Does water actually dehydrate us?

It can deplete minerals and electrolytes depending on how much you drink. I always put salt in my water because salt helps retain fluid and sugar helps you hold on to electrolytes. If you do everything right, you will be okay.

Some people drink plain ol water and their fine, it all depends on how much water you drink.

I was told by my urologist to drink 3 liters per day….I have no problem with this in summertime but struggle when it gets cold.  I do drink pedialyte on occasion to help my electrolytes…

Our transit times vary a lot, and the character of our stool varies a lot, too. For folks with longer transit times and less liquid stool water will usually hydrate us just fine. Some folks who tend toward dehydration may need an oral rehydration solution, which adds a little bit of sugar to facilitate absorption - not just salt. In any case you really, really don’t want to let yourself get dehydrated very often.

If you drink too much water that is poor in minerals (or even distilled) that can draw minerals from your body and harm you that way. But you would have to drink lots of liters and really overdo it to get there.

Did you add all kinds of drinks (tea, coffee, ...) to your daily intake of 1 liter? That would be very little.

I like to add a little bit of fruit juice to my water, that makes it more tasty and helps me to drink enough. I think it's about 2 liters a day in winter and up to 1 liter more in summer overall. I don't have special hydration drinks, just mineral supplements (Ca, Mg, due to reduced bone density and to help with cramps).

In case I get severe diarrhea, I have an OTC electrolyte supplement in stock.

Poucho, I think you are taking the kidney doc’s instructions too literally. When they say water, they mean fluids. So that includes all fluids, except maybe milk, which is more of a mixed bag. Milk is also considered a food because of its high protein content, so it does add to your kidney “work.”

You basically need to be sure your urine is dilute and that you fill and empty your bladder several times a day. That is the best way to determine your hydration level.

Jan

@Jan Dollar posted:

Poucho, I think you are taking the kidney doc’s instructions too literally. When they say water, they mean fluids. So that includes all fluids, except maybe milk, which is more of a mixed bag. Milk is also considered a food because of its high protein content, so it does add to your kidney “work.”

You basically need to be sure your urine is dilute and that you fill and empty your bladder several times a day. That is the best way to determine your hydration level.

Jan

i pretty much always urinate when i poop which is several times a day. I have peed standing up before but i tend to clinch so i dont have an accident because if i relax too much trying to pee i might poop..lol. so i just pee whats in the bladder when i sit to poop