Dehydration is a condition in which the human body lacks a sufficient volume of water to maintain homeostasis and normal function. It occurs in situations where water intake is not adequate to meet body water loss through things like sweating, urination, or diarrhea.

Water is essential for human health and well-being. It makes up approximately 60% of the human body weight and is vital for many bodily functions, including the maintenance of normal blood volume and composition, and the removal of waste by-products from the body. We often equate dehydration with vigorous physical activity and exercise, and hot weather. While it is true that these two factors are common causes of dehydration, there are other less obvious reasons for dehydration, and dehydration can occur in people who are not exposed to high temperatures or strenuous exercise.

Dehydration can also be caused by increased urination, vomiting, and diarrhea. Under these conditions, the body often loses water much faster than it can be replenished. Many prescription and over-the-counter medications are substances known as diuretics. These cause increased urination and thus water loss. Surprisingly, another major factor contributing to dehydration is the favorite beverages that Americans frequently consume.

While many of us drink soda, black tea, coffee, and alcoholic beverages to help quench thirst and stave off dehydration, it may actually do just the opposite. All these drinks have a diuretic effect on the human body. The caffeine in sodas, tea, coffee, and other beverages can increase the frequency and volume of urination. The same goes for alcohol in alcoholic beverages. This leads to loss of water in the body and makes you sick, eventually dehydration. Since these drinks are the favorites of most Americans, it is likely that much of the American population is predisposed to at least a mild state of dehydration. With that in mind, let’s look at the three main stages of dehydration.

There are three widely accepted stages of dehydration. Each stage examines water loss based on a percentage of body weight. In mild dehydration, the patient experiences a 3 to 5 percent loss in body weight. Moderate dehydration is characterized by a loss of 6 to 9% of body weight, while severe dehydration involves a loss of 10% or more of body weight. Now that we know a little about the classification of dehydration, let’s examine some common symptoms.

Research has shown that as little as a 2% decrease in hydration can lead to up to a 10% decrease in athletic performance. However, the effects of dehydration are not limited to athletes. Many chiropractic patients experience symptoms similar to the symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration. Some of these include:

– Headaches, dizziness and lightheadedness

– Muscle cramps and muscle pain

– Muscle spasms

-Thirst

– Dry mouth

– Dry eyes

– Dry Skin

-Soft spot

– Tired

– Confusion

– And more

So how can we prevent dehydration? The obvious solution is to make sure we consume enough water to meet our body’s needs. An average sized adult requires about 1 quart or 32 ounces of water per day. Physically active adults will require much more: sometimes as much as 4 or 5 quarts per day. To help prevent dehydration, we must increase our water intake before, during and after exercise. Some sources say that you should drink about 4 to 6 ounces of water for every 12 to 15 minutes during exercise. As a general rule, the more you weigh, the higher the air temperature, and the more vigorous the exercise, the greater the amount of fluid intake required.

Many people falsely assume that they are not dehydrated because they do not exercise vigorously or because they are not thirsty. Vigorous exercise and profuse sweating obviously speed up the dehydration process and make it much easier for it to occur, but they are not necessary for dehydration to occur. It is important to note that feeling thirsty is not a reliable indicator of adequate hydration. Research has shown that feeling thirsty is actually a reaction to early stage dehydration. The human body doesn’t even begin to feel thirsty until it experiences a 1 to 2 percent loss in body weight!

Another big problem with dehydration is that people falsely believe that they are adequately hydrated because they drink so many beverages throughout the day. Unfortunately, these drinks are usually soda, coffee, tea, or drinks that contain alcohol. As we have already mentioned, all these drinks have a diuretic effect on the body. The increased urination and water loss caused by the consumption of these drinks can offset or cancel out the benefits of the fluid they contain. Avoiding beverages that contain caffeine and alcohol while increasing your water intake are great ways to prevent unintentional dehydration.

You’re probably wondering how all this talk about water and dehydration relates to chiropractic care. The connections are truly endless! Doctors of chiropractic are concerned with overall health and wellness, not just the biomechanics of the spine. Since water is vital to life, it is obviously of great concern to the chiropractor who truly has the best interests of their patients in mind.

Many patients initially see a Doctor of Chiropractic because they are experiencing headaches, dizziness, lightheadedness, fatigue, weakness, back pain, or muscle spasms; all of which are also common symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration. Dehydration has also been associated with impaired cognitive function.

Dehydration can also play a role in joint degeneration and degenerative changes in the spine. Intervertebral discs are nature’s shock absorbers that cushion the bones of the spine. Located between the bones of the spinal column, the intervertebral discs are predominantly made up of water. They are an elastic structure composed of a stronger outer fiber ring with a jelly-like center that allows the discs to be highly compressible and elastic to absorb forces on the spine while allowing the spine to be flexible. We know from research that intervertebral disc degeneration actually begins with dehydration of the intervertebral disc; With age, the intervertebral discs become less hydrated and lose their elasticity and flexibility. This loss of hydration leads to spinal degeneration and ultimately to pain and symptoms.

As you can see, unintentional dehydration can occur even when we are not exercising in a hot environment. Complicating matters further is the fact that we usually don’t even feel thirsty until we’re already dehydrated. Simply drinking the wrong types of beverages throughout the day can lead to the early stage of dehydration that can affect physical and cognitive performance. Water is vital for the cartilage that lubricates and protects our joints and for the intervertebral discs that cushion and protect our spine. Sustained dehydration, even at a mild level, can have a detrimental effect on our mental health and physical well-being. It’s no wonder doctors of chiropractic care about proper hydration. Take care of yourself and your body; take the time to make sure you are adequately hydrated.