Not A Sign Of Heavy Dehydration, Doctors Still Remind Don't Consider It A Trivial Flavor Of Haus

Illustration of women drinking (Photo: Freepik/Freepik)

JAKARTA - Many people believe thirst means the body is dehydrated. When feeling thirsty, we immediately fill a bottle of water or buy a drink. But is it true that feeling thirsty always means dehydration? Experts say it's not entirely true.

Ilmu shows that we are starting to feel thirsty when the body loses 1.2% of water, explained Dr. Nate Wood, director of culinary medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, Connecticut, quoted from the Huffpost page.

Loss of this amount of water generally does not cause serious health problems and can easily be overcome by drinking water.

Dr. Philip Skiba, a professor and medical director of Jefferson Health Sports Medicine in Philadelphia added that new dehydration is a serious problem when a person loses about 8% of the water in the body, not when he loses 1.2%. So, the initial thirst is just a body sign that we should drink water.

Dr. Jordan Hilgefort, a sports and family specialist at the University of Louisville Health, Kentucky agreed.

"Haus may not be an indicator of immediate dehydration, but it should be referred to as an early warning of dehydration that may occur," he said.

The body is smart, when the water is reduced, it is natural for the body to give a signal to drink more.

"It would be stupid if a thirst mechanism just emerged after we were completely dehydrated," Wood said.

Just thirst is not a sign of dehydration. Clearer signs include dry mouth, dry skin, and light dizziness. Hilgefort added, symptoms such as dizziness, headaches, and fatigue appear when the body is sufficiently dehydrated.

The color of urine can also be an indicator. According to Hilgefort, pale yellow urine indicates good hydration. While the urine is darker, the mouth and dry lips can show mild dehydration. But don't panic if you experience mild symptoms.

"Dehydration is not a big deal. Drinking water or electrolyte drinks likejade is usually enough to deal with them," said Skiba.

After drinking, thirst disappears. This indicates that the body is starting to replace the lost fluid.

Mild dehydration is usually harmless, as long as it is treated immediately by drinking. But recurring dehydration can cause health problems, such as kidney function disorders or increase the risk of kidney stones and urinary tract infections.

On the other hand, drinking excessive water can also be risky. Kidneys keep sodium levels in the blood stable. If it is too high or too low, it can cause headaches, seizures, and serious conditions, although this case is rare and usually experienced by marathon runners.

The key to maintaining hydration is listening to the body's thirst signal to drink while thirsting, stop when you're not hungry. Water is important for body function such as helping cell metabolism, maintaining blood pressure, and ensuring organs get adequate fluids, nutrients, and oxygen. Water is also important to regulate body temperature, prevent heat stroke.

Each person's water needs vary, depending on the body, climate, level of activity, and health conditions. An encouragement to drink eight glasses a day can be a starting point, but not mandatory for everyone. You can drink according to your thirst and check your urine color as a hint of hydration.

Some people such as heart failure patients or athletes may require a different amount of fluid. Excessive hardness can also be an early sign of medical conditions such as diabetes.