Does Alcohol Dehydrate You? Symptoms and Prevention Tips

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. A vodka water or vodka soda is probably your best bet if hydration is a goal while drinking. This choice is great because you’re drinking water at the same time as the alcohol, so you won’t have to focus as much on rehydrating between drinks.

• Keep in mind that to offset the low water content and high ABV of liquor, you can opt for a mixed drink with seltzer water.
• This can increase your BAC significantly if you don’t replenish your body’s supply with a few sips of water as you drink.
• Many of these medications work by preventing reabsorption of fluids.
• A cocktail with vodka and soda is less dehydrating than a shot of vodka.

« The darker the beverage or higher the alcohol by volume (ABV) concentration, the more dehydrating it can be, » says New York City-based addiction specialist Aaron Sternlicht, LMHC, CASAC. Hypertonic dehydration is when you lose more water than sodium, as might happen with age-related thirst impairment. Hypotonic dehydration is when you lose more sodium than water, which can happen as a result of major burns or using diuretics. Isotonic dehydration is when you lose the same amount of water and sodium, as can occur when you have diarrhea. Also, total body water (the percentage of your body weight that is water) gets lower as you age.

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This is because alcohol is a diuretic, which is a substance that induces diuresis or additional urine output. The level of humidity in the cabin can vary depending on the aircraft. Generally, newer aircraft are designed to have better humidity control systems, which does alcohol dehydrate you can help minimize dehydration to some extent. However, the risk of dehydration still exists regardless of the aircraft. Bringing your own refillable water bottle is highly recommended. This way, you can easily stay hydrated by refilling it throughout your flight.

• « If you pair alcohol with another diuretic substance such as caffeine, you may naturally urinate more and become even more dehydrated, » Dr. Alexa Mieses Malchuk, M.D., a family physician, tells Bustle.
• It reduces how much ADH you make, so it increases how much urine you produce.
• Moreover, when we are seated for long periods of time during a flight, our bodies naturally tend to retain less water.

Though there’s no instant hangover remedy, there are ways to hydrate your body after drinking and ways to prevent that hangover feeling in the first place. A rough measurement of chronic dehydration is much urine you produce and its color. Dark urine usually means you’re not getting enough water, though urine color can vary due to medications, supplements, and some foods. For example, during times of illness, your water needs are increased. For most healthy adults, the National Academy of Medicine recommends consuming 13 cups for men and 9 cups for women daily. Caffeinated coffee contains about 95 milligrams (mg) of caffeine per 8 ounces, while one 12-ounce soda contains about 33 mg of caffeine.

What Is the Best Way to Rehydrate After Drinking?

But over time, too much alcohol can set off diabetes and malnutrition, and diseases of the central nervous system and the liver. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Together, ethanol and acetaldehyde cause a tangle of issues your body has to deal with when you drink. As I said before, the issues I listed are not comprehensive, but they paint a pretty good picture.

• The process is called diuresis, which on its own causes dehydration [1].
• Moderate alcohol use for healthy adults generally means up to one drink a day for women and up to two drinks a day for men.
• Dehydration is the only one way alcohol can be harmful to your health.
• But you still have just as many salts floating in this reduced volume of water.