IS CAFFEINE MAKING YOU TIRED?
Do you jumpstart your morning routine with a cup of coffee or power through the middle of the day with a diet soda? Caffeine may be dehydrating your body causing a slew of negative healthy effects. Extreme dehydration can affect many bodily functions, including blood pressure, circulation, digestion and kidney function. Even mild dehydration, which can become a chronic condition, diminishes both physical and mental performance, by spurring fatigue, headaches and decreased effectiveness of digestion.
Water’s Wonders
Drinking several cups of caffeinated beverages, like coffee and soda, make it difficult to keep the body properly hydrated even when drinking the recommended daily intake of water. A recent study of healthy volunteers displays the powerful dehydrating effects of caffeine. For five days participants avoided all forms of caffeine, and on the sixth day only drank mineral water. On the seventh day participants ingested the same volume of liquids as the previous day, but replaced six cups of mineral water with coffee. On average, participants lost 2.7 percent of their body water. In addition, despite the loss of fluids the majority of subjects were unaware they were dehydrated, with only 16% of participants reporting thirst. [1]
With what seems like an almost unlimited supply of fluids – from the bottomless company water cooler to the bombardment of fluids by street vendors– how could this be? While drinking more water when consuming caffeinated beverages can help combat dehydration, downing pure H20 alone may not replace lost water. If the body’s tissues are too dehydrated, tissues are not able to reabsorb water in its pure form. The water in the body contains dissolved minerals, electrolytes, which influence the pH of the blood, and are critical for many bodily functions, namely nerve and muscle function. The body requires adequate levels of electrolytes, like potassium and magnesium, particularly if not ingesting these minerals in the diet, to be properly hydrated. Unfortunately, many products marketed with electrolytes, such as Gatorade, are also filled with artificial colorings, artificial flavorings and different types of sugary syrups, such high fructose corn syrup, which cause insulin levels to spike within the body, creating a host of additional health concerns.
How to Hydrate
How can you ensure proper hydration if you still want the morning cup of coffee, without all of the unnatural substances typically found in standard electrolyte drinks? A great way to re-hydrate a dehydrated body is to drink liquids filled with electrolytes in pure form, such as pure coconut water, as opposed the sports drinks marketed to help rehydrate the body. Ensuring your body is properly hydrated allows you to perform at the highest levels of physical and mental health. Just make sure to check the label – the only ingredient listed on the container should be coconut water, any other ingredients would be unnecessary additives the body would not require. Some good brands include ZICO and Vita Coco coconut water.
Beyond Basic Hydration
Want to learn more about how to improve the overall wellness of you and your family members? Interested in learning more about how to equip your home with the tools to live your healthiest life? Contact Fine Balance Wellness today to learn more about programs to help ensure you are taking as many steps as possible to ensure great health.
Contact Fine Balance Wellness for Complimentary Consultation at (917) 881-6655 or info@finebalancewellness.com.
Copyright 2007 Fine Balance Wellness, LLC
[1] Neuhouser-Berthold M, Beine S, Verwied SC, Luhrmann RM. Coffee consumption and total body water homeostasis as measured by fluid balance and bioelectrical impedance analysis. Ann Nutr Metab. 1997;41:29-36.
Additional Sources
Paul Insel, R. Elaine Turner, Don Ross. Nutrition, Second Edition. 2007. Jones and Bartlett Publishers.