LEARN EVERYTHING ABOUT DEHYDRATION.

What is Dehydration?

Dehydration takes place when your body loses more fluid
than you drink. The most common cause of water loss
from the body is excessive sweating.
The suggested amount of water to drink is eight to 10
glasses per day for an average, non-active person.
Individuals on the go, athletes, and people exposed to
high temperatures should increase their water intake to
avoid dehydration.
When too much water is lost from the body, the organs,
cells, and tissues fail to function as they should, which
can lead to dangerous complications. If dehydration isn’t
corrected immediately, it could cause shock. Dehydration
can be mild or severe. Mild dehydration can usually be
treated at home, whereas severe dehydration has to be
treated in a hospital or emergency care setting.
Dehydration Risk Factors

Athletes exposed to direct sun aren’t the only ones at risk
for dehydration. In fact, body builders and swimmers are
among the athletes that most commonly develop the
condition. This is because in these sports, drinking is
discouraged during training sessions or before
competitions, which can cause self-induced dehydration.
And, strange as it may seem, it is possible to sweat in
water . Swimmers lose a lot of sweat when swimming.
Some people are at a higher risk of developing
dehydration than others, including:
workers exposed to excessive amounts of heat (for
example, welders, landscapers, construction
workers, and mechanics)
seniors individuals with chronic illnesses
athletes (especially runners, cyclists, and soccer
players) infants and young children and
people who reside in high altitudes

How Does Dehydration Develop?
Your body regularly loses water through sweating and
urination. If the water is not replaced, you become
dehydrated. Dehydration is caused by any situation or
condition that causes the body to lose more water than
usual.

Sweating
Sweating is part of your body’s natural cooling process.
When you become hot, your sweat glands activate to
release moisture from your body in an attempt to cool it
off. The way this works is by evaporation. As a drop of
sweat evaporates from your skin, it takes a small amount
of heat with it. The more sweat you produce, the more
evaporation there is, and the more you are cooled off.
Sweating also hydrates your skin and maintains the
balance of electrolytes in your body. The fluid you sweat
is composed mainly of salt and water. Excessive
sweating can cause dehydration since you lose a large
amount of water. The technical term for excessive
sweating is hyperhidrosis.

Illness
Illnesses that cause continuous vomiting or diarrhea can
result in dehydration. This is because vomiting and
diarrhea can cause too much water to be expelled from
your body. Important electrolytes are also lost through
these processes. Electrolytes are minerals used by the
body to control the muscles, blood chemistry, and organ
processes. These electrolytes are found in blood, urine,
and other fluids in the body. Vomiting or diarrhea can
impair these functions and cause severe complications
such as stroke and coma.

Fever
If you have a fever, your body loses fluid through your
skin’s surface in an attempt to lower your temperature.
Often, fever can cause you to sweat so much that if you
don’t drink to replenish, you could end up dehydrated.

Urination
Urination is the body’s normal way to release toxins from
your body. Some conditions can cause chemical
imbalances, which can increase your urine output. If you
don’t replace the fluid lost through excessive urination,
you run the risk of developing dehydration.
What Are the Symptoms of Dehydration?
The symptoms of dehydration differ depending on
whether the condition is mild or severe. Symptoms of
dehydration may begin to appear before total dehydration
takes place.

Symptoms of mild to moderate dehydration include
sleepiness
dry mouth
increased thirst
decreased urination
less tear production
dry skin
constipation
dizziness
lightheadedness
headache
constipation
In addition to the symptoms of mild dehydration, severe
dehydration is likely to cause the following:
excessive thirst
lack of sweat production
low blood pressure
rapid heart rate
rapid breathing
fever
sunken eyes
shriveled skin
dark urine

Symptoms of severe dehydration are a real medical
emergency and should be treated by a medical
professional immediately.

Medical Emergency
Children and seniors should be treated immediately, even
if they are experiencing symptoms of mild dehydration.
However, if a person in any age group develops the
following symptoms, seek emergency care:
severe diarrhea
blood in the stool
diarrhea for three or more days
inability to keep fluids down
disorientation

How Is Dehydration Diagnosed?
Before beginning any tests, your doctor will go over any
symptoms you have to rule out other conditions. After
taking your medical history, the doctor will check your
vital signs, including your heart rate and blood pressure.
Low blood pressure and rapid heart rate will indicate
dehydration.
A blood test may be used to check the level of
electrolytes, which can help indicate fluid loss. A blood
test may also be used to check your body’s level of
creatinine. This helps the doctor determine how well your
kidneys are functioning.
A urinalysis is an exam that uses a sample of urine to
check for the presence of bacteria and electrolyte loss.
The doctor can also check for dehydration by checking
the color of your urine.

Strategies to Treat Dehydration
Treatments for dehydration include rehydrating methods,
electrolyte replacement, and treating diarrhea or vomiting,
if needed.

Rehydration
Rehydration methods include fluid replacement by
drinking or IV. Drinking may not be possible for people
suffering from diarrhea or vomiting, so fluids will be
given intravenously. To do this, the doctor inserts a small
IV tube in a vein in the arm. The solution provided
through the IV is often a mix of water and electrolytes.
For those able to drink, the doctor will suggest drinking
water along with an electrolyte-containing rehydration
drink such as Gatorade (or a similar sports drink).
Children with dehydration are often directed to drink

Pedialyte.
Homemade Rehydration Solution
If Gatorade isn’t available, you can make your own
rehydration solution using
½ teaspoon salt
6 teaspoons of sugar
1 liter of water
Be absolutely certain that you are using an accurate
measurement. Using too much salt or sugar can be
dangerous.

Things to Avoid
Do not treat yourself by drinking soda, overly sweet
drinks, or caffeine. These drinks can worsen dehydration.
Potential Complications of Untreated Dehydration
Untreated dehydration can lead to life-threatening
complications such as
heat exhaustion
heat cramps
heatstroke
seizures (due to electrolyte loss)
low blood volume
kidney failure
coma

How Can I Prevent Dehydration?
If you’re ill, increase your fluid intake, especially if you
are vomiting or having diarrhea constantly. If you cannot
hold down liquids, consult your doctor.
If you’re going to exercise or play sports, drink 1 to 3
cups of water before beginning. At regular intervals
during the workout, replace your fluids.
Dress cool in hot months and avoid being out in direct
heat if you can avoid it.
Even if you aren’t active, drink the recommended amount
of fluids.