Hydration is Not as Simple as Drinking Fluids
Hydration isn’t just about drinking water or fluids, but also the introduction of electrolytes necessary for the body to operate properly.
With adequate hydration, the body can regulate fluid volume, nerve impulses, muscle contractions, brain and organ function, blood pressure, heartbeat, energy levels and more.
The entire human body is about 66% water.
Our bones are 22% water,
muscles are 76%,
blood is 83%,
lungs are 90%,
and our brains are 95% water.
As important as hydration is, it is not a subject ever taught to me at any public academic level. Throughout life, all I recall learning is, “aim for 8 glasses of water a day.” I suspect that the majority of Americans neither understand “true” hydration nor make it a priority.
In fact, according to “10 Reasons Why Hydration is Important,” 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Symptoms of dehydration may occur when the body loses fluids faster than they are taken in, indicating that the body cannot operate properly. If your urine is dark, if you have dry mouth, constipation, or frequent headaches or are tired, you may be dehydrated.
Being dehydrated by just 2% impairs performance in tasks that require attention,
psychomotor, and immediate memory skills: cognitive function.
What Constitutes “True” Hydration?
To remain hydrated, our bodies require seven key electrolytes:
- Bicarbonate
- Calcium
- Chloride
- Magnesium
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Sodium
Bicarbonate helps maintain the body’s acid and alkaline balance (pH). It also plays an important role in moving carbon dioxide through the bloodstream. It can be synthesized in the body, so it’s unnecessary to supplement. But it helps other minerals to be more easily absorbed.
RDI: keep below 2,000 mg per day
Common food sources include: baking soda
1 tsp of baking soda contains 1,357 mg of sodium
and 3,600 mg of bicarbonate
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, and strengthens bones and teeth. It also contracts cardiac and smooth muscles, supports blood clotting, maintains cell membrane permeability, and helps transmit nerve impulses. The key with calcium is to get the right amount in the right ratio to the other minerals for it to be used properly in the body.
RDI: 1,000 mg; 1,200 mg for ages over 50
Foods high in calcium:
Firm tofu: 506 mg/cup
Yogurt: 488 mg/8 oz
Almond milk: 449 mg/cup
Raw milk: 400 mg/cup
Kefir: 300-400 mg/cup
Whole almonds: 385 mg/cup
Canned sardines: 351 mg/3.75 oz
Oat Milk: 350 mg/cup
Mozzarella cheese: 333mg/1.5 oz
Canned salmon: 312 mg/5 oz
Soymilk: 300 mg/cup
Cooked collard greens: 268 mg/cup
Deficiencies can cause: osteo-porosis/-penia, muscle cramps, confusion, memory problems, depression, nail and skin issues and more.
Chloride helps balance the amount of fluid inside and outside cells. In addition, it helps maintain healthy blood volume, blood pressure and heartbeat.
RDI: 2,300 mg; 2,000 mg for age over 50; 1,800 for ages over 70
Common food sources include: seasoning/table salt; olives
Salt is 60% chloride.
1 tsp of table salt contains 3,360 mg of chloride
Deficiencies can cause: irregular heartbeat, pH changes and more.
Magnesium helps your muscles, nerves, and heart work properly. It also helps control blood pressure and sugar (glucose) levels. Magnesium helps muscles relax while calcium helps muscles contract.
Magnesium accelerates over 300 biochemical reactions in the body and is instrumental in the formation of DNA and RNA. It affects muscle function, energy production, and carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Magnesium is also a relaxing mineral, on both a muscular and mental level. It helps build and strengthen bones and teeth. It can be excreted in sweat with hot and humid conditions.
RDI: men – 420 mg; women – 320 mg
Top 10 sources of magnesium:
Seeds: Pumpkin (156 mg) or chia seeds (111 mg)
Nuts: Almonds (80 mg) and cashews (74 mg)
Greens: Spinach (78 mg)
Beans: Black beans (60 mg)
Soy products: Soy milk (61 mg) or edamame (50 mg)
Protein: Peanut butter, smooth (49 mg)
Grains: Brown rice (42 mg)
Seafood: Salmon (26 mg)
Dairy products: Yogurt (42 mg) and milk (24–27 mg)
Fruits: Avocados (22 mg) and bananas (32 mg)
Deficiencies can cause: unusual eye movements, muscle cramps and weakness, nausea, confusion, fatigue and more.
Phosphorous works together with calcium to build strong bones and teeth, aids in nerve and muscle function, and facilitates energy production.
RDI: 1,250 mg for ages 9-18; 700 mg for ages over 18
Foods high in phosphorous:
Scallops: 724 mg/6 oz
Clams: 637 mg/20 small clams
Salmon and yellowfin tuna: 566mg/6 oz
Lean pork chop: 515 mg/6 oz
Ground turkey: 487 mg/6 oz
Firm tofu: 479 mg/cup
Hemp seeds: 462 mg/1 oz
Chicken breast: 410 mg/6 oz
Lentils: 356mg/cup
Pumpkin seeds: 350mg/1 oz
Beef skirt steak: 335 mg/6 oz
Deficiencies can include: anxiety, joint stiffness, weakness, breathing issues, bone pain and weakness, low appetite and more.
Potassium helps control fluid levels, acid-alkaline balance, muscle contraction, heartbeat, and blood pressure. It also protects against bone loss with aging and reduces the risk of kidney stones. Potassium helps move nutrients into cells and supports metabolism. Together with sodium, potassium helps alleviate and prevent muscle cramps. Less potassium is lost than sodium during sweating.
RDI: 4,700 mg
High-potassium foods:
Coconut water: 1,000 mg/half-liter
Swiss chard: 960 mg/cup
Spinach: 840 mg/cup
Avocado: 708 mg/cup
Sweet potato: 700 mg/medium size
Bok choy: 630 mg/cup
Potato: 610 mg/medium size
White beans: 600 mg/half-cup
Beets: 520 mg/cup
Brussels sprouts: 500 mg/cooked cup
Broccoli: 460 mg/cooked cup
Cantaloupe: 430 mg/cup
Banana: 420 mg/medium size
Deficiencies can cause: irregular heartbeat, muscle weakness or spasms, fatigue, confusion, constipation and more. Potassium deficiency is common in those who have chronic illness, the elderly, and those who eat a standard American diet.
Sodium is essential to maintain fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve function, muscle contractions and acid-alkaline balance. Sodium is the most depleted electrolyte during sweating.
RDI: (keep below 2,000 mg) 1,500 mg; 1,300 mg for ages over 50; 1,200 mg for ages over 70
Common food sources include: seasoning/table salt; salted nuts; dill pickles; smoked, cured, salted or canned meats; cheese, packaged and prepared foods
Salt is 40% sodium.
1 tsp of table salt contains 2,240 mg of sodium
Deficiencies can cause: dehydration, muscle cramps, fatigue, confusion, feeling faint, nausea and dizzy and more.
About Electrolyte Imbalances
The most common electrolyte imbalances occur with potassium and sodium and doctors often look for nausea and vomiting, confusion, weakness and irregular heartbeat.
Some people may need more electrolytes than others, especially those who:
- sweat a lot
- are recovering from a bout of diarrhea or vomiting
- do strenuous exercise for long periods
- have a health condition or medication that impacts electrolyte levels
Some people turn to sports and electrolyte drinks and tablets, but beware of sugar content.
Benefits of Being Well Hydrated
There are many healthy benefits of being well-hydrated:
- Stronger jaws, hips and bones, as alkaline blood leaves minerals in the bones (especially important for post-menopausal women)
- Abundant energy
- Better performance in sports and exercise
- Minimal physical fatigue and faster recovery
- Optimal cognition and memory
- Better mental state/mood
- Heat stroke prevention (While limiting time spent in high heat is key to preventing heat stroke, hydration helps the body stay cool.)
Hydration Needs Vary
Everyone’s fluid needs fluctuate with their circumstances, activity levels and environment. The one size fits all advice of “drink 8 glasses of water a day” is a generalization.
- Some individuals may have a medical issue that restricts the amount of fluid they should consume on a daily basis, while others may need to increase their fluid intake, such as people with kidney stones or hypercalcemia.
- Some individuals exercise intensely and/or for long durations, and some work or are active outdoors in excess heat.
- While thirst is the primary driver for fluid intake, by the time we are thirsty, we are no longer properly hydrated.
- Thirst is often confused with hunger. Feeling hungry? Drink water. It may provide a feeling of fullness and contribute to a healthy weight-loss plan.
Optimizing Hydration is a Matter of Timing
Hydration is not just about the quantity of water we drink, but also electrolyte content and timing.
The body doesn’t want electrolytes just at mealtime, but rather throughout the course of the day. It makes sense then to sip throughout the day. To help, consider scheduling intentional consumption at the top and bottom of each waking hour, or on the quarter hour, for example.
Avoid drinking many fluids during meals to avoid diluting the digestive enzymes and hydrochloric acid necessary for good digestion. Also avoid “chugging” large volumes of fluids, as doing so triggers the body’s protective bolus response in which the body excretes the majority of the fluid.
To avoid the introduction of microplastics into the body, try to drink from glass rather than plastic bottles. (Stainless steel is not advised because metals attract Electro-Magnetic Fields (EMF) that may alter water structure at a cellular level.)
In addition:
Hydrate with electrolytes upon waking each morning:
After we’ve been asleep for (hopefully) 7-9 hours, we wake up dehydrated. Our bodies have been hard at work detoxifying and repairing tissue and need electrolyte and water replenishment upon waking. As soon as you get up, reach for a glass of purified water with electrolytes added to start your day with energy and fuel.
Preload electrolytes before a workout or strenuous activity:
When you exercise, your body is releasing water, electrolytes, and toxins through sweat. Your body is also using a lot of electrolytes to contract your muscles and create energy for movement. So loading up on electrolytes before you work out, not just during the workout or afterward, can help you perform better and maintain adequate hydration. Of course, make sure you’re still replenishing those electrolytes after you cool down too.
Prevent “keto flu” or fatigue during fasting periods:
Adding electrolytes to your water throughout the day can help you feel more energized and alert while doing intermittent fasting. It can also help prevent the “keto flu,” symptoms like constipation, headache, halitosis, muscle cramps, diarrhea, and general weakness when transitioning into ketosis (burning fat for fuel instead of glucose) on a keto diet. Your body needs extra electrolyte and hydration support during this time, especially sodium and potassium.
Sourcing Electrolytes
If you’re eating a varied whole foods diet, you’re likely getting electrolytes and minerals. But odds are you still aren’t getting enough, especially if you’re active. Once you start adding electrolytes to your water or other beverages, you might notice more energy and other benefits. Your body is providing you feedback. Keep it up!
While whole foods can help meet the daily RDI, pure mineral spring waters can be a wonderful carrier of electrolytes, but who has a natural spring in their backyard?
Why Tap Water Isn’t Good Enough
Beyond issues of contaminants and impurities, U.S. tap water contains, on average, only ~1% of the RDI of four minerals: calcium, copper, magnesium and sodium.
Improving Your Tap Water
First, acquire purified water. If you haven’t yet seen this primer, check out “Why the Quality and Quantity of Your Water is Vital to Your Health” in the 3rd edition of Better Breast Health – for Life!™ . The article briefly introduces reverse osmosis, steam distilled water, active charcoal carbon filters, and multi-stage home water filtration systems.
To help with any upcoming purchase decisions, the March 2024 Newsletter will include some important information on water purification systems with various filter materials at multiple price points.
Next, add ionized electrolytes. For simplicity and low cost, consider adding a microplastic-free salt, i.e. Himalayan Pink Salt or Real Salt (from the Great Salt Lake in Utah) or liquid electrolytes from ancient seas where plastic pollution is not prevalent, i.e. Utah Sea Minerals:
For your consideration, I have been experimenting with Hyland’s BioPlasma 12-in-1 Cell Salt and finding it helpful.
Consider these Complementary Articles
Beyond Alkalinity: Hydrogen is Healing!
Structured hydrogen water has anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging effects and improves inflammation, asthma, Alzheimer and Parkinson, rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes.
Hydrate for Bone Growth
Hydration is not about alkalinity or how much water you drink. Let’s explore water systems to ensure each of us can acquire true hydration and bone-building water within our individual budgets and lifestyles.