Does coffee cause dehydration?
A well-known coffee legend is being debunked!
During the summer months, the human body, due to the high temperatures and increased sweat production, has increased needs for water and hydration in general, compared to the rest of the year, as it loses the necessary fluids at a faster rate.
The human body must be properly hydrated to function properly and not replenishing lost fluids can lead to dehydration, especially during the summer. Symptoms of dehydration may be mild, such as fatigue, dizziness, and dry mouth, but they can worsen very quickly with fever, dry skin, and lack of urine and sweat, and hospitalization is often required.
How does coffee get involved with all this? One of the most common myths about coffee is that drinking coffee causes dehydration, but this is not the case.
Does coffee cause dehydration?
The grain of truth that created the myth about the relationship between coffee and dehydration hides the diuretic nature of coffee. It is a fact that coffee has a diuretic effect, which is due to caffeine. Caffeine causes an increase in blood flow to the kidneys, which results in increased urine production than normal. Tea has a similar effect, but also several soft drinks.
Of course, the higher the caffeine content of a drink, the stronger its diuretic properties. If this is combined with the fact that during the summer we tend to consume larger amounts of coffee (especially frozen), we realize that indeed the coffee we drink can increase urine production, and therefore fluid loss.
However, experts point out that fluid loss from coffee consumption is within normal limits. In fact, if we take into account the fluids that our body receives due to coffee consumption, then there is no risk of dehydration from coffee consumption.
When can there be a risk?
The risk can occur if we consume too much coffee (more than six cups a day), and especially if we do not consume other liquids at the same time, such as water or fruit juices. Also, an overconsumption of coffee combined with a very hot day or excessive exercise can also have unpleasant effects on our body. However, these cases are not due to the consumption of coffee per se, but rather to the abuse and combination with other factors.
It is, of course, important to note that people with impaired health or problems, especially in the circulatory or urinary tract or even with a history of dehydration, should always consult their doctor and follow his instructions carefully to avoid unpleasant situations.
How can we be cool and hydrated?
We do not need to avoid, let alone cut, coffee to be healthy, cool and hydrated during the summer. The most important thing is not to overdo it, and to take care to consume plenty of water and fruit juices, which keep our body hydrated. We naturally avoid drinks that increase caffeine in combination (such as iced tea or cola soft drinks) and limit the consumption of soft drinks that contain a lot of sugar, as they are generally unhealthy for our body.
Of course, we do not fail to consult a specialist with the first symptoms of dehydration before putting ourselves at risk. But until then, one or two iced coffees probably keep us cool, rather than dehydrating us.
Summer is ahead of us, and if it's cool so far, the heat won't be long in coming. A Freddo Espresso will do us good - as long as we take care and love ourselves and don't overdo it.
