When considering dehydration, many typically think about summer and the effects of the hot sun. Sure, getting dehydrated in the summer months is extremely common and often expected. While that long time spent on the beach certainly has its advantages and most of us look forward to it, we become quite susceptible to dehydration, particularly since the skin is the largest organ in our body and can lose water quickly.
However, as common as it is for dehydration to strike in the summer, can people get dehydration in cold weather? Though it may not seem as common enough to be noticed in winter, surprisingly, the answer is yes.
Dehydration, in simple terms, is loss of water (and electrolytes) from the body. In this state, the body has a negative balance of fluids, as in, one loses more fluid than he/she takes in. As expected, this has significant effects on how people feel. Loss of fluid eventually leads to a low blood pressure, dizziness and fatigue, which are initial symptoms of dehydration.
Even though our bodies have some innate mechanisms to protect against it, weather can sometimes modulate these mechanisms to our disadvantage.
In summer, when the body is hot, our blood volume increases and the body has to sweat to keep the temperature down. We notice it in terms of vasodilation (those blood vessels in our arms being enlarged). The mechanism here is to lose some extra fluid in the form of sweat to cool the body off. This mechanism is very important for our survival. In some animals who do not sweat profusely, minor changes in weather can cause a dangerous rise in body temperature. Luckily, humans have adapted to this and can regulate their temperature better.
The exact opposite thing happens in the cooler weather or in winter. When the temperature falls, the blood vessels in our extremities, arms and legs, constrict. The blood volume is directed mainly to the vital organs and our kidney filtration rate increases transiently. This leads to a higher urine output, and hence we urinate more frequently when we are cold. This very mechanism keeps our blood volume and core temperature intact.
Surveys have indicated that humans consume significantly less amounts of fluids during winter for the same activity level as compared to their intake in summer. Some of this is explained by a lesser amount of dehydration via sweating in winters.
However, it is also likely that as people get older, the thirst sensation is blunted. Significantly older individuals can have a totally impaired thirst mechanism which allows them to get dehydrated without stimulating their thirst. As a result, oral intake drops and dehydration occurs, making winter dehydration safety much harder to achieve. Frequently, this is seen in the elderly in nursing homes who are brought to the hospital with altered mental status.
In younger individuals, cold temperature and coffee intake (which is more so in winter) can suppress the urge to drink water. Caffeine is a diuretic which leads to water loss in the urine. That, combined with lower intake of water can make a person significantly dehydrated even in the cold. Air conditioning and centralized heating can deplete humidity from the environment and lead to more water loss from the skin than previously anticipated.
In winter, people also tend to bundle themselves up with warm clothing. Jackets on top of sweaters, etc. can raise the body’s core temperature quickly. As long as they stay in cold weather, that is usually ok. As they move from outdoors to an indoor area which is heated, however, that extra layering of clothing can lead to a sudden rise in body temperature. The body responds by sweating which can be ignored in a person who is bundled up. So what is the answer for how to stay hydrated in winter?
Most episodes of mild to moderate dehydration can produce symptoms. In cold weather, dehydration can present as dry mouth and headaches. In fact, these are the two most common symptoms of dehydration when it strikes in winter. Unfortunately, most people resort to a cup of hot coffee when this happens, only to worsen the problem.
An easy way to diagnose dehydration is to assess the total intake of water (or liquids) during that day, and supplement it with an electrolyte drink such as MAGNAK®, to help with rehydrating the body. It is vital that the rehydration solution is not just water, but that it also contains some electrolytes to ensure that these symptoms of dehydration can be corrected quickly. As electrolytes are essential to countering any type of dehydration, they are an equally important factor in how to stay hydrated in winter months.
Dehydration is certainly common in summertime when the weather is hot, but it can also happen in the winter as people tend to drink much less liquids in cold weather and consume a lot more caffeine. Staying hydrated, especially with an electrolyte rich drink such as MAGNAK® is one way to prevent dehydration and continue to do what you love!
Developed by an award-winning physician and a world-famous endurance athlete, MAGNAK® is the perfect electrolyte formula to stay hydrated even in the cold. The MAGNAK® difference is achieved by identifying the electrolytes that we need and eliminating the ones we don’t. With a balanced formula that achieves maximum distribution and faster absorption within the body, staying hydrated in the winter has never been easier with MAGNAK®.
Electrolyte deficiencies are central to the ill-effects of dehydration. We believe that by providing a solution for optimal hydration through our unique and patented electrolyte formula, we can help individuals attain their goals of a healthier life. Learn more about the science behind our revolutionary energy and electrolyte drink, or contact us today for any questions or comments.
