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Knowing what can cause dehydration is as important as drinking water. Did you know that you can also be dehydrated while seemingly drinking enough water?
When you don't drink enough water, the body becomes dehydrated. Without water, the body stops working properly. Depending on how much fluid is lost, dehydration can be classified as mild, moderate, or severe.
Sweating and passing urine are two of the main bodily processes that cause dehydration. You will become dehydrated if water is not replenished. Athletes, those who regularly work in hot environments, elderly, and those with preexisting conditions are at increased risk of dehydration.
What can Cause Dehydration?
There can be many causes of dehydration. Dehydration can result from either not drinking enough water or losing too much, or both factors working together.
Unfortunately, it's not always possible to get enough fluids in the body because we're too busy, weak, or are in an area without clean water (while hiking or camping, for example). Some other things that can cause you to lose water are:
1. Diarrhea - The leading reason people become dehydrated and eventually die is diarrhea. Due to diarrhea, the large intestine is unable to absorb water from food, and too much water is excreted by the body.
2. Vomiting - Throwing up can cause dehydration and makes it dificult to replace the water lost through drinking.
3. Sweating - The process of perspiring, the body's natural method of cooling itself, causes a large volume of water to be expelled from the body. Fluid loss through sweating is exacerbated by hot, humid weather, and strenuous physical activity.
In most cases, excessive sweating can cause dehydration if bodily fluids are not replenished. Likewise, an increase in sweating due to a fever can lead to dehydration, especially if the patient also experiences diarrhea and vomiting.
4. Diabetes - Increased urination and fluid loss are associated with diabetes due to the disease.
5. Too much urination - Urinating frequently is most commonly brought on by untreated diabetes. It can also be brought on by alcohol and medications like diuretics, antihistamines, blood pressure meds, and antipsychotics, which can cause dehydration.
What are the Signs of Dehydration?
Depending on how severely dehydrated you are, you may experience different symptoms. You may experience some dehydration symptoms before you become dehydrated. Below, we have mentioned ten signs of dehydration.
Mild to moderate dehydration can lead to:
- dry mouth
- fatigue
- dry skin
- headache
- increased thirst
- decreased urination
- less tear production
- lightheadedness
- constipation
- dizziness
Severe dehydration symptoms are as follows:
- lack of sweat production
- dark urine
- rapid breathing
- excessive thirst
- low blood pressure
- rapid heart rate
- shriveled skin
- sunken eyes
Severe dehydration is considered life-threatening. If you experience any of these symptoms, seek medical attention right away.
When is dehydration a medical emergency?
Even mild dehydration symptoms in children and elderly require prompt medical attention. Any person, regardless of age, who experiences the following symptoms, should immediately seek medical attention:
- Blood in stool
- Severe diarrhea
- Inability to absorb fluids
- Disorientation
- Diarrhea for three or more days
What are the Effects of Dehydration?
Dehydration has far-reaching effects. Both mental and emotional health are impacted as well as physical health (as evidenced by the aforementioned symptoms). Signs of dehydration include:
Mental effects:
- Confusion
- Inability to remember things
Emotional effects:
- Crankiness
- Anxiety
The brain's blood vessels get smaller when the body is severely dehydrated. Lack of adequate brain fluid can impair one's ability to learn, remember, and move in coordinated ways. When there's less fluid in the blood, the heart has to pump for a longer period, hence it has to work harder.
Peeing occurs several times a day for a typical human being (6–7). You might urinate less if you're dehydrated. That's because when there is less water in the blood, the kidneys are less likely to release urine.
Cramps can be brought on by an electrolyte deficiency, specifically sodium and potassium, which are lost through sweating. If you've lost a lot of fluid due to sweating, throwing up, or diarrhea, it's important to replace both the water and the electrolytes in the body with a sports drink.
Dehydration does not manifest itself in shortness of breath. However, dehydration might accompany breath shortness. If you're playing a sport in the hot sun without any shade, you can easily become dehydrated and experience difficulty breathing.
Diseases that Cause Dehydration
Certain medical conditions can cause dehydration. Chronic diseases like diabetes, cystic fibrosis, kidney problems can increase the frequency with which a person perspires or urinates.
Several medications can alter the normal concentrations of various body fluids. These medications can cause dehydration. Check out the medications below:
- Diuretics
- Antihistamines
- Antacids
- Laxatives
- Blood pressure drugs
When you don't drink enough water, you become dehydrated. The dangers of dehydration are the same whether it's brought on by exercise, hot weather, or illness.
Drinking water frequently throughout the day and taking electrolytes if you notice early signs of fluid loss can help keep you from becoming dehydrated.
