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Did you know that 75% of Americans suffer from chronic dehydration?
That’s roughly 250 million people!
It’s common to feel dehydrated, especially if you have diarrhea. But having severe cases of dehydration—defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as losing 10% of your body weight and fluid—can be fatal and requires an ER visit.
The reason?
When you’re dehydrated, your body doesn’t just lose water; you also lose essential electrolytes, such as potassium and salt, which help to maintain critical body functions like walking, breathing, talking, and moving.
In this article, we’ll explore the various causes of dehydration and what you can do to avoid it. We’ll also touch on key risk factors that make you more vulnerable to dehydration.
Dehydration Key Risk Factors
Anyone can get dehydrated, but the risk is higher in these categories of people.
Older Adults
As you age, your body’s fluid reserves become smaller, your sense of thirst becomes less acute, and your ability to conserve water reduces. These problems can be compounded by chronic illnesses such as dementia.
Dehydration among the elderly is a common problem, particularly due to loss of mobility that prevents them from obtaining fluids when thirsty.
Loss of cognitive ability to notify a caregiver of their need for water is also a common cause of elderly dehydration. If you’re worried that a loved one in a nursing home isn’t drinking enough fluids due to negligence, you can file a case for dehydration and ensure they’re getting the services they deserve.
Infants and Children
Infants and children frequently experience severe vomiting and diarrhea, which make them vulnerable to dehydration.
Moreover, young children often don’t say when they are thirsty and may not have the ability to drink for themselves.
People Who Regularly Exercise
Athletes and workout enthusiasts are exposed to excessive amounts of heat.
As muscles are exercised during intense activities, like running, heat is produced. The body responds by sweating in a bid to cool down, which results in the loss of body fluids.
As such, athletes who don’t drink a lot of water before and after the exercise can easily get dehydrated.
People with Chronic Illnesses
Some chronic illnesses, such as diabetes, put you at a greater risk of dehydration. Kidney diseases and medications that increase urination also make you vulnerable to dehydration.
Common Causes of Dehydration and How to Combat It
In most cases, dehydration occurs due to our negligence in drinking water.
Sometimes, we don’t drink enough water because we are busy, sick, or have no access to safe drinking water, especially when traveling. These simple causes of dehydration can easily be
resolved by taking plenty of fluids.
Other more serious causes of dehydration include:
Diarrhea and Vomiting
Severe and acute diarrhea can cause excessive loss of water.
Coupled with vomiting, you may lose too much water and electrolytes. Drinking water when you have diarrhea is recommended but if the condition is severe and acute, consult a doctor. This could be a sign of infection or a serious underlying condition.
Fever
It’s common to be dehydrated when you have a fever. The problem can worsen if you have diarrhea in addition to fever.
Chronic Diseases
Many diseases, such as diabetes, kidney disease, and cystic fibrosis, increase the risk of dehydration and the need for fluids.
For example, people with diabetes urinate frequently, and this can lead to dehydration and loss of important electrolytes. Some medications, particularly those for chronic illnesses, can cause one to sweat a lot and urinate more often.
Environment
Working and living in a hot and humid environment can also lead to dehydration.
For example, people living in high altitudes—from 2,400 meters to 3,700 meters above sea level often need more fluids. This is because their bodies lose more water as they struggle to take in more oxygen.
Since, in this case, dehydration is not the result of a medical condition, the problem can easily be alleviated by taking more fluids.
Wrapping Up
Dehydration is a common problem among many people, and in most cases, the problem can be diagnosed by drinking more water. In the event of severe and acute dehydration, it’s advisable to consult a doctor, as this could be a sign of an underlying condition.
