Dehydration Effects »

Nothing is more common today than alcohol dehydration. It is so rampant among adult and young Americans today that no one really takes notice of it. It is simply a hangover in the morning. There are so many recipes and remedies for hangover that it is even glorified and honored in both women’s and men’s magazines following the latest fashion trends. Family magazines publicize all the great drinks Americans can have after a simple migraine headache. People go out to get drunk so they can wake up in the morning and try these wonderful cures to see if they really work. Then they tell their friends how they improved the ingredients or modified these elixirs to prolong the longevity of life so they can go out and drink again without fear of the dreaded hangover the following day.

In reality, it is an American tragedy. Hangovers or migraine headaches are symptoms of alcohol dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic which causes more water to be rapidly discharged from the body through urination and perspiration. All night long, more and more alcohol is consumed causing more frequent trips to the bathroom or toilet. So much water is lost that dehydration can happen within the first hour of arriving at a bar and the drinker is there for hours. Worst of all, perhaps during the night the drinker wants to sober up with a few cups of coffee, another diuretic. The lack of water in the body is easily two percent or more which means the drinker has a mild case, a moderate case or a severe case of alcohol dehydration. The symptoms of dry mouth, thirst, dizziness, nausea and perspiration are all taking place but the person doesn’t notice it either because of an acquired tolerance or because the drinker is too drunk to be aware of it. All that matters is to get home safely, go to sleep, wake up and prepare the drink of the elixir cure all for the morning hangover. Perhaps the new day will bring a few shots of water straight up. It may not be enough to fully recover from the alcohol dehydration. It most likely will take a few days.

Since the drinker doesn’t notice any real problem after getting enough sleep, it is highly unlikely that there is any awareness of the damage being caused to the kidneys, the liver, the pancreas, the heart and many other organs. When an illness occurs a few years later, the person is often surprised by the tragic news. The diagnosis can be cancer, kidney disease, liver disease, pancreas disease, heart disease, a brain tumor and more. The drinker is not an alcoholic or is in denial about it. It could be a drinking binge that occurs once or twice a year or is completely forgotten but the brain has a very long memory and can recall the nights it suffered in silence.

Chronic dehydration symptoms differ from alcohol based dehydration but the individuals experiencing these conditions are not informed individuals or they would be drinking water too. Chronic dehydration is the result of an overactive neurotransmitter called histamine which is responsible for proper circulation of water to all the organs in the body. When there is a water loss, histamine overreacts and takes water away from other body organs to compensate for the loss in the brain, lungs, kidneys, liver and glands. Chronic dehydration symptoms include rheumatoid arthritis, joint pain, allergies, asthma, colitis, depression and constipation.

All that is required of a person to avoid chronic dehydration and hangover in the morning is to drink water in between the alcohol drinks as if the person was performing a physical sport. Drink water before, during and after the event. Drink water when drinking diuretics. Abstaining from alcohol, of course, is the best method but it is not necessary in avoiding alcohol dehydration. So many American will get cancer, liver disease, heart disease, kidney disease and even a brain tumor attributing it to pollution or a family genetic risk. It is an American tragedy that drinking alcohol and coffee are acceptable combinations in the US today. Educators needs to promote water as an essential part of any diuretic drinking as well as getting those five glasses of water on a daily basis.