Why Your Bottle of Water Isn't Enough to Keep You Hydrated

Hydration is a pillar of health and wellness, supporting you (literally) from the inside out. Your organs — from the largest (your skin) down to the smallest (the pineal gland in your brain) — rely on a steady supply of hydration. Even your mood and cognitive abilities can hinge on how hydrated you are. 

You might think dehydration is only a problem for people in developing countries who lack consistent access to clean, drinkable water, but a recent study found that a shocking 75% of American adults are chronically dehydrated — and suffering the consequences. 

Our expert team of specialists at CANJ Aesthetics in Oakland, New Jersey, knows how important hydration is to your overall health as well as your aesthetic wellness, so we want to ensure you’re hydrating properly and getting the most out of every sip. But before you rush to fill up a jug of water, there are a few important things to bear in mind. 

Where plain water falls short

If you’re dehydrated, all you need to know is to drink more water, right? Not necessarily. Drinking gallons of plain water every day isn’t the best way to stay hydrated, and there’s a chance you could overdo it. 

In fact, overhydration is a real threat and can have potentially dangerous side effects. 

When you flood your body with excess amounts of plain water, you can develop hyponatremia, where you retain water but flush out necessary electrolytes (sodium and potassium). As a result, your cells swell and cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and, in the most extreme cases, death. 

Endurance athletes are the most at risk for hyponatremia because they often consume large amounts of water and lose copious amounts of sodium and potassium through sweating. 

Why electrolytes matter

Plain water alone can rid your body of crucial electrolytes. Electrolyte is an umbrella term for a particle that carries a positive or negative electric charge. Nutritionally, it refers to the essential minerals in your blood, sweat, and urine. 

When those minerals dissolve in a fluid (namely water), they become electrolytes and form positive or negative ions. Sodium and potassium are some of the most common electrolytes found in your body. Others include:

• Chloride
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Phosphate
• Bicarbonate

With the help of electrolytes, your body has what it needs to regulate nerve and muscle function, maintain acid-base balance, and, of course, keep you hydrated.

If you deplete your body of electrolytes, the best-case scenario is fatigue and headaches, and the worst-case scenario includes numbness, tingling, heartbeat irregularities, and convulsions. 

You’re more at risk for an electrolyte imbalance if you sweat a lot. When you sweat, you lose both water and electrolytes, particularly sodium and chloride. 

How to hydrate properly

We’re not saying that you should never drink plain water again, but we are saying that it shouldn’t be your only source of hydration. You should also consume electrolyte-containing beverages with regularity. Some of our favorites include:

• Electrolyte or sports drinks (look for low-sugar options)
• Low-fat milk, which contains potassium and calcium
• Coconut water, which has sodium, magnesium, potassium, and calcium
• Tomato juice, which has sodium
• Orange juice, which has potassium and is sometimes fortified with calcium

If you reach for an electrolyte or sports drink, check that the drink contains electrolytes from a natural source and isn’t jam-packed with sugar, dyes, flavors, and other artificial additives. 

How to get more electrolytes

Believe it or not, the best way to increase your electrolytes is through your diet. Electrolyte-rich foods include:

• Pickled foods, cheese, and table salt (sodium)
• Table salt (chloride)
• Fruits and vegetables like bananas, avocado, and sweet potato (potassium)
• Seeds and nuts (magnesium)
• Dairy products and green leafy vegetables (calcium)

Bicarbonate is a naturally occurring electrolyte that your body produces as a byproduct of the normal metabolic process, so you don’t have to worry about getting it from your diet. 

Get help with hydration

We know how difficult it can be to make sure you’re checking all the hydration boxes, so that’s why we offer IV therapy. 

We can deliver vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, and antioxidants directly into your bloodstream with IV therapy. Having regular IV therapy sessions support your diet and hydration regimen and ensures you get everything you need. 

In addition to hydration, our IV therapy sessions can also help you:

• Have more energy
• Support your immune system
• Bounce back from a hangover or jet lag
• Get over a headache
• Recover faster after an athletic event 
• Improve athletic performance
• Lessen cold and flu symptoms
• Ease pregnancy symptoms

Talk to us about your symptoms and current nutrition plan, and we can tailor IV therapy to fit your needs. 

If you have more questions about hydration, nutrition, or IV therapy, don’t hesitate to schedule your consultation with our team at CANJ Aesthetics online or over the phone today.