Medical Office of Manhattan and LabFinder’s own Robert Segal, MD has given medical perspective in a piece on Menshealth.com about dehydration. He was quoted as saying:
The old adage, “If you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated!” is actually still up for debate among experts, but one thing is certain: Thirst is far from being your only signal that you need to hydrate, stat. Dehydration occurs when your body is losing more fluid than it’s taking in, according to Robert Segal, M.D., founder and medical director of LabFinder.
When the weather is toasty, it’s easy to remember to grab some water, but as it turns cooler, the chances of dehydration can increase, Dr. Segal notes. For example, if you’re running in chilly temps and you’re wearing multiple layers, it can be tougher to keep hydration in mind (Here’s everything you need for cold weather running).
When you lose fluid, the nerve signals from your brain to your muscles don’t work as well, says Dr. Segal. So, it’s easier for muscles—especially in the legs, he says—to react by cramping.
Organs like your liver use water to function, Dr. Segal says. One of those tasks is releasing glycogen, the molecule that stores sugar. “If the liver can’t get fuel, it cannot release glucose and other energy stores,” he says. “What do we do in return to try to replace them? Eat.”
That can be particularly dangerous because it means that your body isn’t getting rid of toxins as quickly as it should—you could even be setting yourself up for problems like kidney stones, a condition in which dehydration often plays a role, adds Dr. Segal.
Most of the time, symptoms like these are mild, says Dr. Segal, and they can be minimized or eliminated by simply drinking more water. “Listen to what your body is telling you, and don’t ignore these seemingly meaningless symptoms,” he says.
To read the full article, click here.
