Don’t Get Dehydrated
This Summer!
With summer temperatures rising high, it
is critical to keep in mind what may be causing you to feel dehydrated and also
how you can spot dehydration before it becomes a serious hazard.
The first tip is to know the signs and symptoms
of dehydration. Usually, the first signs are neurological; headache, dizziness,
nausea, confusion, increased thirst, and dry mouth. After that, if dehydration
has not been treated, the signs may progress on to GI symptoms such as nausea,
abdominal pain, vomiting, and cramps. Medical signs physicians look for include
tachycardia, fever, tachypnea (increased breathing), decreased urine output,
and hypotension. On rare occasions with severe dehydration coma, seizures, and
death can occur.
In order to avoid dehydration, prevention
is key. Especially in preparing for any long outdoor physical activity, you should
decrease alcohol, coffee, and tea, intake. The common factor in many sports
drinks and sodas is caffeine, which is also a big contributor to dehydration.
They are diuretics and diuretics will cause inhibition of ADH (antidiuretic
hormones) made in the pituitary gland, which is needed for the sodium active
transport system in your kidneys. When the transport system is blocked, water
does not get reabsorbed by the kidneys and is lost through urine. This is the
reason for the frequent urination when drinking these products.
Even more important than knowing what
can make you feel dehydrated, is knowing ways to help you stay
properly and
fully hydrated. When choosing a beverage that will keep you hydrated, the two
main ingredients to look for are Salt (NACl) and Water(H2O). Plain water will
be absorbed via the GI Tract but is very inefficient. Have you ever drank plain
water and still felt dehydrated? It is the active transport system,
specifically, the sodium (Na) active transport system in the kidneys that is
the most efficient system in the human body in reabsorbing water. When we drink a high
sodium drink in the form of NaCl (salt) and H2O (water) during dehydration, the
kidneys will actively transport the sodium (Na). When this occurs, the H2O will follow
passively into our body. This is why when a patient comes to the ER (emergecny room) for dehydration issues,
they are given a Normal Saline IV. 1 Liter normal saline has 9000mg of Salt (NaCl)
and Water (H20). The only ingredients found in a normal saline is Salt and Water.
Don’t short yourself of fluids you
need to stay hydrated. While this is difficult to measure, generally for non-active
consumers, 2-4 BANa’s per day will keep the doctor away. 4 bottles of adult BANa
is similar in salt content as a normal saline IV bag. When hydrated, your body
will naturally filter out out the excess salt and water. Doctors also tell non-active
patients in clinic the 8x8 rule. Eight - 8 oz glasses of plain water per day. Have fun
this summer, but stay safe by staying hydrated!
For
more than a decade, Benjamin Yoo, MD has treated patients in the emergency room
for dehydration. Dr. Yoo is the founder of BANa Bottling Co., an
industry-leading rehydration beverage company. Born in South Korea, Yoo moved
to the U.S. at the age of six and was raised on his parent’s farm in western
Kentucky. Dr. Yoo earned his medical degree from the University of Louisville
in 2001, then began working in emergency rooms across Georgia and South
Carolina. He moved to Charleston, S.C. in 2004 to work at HealthFirst Rapid
Care in North Charleston. It was there that Yoo had the idea for BANa a rehydration drink inspired by saline IVs given to
patients in the ER or urgent care for dehydration
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