Exercising on a hot summer day can make you thirsty. Sweating due to heat or physical activity constitutes water loss that can lead to dehydration. You’ll need a drink to overcome that, but a new study suggests that soft drinks are not the best way to quench your thirst.
Dehydration Research in Rats:
The research was done in rats that were exposed to heat for an hour without access to fluids. This resulted in mild dehydration. The animals were then randomly assigned to be given water, water with the sweetener stevia or water containing fructose and glucose sugars equivalent to the amounts found in most soft drinks.
The rats that drank water sweetened with fructose and glucose consumed more fluid but were more easily dehydrated when the water restriction was repeated. They also were more likely to experience kidney damage as a consequence of the repeated dehydration.
The rats whose water was sweetened with stevia, a non-caloric natural sweetener, appeared no worse off than those drinking plain water.
How Should You Quench Your Thirst?
If this reaction holds up for humans, it suggests that people should not rehydrate with soda or other sugar-sweetened beverages when the weather is hot. Plain water might be best except for those who are exercising heavily.
Marathon Runners Who Drink on Schedule:
For them, an electrolyte beverage might be prudent to avoid hyponatremia. Some long-distance walkers or runners who drink lots of water during their event end up with too little sodium in their bodies, since it too is lost through sweat. This can be a life-threatening situation. Experts recommend letting thirst guide fluid replenishment rather than sticking to a schedule.
American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, June, 2016
1/3/19 redirected to: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/for-healthy-kidneys-avoid-sugary-drinks/
