How to Stay Healthy with Proper Hydration

Make no mistake — the signs and symptoms of dehydration can steamroll you on a hot summer day... But dehydration can also undermine your health behind the scenes. Fatigue, headaches and brain fog are just a few of the dehydration symptoms to look out for.

Essential Takeaways

• Did you know that dehydration can undermine your overall health behind the scenes? In this article, we break down the warning signs of dehydration, how to spot them, and what you can do to mitigate them.
• Try squeezing a flavorless hydration boost into your favorite drinks!

In this article, we break down the warning signs of dehydration and how to spot them. By the time you’re done reading, you’ll have a DIY master’s degree in the symptoms of dehydration. Let’s get started!

• What is Dehydration? What Causes It?
• Who Is Most At Risk for Dehydration?
• Mild to Moderate Dehydration: Signs and Symptoms
• Severe Dehydration: Signs and Symptoms
• Electrolytes and Dehydration
• Types of Dehydration: Loss of Water vs. Loss of Electrolytes
• How Doctors Diagnose Dehydration
• Long-Term Complications of Untreated Dehydration
• How to Prevent Dehydration Naturally

What is Dehydration? What Causes It?

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids and electrolytes than it takes in, disrupting essential processes. This imbalance affects temperature regulation, digestion, nerve function, and immune response - despite this, many people only notice it once symptoms appear.

Common causes include:

• Sweating: Whether from exercise, heat exposure, or fever, sweating cools the body but carries away vital fluids and minerals like sodium and potassium.
  
  
• Urination: The kidneys filter out toxins and excess minerals. Without adequate replacement, fluid and electrolyte balance can shift off-kilter.
  
  
• Diarrhea and vomiting: Illness-related fluid loss can be rapid and severe, making electrolyte replacement essential.
  
  
• Increased fluid loss under stressors: Hot environments, intense workouts, or illness accelerate dehydration risk and compound mineral loss beyond just water.
  

Even mild dehydration can impair cognitive performance and physical stamina. Fortunately, rehydration with both water and quality electrolyte supplements can bring your body back into balance quickly - more on that later.

Who Is Most At Risk for Dehydration?

Certain groups face heightened dehydration risk due to lifestyle, physiology, or health conditions:

• Elderly adults: They may not sense thirst as easily and often drink too little while losing fluids through medication or illness.
  
  
• Young children and infants: They have faster fluid turnover and limited ability to express thirst or retain fluids compared to adults.
  
  
• Athletes and active individuals: High sweat rates during sports or labor require proactive fluid and electrolyte replacement.
  
  
• Outdoor workers or residents in hot climates: Long sun exposure and physical labor spike fluid loss.
  
  
• Chronic patients and post-surgery: Illness or medication can suppress appetite and thirst, increasing dehydration risk.
  
  
• Kidney or endocrine disorders: These conditions disrupt nutrient regulation and fluid retention.
  
  
• Digestive issues (e.g., IBS): These can cause frequent loss of fluids and minerals via the gut.
  
  
• Poor dietary intake: Low consumption of electrolyte-rich food combined with limited hydration can create a nutrient and fluid deficit.

Understanding risk allows for easier prevention - by tracking fluid intake, monitoring symptoms, and supplementing smartly.

Mild to Moderate Dehydration: Signs and Symptoms

Mild dehydration begins at just 2 percent fluid loss. Moderate dehydration, on the other hand, occurs at 5 percent. Factor in the loss of electrolytes, and the early side effects of dehydration can begin even sooner. 

The most common signs and symptoms of mild-to-moderate dehydration include:

• Thirst
• Dry mouth
• Fatigue
• Poor cognitive performance (4)
• Muscle weakness
• Decreased urination
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Digestive issues

Fortunately, you can usually treat mild to moderate dehydration at home with electrolyte-enhanced water, but more on that in a sec...

Severe Dehydration: Signs and Symptoms

Severe dehydration happens when you lose 10+ percent of your bodily fluids and it’s considered a medical emergency. Factor in exposure to heat and sunshine and you can have a dangerous situation on your hands.

Common symptoms of severe dehydration include:

• Extreme thirst
• Rapid heart rate
• Low blood pressure
• Lack of sweat
• Dark urine
• Sunken eyes
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Delirium
• Lack of tear production
• Skin that’s shriveled and doesn’t “bounce back” after being pinched or stretched

Act quickly if you notice any of these signs! Chances are, you’ll need IV fluids to avoid organ damage and other serious health complications.

Older Adults: Severe Dehydration Symptoms

Severe dehydration can be especially life-threatening for older adults. The most common signs of severe dehydration in the elderly are:

• Diarrhea
• Blood in the stool
• Inability to drink fluids without vomiting
• Disorientation

Children: Severe Dehydration Symptoms

Severe dehydration presents differently in very young children. According to a recent study, “Infants and young children are particularly susceptible to diarrheal disease and dehydration” (5). The most common symptoms of dehydration in children and infants are:     

• Unusually dry diapers
• No tears when they cry
• Clammy, cold extremities
• Chronic fatigue and low energy

Pregnancy: Severe Dehydration Symptoms

During pregnancy, you process fluids and electrolytes much faster, so it’s easy to under-hydrate. Common symptoms of severe dehydration in pregnancy include:

• Dry mouth
• Sunken eyes
• Extreme thirst
• Sudden drop in blood pressure
• Rapid heart rate
• Dry skin and poor elasticity
• Braxton-Hicks contractions, or contractions that feel like real labor but are false alarms

Electrolytes and Dehydration

What are electrolytes? Electrolytes are naturally-occurring compounds that conduct an electrical charge in the body...

The most important electrolytes in the human body are:

• Sodium
• Chloride
• Potassium
• Magnesium
• Calcium
• Phosphate

These electrolytes balance fluid levels and regulate a lot of important functions, including your heartbeat, muscle contractions, immunity and brain activity (6).

Types of Dehydration: Loss of Water vs. Loss of Electrolytes

Dehydration happens when you lose too much water, too many electrolytes, or both. The three main types of dehydration are:

• Hypernatremic or hypertonic = loss of water
• Hyponatremic or hypotonic = loss of electrolytes (mostly sodium)
• Isonatremic or isotonic = loss of water and electrolytes

There are subtle differences between the symptoms of each type of dehydration. In general, the symptoms of fluid loss are less severe than the symptoms of electrolyte loss.

Common Symptoms of Fluid Loss

• Thirst
• Dry Mouth
• Decreased urination
• Fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Dizziness
• Headache

Common Symptoms of Electrolyte and Fluid Loss

• Extreme thirst
• Dry mucous membranes
• Poor skin elasticity
• Muscle twitching
• Stiffness and soreness in the muscles and joints
• Convulsions
• Irritability
• Confusion
• Digestive issues

The smooth muscles of the digestive tract need enough water and electrolytes in order to contract. This is why electrolyte imbalances and low water levels can cause constipation, diarrhea, cramping and hemorrhoids.

How Doctors Diagnose Dehydration

After taking a look at your medical history, your doctor will go over your symptoms to rule out other more serious conditions. They should also check your heart rate and blood pressure, because rapid heart rate and low blood pressure can be signs of dehydration. Your doctor may also test your blood for electrolyte imbalances. Electrolytes levels say a lot about how well your kidneys are working. A urinalysis can also be helpful, because low electrolytes and high bacterial levels are linked to dehydration (7).

Skin elasticity is another useful test. When you pinch the skin on your arms, it should bounce back to normal almost immediately. This is called skin “turgor.” If the skin “tents,” or sticks together under the surface, it’s a classic sign of severe dehydration.

Long-Term Complications of Untreated Dehydration

Dehydration can lead to serious complications over time, including:

• Low blood volume
• Heat cramps
• Heatstroke
• Heat exhaustion
• Kidney failure
• Seizures
• Comas

But even mild dehydration symptoms, like chronic fatigue, can make it harder to enjoy life.

How to Prevent Dehydration Naturally

With the right diet and lifestyle choices, you can prevent dehydration from happening in the first place. Here are a few quick tips to keeping your body fully stocked on fluids and electrolytes: 

Limit Sun & Heat Exposure

Exercising in the hot sun is fine in short bursts, but it increases the risk of dehydration over time. The more you sweat, the faster you lose precious water and electrolytes.

Eat Electrolyte-Rich Foods

Cucumbers, celery, spinach, kale, avocados, broccoli, almonds, strawberries, oranges, bananas, and coconuts are loaded with electrolytes which prevent dehydration.

Introduce an Electrolyte Supplement

Electrolyte supplements are a great way to keep your electrolyte levels up throughout the day. Our favorite? A flavorless hydration boost that you can easily squeeze into the beverages you’re already drinking. Unfortunately, sports drinks won’t cut it because they contain too much sugar and artifical ingredients.

No matter what, stay on the lookout for the warning signs of dehydration, like thirst and dry mouth. Believe it or not, if you’re thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. Catching it early can save you a lot of headaches... literally. Stay hydrated out there!