Research from 2016 found that the sensation of a cool, carbonated beverage makes people think the beverage quenches thirst better. This can lead to drinking less additional liquid after having a drink such as a soda, which could make the effects of dehydration worse. Significantly high levels of caffeine intake may contribute to dehydration by stimulating the body to release more liquid than usual. Some people may also pair liquor with other drinks and ingredients in mixed drinks. Drinks with high sugar content or caffeine combined with liquor in mixed drinks can make symptoms worse for some.

In this article, we will discuss the relationship between alcohol and dehydration, the negative effects of dehydration on the body, and practical tips for staying hydrated while consuming alcohol. The subjects https://ecosoberhouse.com/ still get the initial spike in urine flow after the first drink, but then urine flow dies down. Moderating your intake of the beverages listed above and drinking plenty of water can help prevent dehydration.

Alcohol’s Effects on Muscle

However, the effects of certain types of alcohol may differ, as drinking 2 servings of beer did not have a significant effect (11, 12). Drinking 2–3 cups of coffee a day may be an acceptable practice to maintain does alcohol dehydrate you moderate coffee consumption. An increased intake of coffee may cause a diuretic effect that promotes dehydration. While hangover symptoms may remain, be sure to drink water to help speed your recovery.

When you lose too much water without properly replacing it, you become dehydrated. Dehydration can cause mild symptoms like headache, dry mouth, dizziness, and fatigue, or severe issues like damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, and even death (1). I would even argue that non-alcoholic beer is a better hydration drink option than sports drinks like Gatorade because most sports drinks contain an excessive amount of sugar and sodium. Check out my recommendation of the six best non-alcoholic beers for hydration. A reason for this is that non-alcoholic beers contain water, carbohydrates, protein, sodium, and a natural compound called phenols, which helps to fight inflammation.

Factors that Increase Alcohol-Related Dehydration

You can be considered dehydrated when you’ve lost 3% or more of your body weight from water depletion. For example, research from 2017 found that in elderly men at risk of dehydration, moderate consumption of high alcoholic beverages such as wine and liquor caused a diuretic effect. Beverages with lower alcohol content, such as beer, did not appear to have this effect.

Stoutz says the best way to hydrate is to alternate alcohol and water while you’re drinking. But once you introduce alcohol into your system, you urinate more, and the mechanism that normally prevents excessive urination—anti-diuretic hormone—is inhibited, which can lead to dehydration. For reference, a standard drink—12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of liquor—has 14 grams of alcohol, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism [3]. To stay hydrated, a person needs to take steps before, during, and after alcohol consumption. In this article, we describe how alcohol dehydrates the body and provide tips on how to counteract dehydration due to alcohol consumption.