# Coffee and beer cause dehydration-a myth?



## joethelion (Mar 4, 2005)

The general view is that they do cause dehydration but this might be a myth.

They are diuretics but the water loss they cause is outbalanced by the water content of the beverage:

Any evidence that caffeine promotes the loss of water from the body has been greatly overplayed in recent years. It is not based on scientific fact. If you are already dehydrated and consume heavily caffeinated drinks, then there might be a very mild risk of it getting worse. But generally it makes no difference if people drink coffee, tea, cola or water." 
- Ron Maughan, professor of human physiology, University of Aberdeen Medical School; same source as above.

"Maughan and his colleagues have also looked at the effects of alcohol, considered to be another diuretic, and found that, in moderation, it too has little impact on the average person's state of fluid balance. His results, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, showed that alcoholic drinks with an alcohol content of less than 4 per cent such as light beer and lager can be used to stave off dehydration." - same source.

http://www.yourpurelife.com/articles/water.php


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## nubly (Nov 2, 2006)

well, as stated, caffeine is a diureitc which causes water loss. and the water consumed from coffee will be gone from your body faster than the caffeine. i dont think there'll be a dehydration concern though


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## Laura (Nov 12, 2003)

...


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## sonya99 (Sep 5, 2005)

It always creeped me out about booze causing dehydration. I had heard you drink a lot of alcohol, but you're still losing liquids, even if you try to drink water and stuff!

Most people in places like Europe in the old days had to drink alcoholic beverages because their water wasn't clean. I was amazed because I imagined they must have suffered some sort of hardcore, constant dehydration. But that's not the case--was enough water in the alcohol so that the diuretic effect of alcohol didn't do much. 

Nowadays there's a trend about warning people about dehydration. "By the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated" blah blah bah. Was never a problem for me before. But now whenever something feels a little off, I think "hmm maybe i'm dehydrated." like if i have a headache, or cramps or whatever. Stupid bottled water companies. I'm sure it's their fault. I dunno why it bothers me so much hehe.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

People get enough fluids through the foods we eat and they don't know it. Like a turkey sandwich contains a half of a cup of water. They tell people to drink all this water and don't consider how much fluid that is the foods they are eating. They end up over taxing the kidneys.


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## copper (Nov 10, 2003)

*Re: re: Coffee and beer cause dehydration-a myth?*



sonya99 said:


> It always creeped me out about booze causing dehydration. I had heard you drink a lot of alcohol, but you're still losing liquids, even if you try to drink water and stuff!
> 
> Most people in places like Europe in the old days had to drink alcoholic beverages because their water wasn't clean. I was amazed because I imagined they must have suffered some sort of hardcore, constant dehydration. But that's not the case--was enough water in the alcohol so that the diuretic effect of alcohol didn't do much.
> 
> Nowadays there's a trend about warning people about dehydration. "By the time you're thirsty, you're already dehydrated" blah blah bah. Was never a problem for me before. But now whenever something feels a little off, I think "hmm maybe i'm dehydrated." like if i have a headache, or cramps or whatever. Stupid bottled water companies. I'm sure it's their fault. I dunno why it bothers me so much hehe.


I think the only time alcohol would dhydrate a person if the person is out running a marathon in 100 degree heat.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

I certainly wouldn't expect anyone to get dehydrated from beer. Light beer is typically 4.2% alcohol, regular 4.7%. 8% would be deemed very strong by beer standards. Even strong beers are still almost all water. The vast volume of water consumed when drinking beer makes it quite difficult to consume all that much alcohol.

I have only noticed dehydration from alcohol two times, when it resulting in vomitting which removed all stomach contents including any water. And I'd try to drink some water, but that was just loading the cannon for another barf erruption making it very hard to not be dehydrated. Short of hangovers with vomiting, I don't think alcohol is going to cause any dehydration of significance.


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## odun (Nov 9, 2003)

> Short of hangovers with vomiting, I don't think alcohol is going to cause any dehydration of significance.


im not so sure about that. it is important to drink lots of water while drinking hard alcohol. i would suggest drinking one glass of water for every alcoholic drink. in other words, for every shot of liquor, drink a glass of water. not only will that keep you hydrated, but helps dilute the alcohol

i dont understand the scientific mumbo jumbo, but i understand alcohol intake also messes up elctrolytes in some fashion. perhaps that is why gatorade is the best 'hangover helper', at least that has been my experience. some drunkards even drink pedialite the day after. i havent tried that.


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## BeNice (Jan 2, 2004)

*Re: re: Coffee and beer cause dehydration-a myth?*



UltraShy said:


> The vast volume of water consumed when drinking beer makes it quite difficult to consume all that much alcohol.
> 
> I have only noticed dehydration from alcohol two times, when it resulting in vomitting which removed all stomach contents including any water. And I'd try to drink some water, but that was just loading the cannon for another barf erruption making it very hard to not be dehydrated. Short of hangovers with vomiting, I don't think alcohol is going to cause any dehydration of significance.


How do you think people (such as myself) drink so much beer? Ever hear of peeing? :lol It just depends on how fast you drink it. You can chug 5-6 4.7% beers and get pretty drunk, depending on your size. If you want a high alcohol beer, look for Long Trail's Double Bag. Drink away, Karl.

Yeah, that is the worst part about puking. Once you've had too much, you really just have to deal with it. You can drink all of the water you like, but if you've had to vomit once and you still feel sick, chances are you will again. I usually just make myself puke when I feel sick enough. The worst part about it for me is going to sleep. I just feel all dizzy and I actually feel better being awake, just continuously sipping on water.

I do think it is good to drink water while drinking any alcoholic beverage. That, or eat food. It's really just good not to drink that much in the first place. Even if you don't puke, hangovers suck big time.


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## Lonelyguy (Nov 8, 2003)

Whenever I've been drinking a lot of beer, say up to eight cans or so in a sitting I have to use the bathroom quite often. Its pretty much a straight shot, it leaves as fast as I can drink it :lol I've noticed whenever I've been drunk off beer I wind up with a massive headache the next morning. Drinking large amounts of water before I go to bed seems to help for that. I never seem to get a headache from hard liquor, but if I've been going hard on the beer I can almost be assured to wake up with a pounding headache. I don't go to that extreme very often anymore but I can recall lots of times when I was younger when it happened.


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## millenniumman75 (Feb 4, 2005)

I just know
that I have to go
when I have a lot of Joe
I say no mo'!


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## odun (Nov 9, 2003)

> . The worst part about it for me is going to sleep. I just feel all dizzy and I actually feel better being awake, just continuously sipping on water.


ah. the spins.

i agree that is the worst part. i always dread going to bed after a hard night of enjoying beverages. i know as soon as i lay down ill get dizzy.


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## WineKitty (Nov 26, 2004)

I rarely drink to being completely hangover style drunk.

However, I have had some *really, really, really BADDDDDDDD* hangovers in my time.

There is some dehydration going on from beer as I have woken up so thirsty after drinking in excess.

Best thing to do is to know your limits....


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## Andre (Feb 27, 2004)

When I drink nothing but beer all night and wake up the next morning, my urine is a very dark yellow. I would call that dehydration.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

*Re: re: Coffee and beer cause dehydration-a myth?*



BeNice said:


> How do you think people (such as myself) drink so much beer? Ever hear of peeing? :lol


Yeah, I've heard of it and I assume you'd be going like a lawn sprinkler if you had that much beer. Might as well just drink while standing at a urinal to save time. :lol



> It just depends on how fast you drink it. You can chug 5-6 4.7% beers and get pretty drunk, depending on your size.


I simply have no desire to consume that much of any liquid in a rapid fashion. Half a gallon is a hell of a lot to consume, after all. If I wanted a higher level of intoxication I'd go for a more potent drink, like wine to keep the volume of liquid to a more reasonable level. I stop drinking beer after a few cans because I'm full. Even bums stop at 40 ounces -- thus the infamous 40 oz bottles so popular at innner city liquor stores.


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