Everyone (well, at least most people) know the importance of drinking water. Dehydration is a huge issue in the world, even in countries like the U.S. where basically every person has very easy access to clean water at will.
But real hydration, deep hydration of the individual cells throughout the body, requires more than just drinking water. In fact, many people who drink only water and are malnourished nutritionally are not getting properly hydrated. So what are other factors that affect and maximize hydration and how can we utilize these for optimal health?
Electrolytes
Electrolytes are, as the name implies, electrically charged particles and elements. Most people associate potassium and sodium as electrolytes, but there are many others such as magnesium, chlorine, calcium and phosphates.
These electrolytes create what are known as gradients which is a difference of charge inside and outside of a cell. When there is a gradient there is simply an imbalance of electrical charge either intracellular (inside) or extracellular (outside, in the bloodstream). These are extremely important because the body uses this electrical system to determine whether water will move into or out of any given cell.
For instance, to simplify, let’s say that there are 3 sodium ions inside the cell and 2 outside. This would create an electrically charged environment and the body would work to move sodium out of the cell into the blood to balance the charge. This is not much different visually than two electrical wires with different voltages. If the wires are connected a current is created. Currents are likewise created through cellular membranes, and this is used to funnel different nutrients into the cell or back out of it.
Obviously, water is a very important nutrient. In fact it is the most important which is why if you go a short time without it you can become ill very quickly. However, when we consume water we also dilute the electrolyte balance since electrolytes are excreted in the urine and in sweat. This is why athletes are suggested to drink sports drinks during prolonged exercise and in the heat...to replenish the electrolytes.
When the electrolyte balance is disrupted water may not be able to travel into the cells because the gradients are unbalanced. This means that you can drink water but it will not reach the cells, which means that you are not really hydrating.
One aspect of electrolytes that is also disturbed by the modern western medical system is the recommendation to reduce salt intake, which is supposed to increase blood pressure and could lead to high blood pressure which is slowly proving to be yet again another erroneous idea much like the idea that fat is the primary culprit in heart disease.
Most people certainly don’t need to focus on salt intake, as the fast food consumption diet of the west takes care of that. But, there are many different types of salts and the ones used in processed foods is generally bromine based instead of iodine based, and since bromides do not support nutrition and iodine is an essential nutrient for health salt should be selected carefully on its own and added to foods.
The American diet is especially devoid of basically every essential nutrient. A diet complete with a variety of fruits and vegetables should be able to supply adequate electrolytes, but athletes should supplement with a quality beverage. Gatorade will not cut it.
Water Surface Tension
This is a little talked about topic and relates to the pressure gradients discussed above but instead refers to “osmotic pressure” which is basically the same thing. Cell membranes are comprised of what is known as a phospholipid bilayer which means that there are two lipids with a phosphate bond linking them together. This basically creates a seal separating the inside of the cell and the outer. Without this there would be a blending and basically disintegration of the cell.
Osmosis is the term for water movement inside and outside the cell through special junctions in the fatty membrane. This involves carrier proteins. So if the cell wall is jeopardized as it most likely is in an unhealthy and nutrient deprived person, which describes most people I would say, then there will be issues with the mechanisms involved with hydrating the cell, leading to further dehydration and cellular disruption.
One key factor here is eating quality fatty acids in order to give the cells of the body what they need for a healthy cell wall. Usually omega-3 fats are recommended for this, so even these fats are crucial for optimal hydration. Processed and especially trans fats will be used by the cells, which will use low quality parts if necessary, but they are disjointed and sub-optimal.
The American dietary guidelines, still using archaic information from more than half a century ago, still manage to squeeze “low fat” into the guidelines. Not only are people deficient in the crucial fats that create the very cells of the body, but they are also consuming more processed sugars which dehydrate, cause glycation and do nothing to nourish the cells. Essentially the dietary guidelines are a recipe for a dehydrated and malfunctioning cell and that is a key reason why we have the health crisis that we see today.
Solutions
If the goal is maximum health, which I see no reason for not striving for, then just drinking water is not enough although it is a good start. 75% of people are dehydrated at any given time according to new studies. Couple this with malnourishment, lack of healthy fats, too much chronically inflaming sugar and electrolyte imbalances and we are an extremely poorly hydrated species in general. This leads to more problems than most people could imagine.
The first step is to drink water regularly, as in at all times during the waking hours. The first thing in the morning should be a large glass of clean water, and water should be drank up until bedtime. Consistency is key, and water should be spread out throughout the day evenly if possible, although if this isn’t tenable then you can overhydrate before an event if you know you won’t have access to water.
Electrolytes need to be consumed regularly as well for the above mentioned reasons involving the cellular gradients. Cells will not be hydrated optimally without sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium and chloride. I will often times add a pinch of salt to my water bottle before working out to keep the electrolytes up, and many sports drinks are available.
Healthy fats a.k.a. Omega 3 fatty acids like DHA and EPA should be eaten either through food sources or supplementation. Since our food supply encourages higher omega-6 (inflammatory) fats I recommend a quality fish oil supplement or fresh fish (not farmed).
Most of all, learn to understand your body. I can usually tell fairly quickly if I’m dehydrated because my brain gets foggy, my body temperature rises and my workouts suffer. Most people are dehydrated at any given time and basically every single activity uses up water, even breathing, even while we sleep. Treat your body like the temple it is, and give yourself plenty of clean water. This isn’t a joke, its a matter of life and death, health and disease. You choose which.