Caffeine is found in a variety of drinks such as coffee, tea and soda. Drinking these beverages can cause you to lose more fluids than if you were to drink water instead. Dehydration only occurs when you lose more fluids than you consume; this means you would have to consume a large quantity of caffeine to become dehydrated. If you're concerned about dehydration, talk to your physician about ways to replace fluids and prevent the loss of fluids.
How Caffeine Works
Caffeine acts as a diuretic, which means that it makes you urinate more frequently than you normally would. When you drink caffeine, it stimulates your bladder, which triggers the urge to urinate. Frequent urination can lead to dehydration, bladder irritation and infections, such as a urinary tract or bladder infection. According to Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., a nutritionist with the Mayo Clinic, you would have to consume more than 500mg of caffeine, or about four to seven cups of coffee, per day for caffeine to have a diuretic effect on your body.
Caffeine and Dehydration
Since a large amount of caffeine is required for you to become dehydrated, you would have to drink several cups of coffee, tea or soda to lose enough water to cause a diuretic effect. Assuming that you like to drink soda, tea or coffee, you would have to drink it all day long to become dehydrated. BreastCancer.org points out that caffeine does increase your water intake but since it can act as a diuretic, it's best to not rely on caffeinated beverages as your only source of fluids.
Speeding Up the Process
If you heavily rely on caffeinated beverages throughout the day, you can increase your risk of becoming dehydrated even faster if it's very hot outside or if you've been exercising a lot. Heat and excessive sweating can cause your body to lose more fluids even faster. Should you become severely dehydrated, prompt medical attention is required.
Staying Hydrated
Replacing fluids as they are lost is the best way to stay hydrated. Drink adequate amounts of water to ensure you have enough fluids in your body to stay hydrated. While every person is different, the Mayo Clinic recommends consuming about eight or nine cups of water on a daily basis. Drinking that much water should leave little room for many caffeinated beverages and eliminate the risk of dehydration at the same time. You may need to increase your fluids if you are ill and suffer from vomiting or diarrhea.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Caffeine: Is it dehydrating or not?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; Aug. 2009
- BreastCancer.org; Eating When You're Dehydrated; Oct. 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Dehydration: Definition; Mayo Clinic Staff; Jan. 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Water: How much should you drink every day?; Mayo Clinic Staff; April 2010
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