Almost every system in your body requires water to function properly. Water regulates body temperature, nourishes cells and provides the correct chemical environment for good health. Too much alcohol upsets this fluid balance. Overindulgence can make you feel miserable, cause a hangover or create a serious medical condition. You can counteract some of the unpleasant effects of alcohol by drinking enough water to prevent dehydration.
Alcohol Metabolism
The alcohol you drink is rapidly absorbed through your stomach and small intestine. Absorption occurs fastest when your stomach is empty; foods rich in fat and protein slow absorption. Your body breaks down and eliminates alcohol through a process known as metabolism. Most adults metabolize alcohol at a rate of one drink per hour. Excess alcohol raises your blood alcohol level, which can lead to intoxication. Women are less efficient at breaking down alcohol before it reaches the bloodstream. This is one reason why women tend to get intoxicated faster than men.
Alcohol and Dehydration
Alcohol changes your blood chemistry and stimulates your kidneys to produce more urine. As little as one drink can alter kidney function and induce urination within 20 minutes. Excessive urination removes too much water from your body, resulting in dehydration. Symptoms include lightheadedness, dry mouth and fatigue. Consuming alcohol on a hot day is especially risky. Heavy sweating increases fluid loss and magnifies the dehydrating effect of alcohol. You may develop a heat-related injury, such as heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heatstroke, a potentially fatal condition.
Recommendations
Prevent dehydration by drinking water whenever you consume alcoholic beverages. This technique also helps you control how much alcohol you drink. Before you take your first sip of an alcoholic beverage, the Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center at Virginia Tech recommends that you drink 24 ounces of water, followed by 6 ounces of water for each serving of alcohol. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests alternating water with alcohol. An easy way to accomplish this is to drink a glass of water after each alcoholic beverage you consume.
Precautions
Drinking water helps prevent dehydration but will not make you sober. You metabolize alcohol at the same rate no matter how much water you consume. The NIAAA recommends limiting yourself to one alcoholic drink per hour. This allows your body time to eliminate alcohol from your system before you become intoxicated. A standard drink is defined as 0.6 fluid ounces of pure alcohol, equivalent to 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounces of hard liquor, such as whiskey, vodka or gin. However, a mixed drink might contain more than twice this amount, depending upon the ingredients.
References
- Montana State University: Complications of Alcohol – Kidney Link
- Cleveland Clinic: Avoiding Dehydration, Proper Hydration
- Virginia Tech Student Affairs: Part 3: Drink Water and Consume Food to Reduce the Hangover
- National Institutes of Health: Information about Alcohol
- MayoClinic.com: Dehydration: Complications
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism: Rethinking Drinking
