Drinking Water Doesn't Mean You're Hydrated

It can be shocking to learn that you can drink water all day and still be dehydrated. But, water itself does not hydrate your cells. For water to be absorbed and used properly in the body, it needs electrolytes too. Without these electrolytes, water you drink will not be beneficial—it will just run straight through your body. Your neurons aren't getting the hydration they need to do their job of delivering nutrients and removing toxins from the brain.  

Here are some clues to judge if your neurons aren't getting hydrated from the water you drink:  

• The color of your urine. Looking at the color of your urine is a way to tell how many toxins you're dispensing from your body: the darker the urine, the more toxins being flushed out. Clear urine signifies no toxins being flushed—so water is not staying in your body to do its job. On the other hand, if your urine is too dark, you aren't drinking enough water. The darker color means that your body has lots of toxins it wishes to flush that it hasn't been able to. Tip: If you're properly hydrated, your urine should get lighter and lighter as the day goes on.  

• If you have to urinate too often, including soon after drinking water. This is a sign that you don't have enough electrolytes to retain water. The average person is expected to urinate 6-8 times a day depending on a person's exercise levels and climate.   

If these signs seem familiar, you need to consume more sodium to start retaining the water you drink. Sodium is essential for maintaining Electrolyte Homeostasis, or proper neuron hydration. 

Sodium/potassium pumps in the cells have to work at the correct voltage to carry water into your neurons. Cells have an outside layer that blocks materials from entering or exiting unless the voltage levels are exactly right to create an exchange. Voltage is created by a specific combination of sodium and potassium ions that will open or close the sodium/potassium pumps. The pumps need the level of voltage created by three sodium ions and two potassium ions to generate the right conditions for exchanges between cells. If you don't have enough sodium or potassium ions, the voltage levels won't be right for exchange and the pumps won't open or close. Water will not be able to enter your cells.  

If you're drinking lots of water and not truly hydrating yourself, try our Electrolyte Supplement and then drink your water. This way your body can finally appreciate the water you've been drinking! Our electrolyte supplement contains the right proportions of sodium, potassium, and iodine for cell exchange and proper hydration. Don't forget that sugary drinks with electrolytes such as sport drinks are not the same as water with electrolytes. Sugars dehydrate your body, so sports drinks are dehydrating you and trying to hydrate you at the same time. 

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