In summer heat, an adult's body loses up to 2-3 liters of fluid daily through sweat and breath alone. Which drinks help replenish water balance and which only worsen thirst, said gastroenterologist Victoria Stepanova, as reported by infohub.kz citing Gazeta.ru.
The gold standard for quenching thirst is plain still water at room temperature, according to the doctor. "The fluid norm for an adult in summer is about 30-35 ml per kilogram of body weight per day. For a person weighing 70 kg, that's 2.1-2.5 liters. In heat, the norm rises to 3-4 liters. Drink evenly in small portions of 200-300 ml, not a liter at once after feeling thirsty," Stepanova explains.
In second place are isotonic drinks with electrolytes. Sweat contains not only water but also sodium, potassium, and magnesium. If you replenish only water, you can dilute the remaining salts and develop hyponatremia — weakness, headache, cramps. Sports isotonics solve this problem during prolonged activity in the sun.
Third are fermented milk drinks: airan and tan. These are natural isotonics: water, protein, sodium and potassium salts, lactobacilli. Airan quenches thirst, saturates the gut with probiotics, and does not irritate the stomach. It is only unsuitable for people with lactose intolerance and severe hypertension.
Fourth are unsweetened herbal infusions and green tea. Green tea contains antioxidants and refreshes well when hot through a paradoxical sweating mechanism. Cold green tea with ice and mint is a working alternative to sodas.
Fifth is compote made from fresh or dried fruit without sugar. It contains vitamins and minerals. The key is not to turn it into a concentrated sweet syrup that only increases thirst.
"Now about drinks that only make thirst worse," Stepanova warns. "Sugary sodas contain 8-11 grams of sugar per 100 ml. After such a soda, blood glucose spikes, the body pulls water from tissues to dilute it, and thirst returns in 30-40 minutes."
Boxed sweet juices fall into the same category. The concentration of fructose in a glass of juice is higher than in a fresh apple. Freshly squeezed juice is best diluted 1:1 with water and consumed no more than 150-200 ml at a time.
Energy drinks stimulate the heart and nervous system, and caffeine acts as a diuretic. In young people, episodes of tachycardia and fainting are not uncommon in the sun.
Beer and alcohol block the production of antidiuretic hormone, causing the kidneys to actively flush fluid out. Half a liter of beer results in a negative water balance.