Dehydration
Dehydration
The desire to slake our thirsts with fresh glasses of water may seem like the most natural thing in the world, but as we age, that thirst urge diminishes, says Richard W. Besdine, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the center on aging at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington. That makes older people acutely at risk for dehydration, he stresses, “because they can lose important amounts of body water without ever becoming thirsty.”
But as long as you can keep up with the amount of fluid your body needs, you don’t have to worry about dehydration. Here’s how you can keep from going dry.
Try This First
Increase your awareness and drink frequently. “Dehydration creeps up on people. You need to be aware of the risk and take preventive measures,” says Robert Kennedy, M.D., internist and director of geriatrics at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York.
When you’re past 60, you can’t depend on the usual signals to tell you that you’re thirsty, says Mike Wasserman, M.D., doctor of internal medicine and chief medical officer of GeriMed of America in Denver. So you have to schedule your drinking to stay hydrated—and that often means you should drink before you feel thirsty.
The universal recommendation of doctors is to drink 64 ounces—eight 8-ounce glasses—of fluid a day. Make it simple: Just remember to drink one glass at least every other hour during the day. Plain water is best because it doesn’t contain sugar, caffeine, or chemical flavorings, says Dr. Kennedy. But unsweetened fruit juice, caffeine-free soda, and milk can count toward your eight.
Other Wise Ways
Drink more as needed. Think about the demands on your body and up your fluid intake accordingly, says Dr. Kennedy. True, eight glasses of water is the daily requirement, but that’s usually just for someone who is sitting down all day. If you’re more active, you’re going to need more fluids.
If it’s hot or you’re traveling by airplane, two particularly dehydrating situations, Dr. Kennedy recommends drinking 50 percent more than you think you need. So you might drink 12 ounces of unsweetened juice or water instead of your normal 8-ounce servings.
Drink more with exercise. When you exercise, be sure that you drink plenty of water before, during, and after. An hour before you exercise, drink 8 to 16 ounces of water, unsweetened juice, or a sports drink, says Dr. Besdine. If you exercise enough that you’re breaking a sweat, you need about 20 to 40 ounces of water per hour, which is 4 to 8 ounces every 15 minutes.
When you’re done exercising, slowly sip another eight ounces of water, suggests Dr. Besdine. Or, if you’ve had an especially taxing workout, have a sports drink. The sugar and salt in it helps the water content get absorbed into the intestines (and hence the rest of the body) faster than plain water is absorbed.
Spark the flavor. If you don’t like the taste of water, dress it up with lemon slices. Buy flavored seltzer water if you like a bubbly treat or flavor up plain seltzer with cranberry juice, peach nectar, or whatever kind of juice you like.
Forget fluid flushers. Alcohol and caffeine are powerful diuretics. When you have drinks that contain these diuretics, they flush out fluid faster than they contribute it. Avoid them altogether, if you can, advises Dr. Besdine. If you can’t, limit your intake. He suggests no more than two cups of coffee a day. For every alcoholic drink you have, whether it’s wine, beer, or liquor, have an extra glass of water, he says. And keep in mind that many soft drinks are heavily laced with caffeine, says Dr. Besdine, even ones that aren’t brown, like Mountain Dew and Surge.
Be a water carrier. Plastic water bottles are handy, easy to carry, and a constant reminder to drink throughout the day, notes Dr. Besdine. A quart-size bottle is best for day-long drinking, he says. Don’t feel self-conscious carrying a bottle around: Whether you’re in an office setting or a park, “water bottles have almost become part of modern dress,” says Dr. Besdine.
| Managing Your Meds Many older people take diuretics such as spironolactone (Aldactone) and furosemide (Lasix) to reduce blood pressure or to prevent congestive heart failure. While these drugs may be needed for these potentially life-threatening conditions, they all can make dehydration worse, says Robert Kennedy, M.D., internist and director of geriatrics at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. Talk to your doctor about possible alternatives, but don’t stop taking any prescription medication without your doctor’s knowledge and consent. Also, the effect of some drugs that act on the central nervous system, such as benzodiazapines like diazepam (Valium), can be intensified if taken when you are dehydrated. |
Eat more veggies and fruits. When your body is depleted and you’re trying to fill the tank, nearly any form of liquid can make a worthy contribution, recommends Dr. Wasserman. That includes the water in fresh fruits and vegetables, he notes, since the majority of these are at least 75 percent water.
Stay cool. Hot weather is another common cause of dehydration in the elderly, says Dr. Besdine. Water loss increases in a warm environment, he says. Always use an air conditioner or fans in hot weather, Dr. Besdine advises. “Older adults should never stay in temperatures over 100°F, especially if they are indoors without adequate circulating air.”
If you don’t have air-conditioning, take frequent cool showers to keep your body temperature down, says Dr. Kennedy. Keep blinds drawn to reduce the air temperature in your home. And be very careful not to exert yourself more than you have to in warm temperatures, adds Dr. Kennedy. People with heart disease or other major health problems who are taking medication should see their doctors for advice.
