What's the deal with hydration?

[Marquis Mark]

Quick, stupid question:

Why does everyone issue so many warnings about hydration? Are we supposed to drink MORE water than a normie? Or is the concern just coming from the fact that we can't hold as much so make sure to keep drinking so that we drink AS MUCH water as a normie?

Thanks

 

[Settledownnow]

When you eat a high protein diet you lose water and dehydrate (thus fast weight loss). Also, the liver produces urea (a waste product of protein digestion) which is then excreted through urine. Drinking more water helps your body (kidneys) to get rid of this waste product. The BUN can give an indication of dehydration if the level is high. Heavily concentrated urine also suggests dehydration. High protein diet = drink more water.

 

[southernlady]

You've lost much of the area for absorption when you had your small bowel reconfigured.

 

[Marquis Mark]

When you eat a high protein diet you lose water and dehydrate (thus fast weight loss). Also, the liver produces urea (a waste product of protein digestion) which is then excreted through urine. Drinking more water helps your body (kidneys) to get rid of this waste product. The BUN can give an indication of dehydration if the level is high. Heavily concentrated urine also suggests dehydration. High protein diet = drink more water.

My last creatinine was .93 (lower than my pre-surgery 1.10); my BUN was 11 (lower than pre-surgery 14); my last AST was 22 and my last ALT was 23.

So, given those numbers, I'm drinking enough water, no?

 

[Marquis Mark]

You've lost much of the area for absorption when you had your small bowel reconfigured.

How much area do you need to absorb simple WATER?

 

[hilary1617]

I warn recent post-ops about hydration as a matter of course. This is because be difficult to remember to sip and to take in enough if there isn't a conscious effort to do so and I personally learned about it the hard way.

 

[southernlady]

How much area do you need to absorb simple WATER?

Far more than many people realize!

 

[Settledownnow]

My last creatinine was .93 (lower than my pre-surgery 1.10); my BUN was 11 (lower than pre-surgery 14); my last AST was 22 and my last ALT was 23.

So, given those numbers, I'm drinking enough water, no?

It may or may not. You might just have efficient kidneys. Water also helps to reduce the risk of kidney stones, helps to prevent constipation, and can help with weight loss.

Why do you ask? Are you having trouble drinking 64 ounces daily?

 

[Munchkin]

64oz a day is actually what is recommended for everyone. Eight 8oz glasses. For a normal person with an average activity level. But always keep in mind, if you are sweating, you should be drinking!

The primary functions of the large bowel are electrolyte and water absorbtion. The end product being poop. It's the poop factory. If you are constipated, the first thing to look at is adequate fluid intake. For ages it was said the colon extracts all the water. Now newer publications are amending this and say the colon absorbs MOST of the water but there is also some fluid absorbtion in the small bowel. We have the same colon we had preop. No changes there.

This like so many other things is individual. There are DSers who seem to need more fluids than average people and some who don't. Immediately postop quite a few people can't or won't drink enough. Probably because it's uncomfortable. That's why you always hear walk and sip. Over time you will find out what you need. You pointed out your BUN, good indicator. Plus you can tell by looking in the toilet. Your urine should be light yellow, sort of straw color. However, if you take loads of B's it may be bright yellow! B's are water soluble and if you take more than you need, you lose the excess in your urine.

I have never been a big water drinker. I drink coffee, tea, and fake soda. But I am getting enough fluids. Never had any problems with dehydration at all. I always SAY I'm going to start drinking plain water but I never do it! Somehow one of those little flavor packets always jumps in the bottle! Personally, if it's liquid and I drink it, it counts. By those standards I get quite a bit more than 64oz per day. The purists say if it's caffeinated, it doesn't count. For me caffeine is a constant so no real issue. And caffeine is a SLIGHT diuretic. If caffeine was going to dehydrate me, it would have happened looooong ago!

Google all this and read about it. Lots of good info out there.

 

[Marquis Mark]

64oz a day is actually what is recommended for everyone. Eight 8oz glasses. For a normal person with an average activity level. But always keep in mind, if you are sweating, you should be drinking!

The primary functions of the large bowel are electrolyte and water absorbtion. The end product being poop. It's the poop factory. If you are constipated, the first thing to look at is adequate fluid intake. For ages it was said the colon extracts all the water. Now newer publications are amending this and say the colon absorbs MOST of the water but there is also some fluid absorbtion in the small bowel. We have the same colon we had preop. No changes there.

This like so many other things is individual. There are DSers who seem to need more fluids than average people and some who don't. Immediately postop quite a few people can't or won't drink enough. Probably because it's uncomfortable. That's why you always hear walk and sip. Over time you will find out what you need. You pointed out your BUN, good indicator. Plus you can tell by looking in the toilet. Your urine should be light yellow, sort of straw color. However, if you take loads of B's it may be bright yellow! B's are water soluble and if you take more than you need, you lose the excess in your urine.

I have never been a big water drinker. I drink coffee, tea, and fake soda. But I am getting enough fluids. Never had any problems with dehydration at all. I always SAY I'm going to start drinking plain water but I never do it! Somehow one of those little flavor packets always jumps in the bottle! Personally, if it's liquid and I drink it, it counts. By those standards I get quite a bit more than 64oz per day. The purists say if it's caffeinated, it doesn't count. For me caffeine is a constant so no real issue. And caffeine is a SLIGHT diuretic. If caffeine was going to dehydrate me, it would have happened looooong ago!

Google all this and read about it. Lots of good info out there.

Thanks, Munchkin (and all). Those were helpful answers. I think the 64 ounce thing is of limited usefulness. It's like saying everyone should take in 2,000 calories a day without regard for height, gender, age, climate, activity level, ideal weight, etc. I'm 6'3" with an ideal body weight of about 190 so 64 ounces would leave me dehydrated, for example. I'm sure someone will put a calculator on the web similar to a BMI calculator about this.

I originally asked this question because it was also my understanding that most water is absorbed in the colon.

 

[Clematis]

The small intestine absorbs MUCH MUCH more than the colon. And we bypass half of that.




To avoid kidney stones you must PRODUCE 2.5L of urine in 24 hours. (A small woman might be able to get away with 2.25L.) For me that means 105 ounces, more if I have a particularly sweaty day from exercise or heat.

 

[Pattycake813]

A much more cosmeic motive for hydration is that it good for the skin elasticity. Most of us have abused our skin by stretching it to the max... not that it will bounce right back if you drink water- but it sure does help. I'll take all the help I can get with trying to make my skin nice