When you’re dehydrated, your body doesn’t have enough fluid and electrolytes to work properly. An average person on an average day needs about 3 quarts of water. But if you’re out in the hot sun or are exercising a lot, you need a lot more than that. You can also become dehydrated if you are vomiting, have diarrhea, or are sweating a lot. People who are elderly, very young, taking certain medications, or have a chronic illness are at greater risk.

Although they’re not the only organs affected by lack of water, the brain and eyes are especially vulnerable.

Signs of dehydration in adults include:

• Being thirsty
• Urinating less often than usual
• Dark-colored urine
• Dry skin
• Feeling tired
• Dizziness and fainting
• Muscle cramps

If you think you’re dehydrated, drink small amounts of water over a period of time. Drinking too much all at once can overload your stomach and make you throw up. If you are exercising in the heat and losing a lot of minerals in sweat, sports drinks can be helpful. Avoid any drinks that have caffeine.

Lastly, thirst is not the best indicator of being dehydrated. If you get thirsty, you’re already dehydrated. An easy indicator is the color of your urine, pale and clear means you’re well hydrated. If it’s dark yellow or orange, you should drink more fluids.

The absolute best way to hydrate is with Hydrogen Water. H2 water gets absorbed into our cells quicker than regular water providing optimal health benefits such as protection against free radicals.

See our article, How Hydrogen Works for more information about Hydrogen and Free Radicals.