What Is the Fastest Way to Cure Dehydration? Water, Tea, Electrolytes & Co.

Dehydration can be caused by several reasons, but what is the fastest way to cure dehydration? We'll share five tips on how to hydrate fast and how to avoid getting dehydrated.

Dehydration occurs when the body doesn’t take in enough water; this could be due to not drinking enough throughout the day, drinking too much alcohol, exercising and not rehydrating, sun exposure and excessive vomiting and diarrhea. Symptoms of dehydration are feeling weak, dizzy, having a headache, a dry mouth and dark urine. Severe dehydration, if left untreated, can cause kidney failure and heat stroke — so it’s important to always avoid becoming dehydrated.

Some simple steps can be taken to avoid getting dehydrated in the first place. However, if you find yourself experiencing the above symptoms, there are some things you can do to rehydrate. We’ll discuss the fastest way to cure dehydration and how to rehydrate fast at home.

How to Avoid Dehydration

Before we look at how to hydrate fast, let’s discuss how to avoid getting dehydrated in the first place. 

1. Avoid caffeine: Consuming too much caffeine can cause dehydration. This includes alcohol, energy drinks and chocolate.
2. Stay out of the heat: On hot days, avoid direct sunlight for too long and in humid conditions, try to find a cool place to rest in.
3. Drink water: Every day, we should drink eight 8 oz. glasses of water, more if exercising, vomiting, or if you have diarrhea.

It’s important to see a doctor if you believe you are suffering from severe dehydration. They will be able to assess whether to administer fluids more quickly via an IV. Let’s get on with discussing how to get hydrated fast.

1. Electrolytes Drinks

Electrolytes are minerals like potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which have an electric charge. They are found in our blood, bodily fluids and tissue, and are essential for hydration, muscle contraction, blood pressure regulation, pH balance, and nerve signaling. 

Increased loss of fluids from sweating, vomiting, or bouts of diarrhea can quickly lead to an electrolyte deficit. What’s the fastest way to rehydrate? To help keep your body in balance, try making homemade electrolyte drinks. Alternatively, if you’re working out, go for homemade Gatorade to boost your electrolytes, or for a low-sugar option, try homemade Pedialyte. Drinking fluids that contain electrolytes, like coconut water, are the fastest way to rehydrate at home.

2. How to Rehydrate Fast? Drink Water

Adults should drink around eight 8 oz. glasses of water per day — drinking water is the second fastest way to cure dehydration. So, if you find yourself feeling dehydrated, reach for a glass of water; however, try not to gulp down too much in one go — sip it slowly to avoid overwhelming your system. Be careful not to overhydrate. Learn more about the risks of overhydration: how much water is too much?

3. Drink Fat-Free Milk

Wondering how to rehydrate fast at home? Grab a glass of low-fat milk, which contains 90-99% water and a high level of electrolytes, so it’s very hydrating. Research has shown that low-fat milk can actually be just as hydrating as electrolyte drinks or water if food is eaten at the same time. However, it’s better to avoid milk if suffering from vomiting and diarrhea or after exercise, as it may cause an upset stomach. Next, let’s find out what else we can do to rehydrate fast.

4. Coffee and Tea Can Be Hydrating

As mentioned above, too much caffeine can cause dehydration and as we all know, tea and coffee contain caffeine. But if consumed in moderation, they can actually be hydrating. A 2014 study found that there was no difference between the body’s water level when participants drank only water or if they drank four cups of coffee per day. Dehydration only occurs when too much coffee is consumed, for example, more than 250mg per day. Caffeine can also boost energy. Check out more about whether tea is hydrating or dehydrating. Let’s look at the final way how to hydrate fast.

5. Fruit and Vegetables Contain Lots of Water

Certain foods are hydrating, such as fruits and vegetables, including strawberries, watermelon, cantaloupe, cabbage, squash, lettuce, pickles, celery and spinach. These all contain more than 90% water, meaning they’re very hydrating. Perhaps this is a more tasty way to get hydrated, but it is a bit slower than drinking water or electrolytes because food takes longer to digest than fluids. 

Read more:

• 8 Easy & Natural Home Remedies for Dry Mouth
• How to Naturally Fix Chapped Lips Fast
• Runner’s Diarrhea: Why You Get It & How to Prevent It

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Tags: Beverages Guide healthy ingredients