Drinking less water normal after a few days?

(Matt) #1

Started a keto diet with some food combining discipline a few days ago, I noticed I’m drinking a lot less water, although before it would be a lot admittedly. I work in a shared office and would go through 6 bottles of 500ml water from the fridge in the space of 7-8hrs each and every day. Now it’s half way through the day and I’ve not finished my 1st bottle yet - guess Ill finish on 2, similar yesterday - albeit more though I think I did 3, and day before 4… Is this normal? I read I should be drinking water more but seems the automatic non-stop drinking is fading?

#2

Odd. I surely drank much more in the beginning… You drink less even in total? As I often drink extremely little during the day but I drink much at night… Maybe your eating timing changed and that affects it somehow? Or your body is confused and for some reason, it results in this? I really don’t know but it’s interesting…
Whatever is the reason, you need to drink enough. It matters little how much you drink in 8 hours (I would wonder about it myself but it seemingly doesn’t affect my health), the daily total is what matters.

(UsedToBeT2D) #3

Are you diabetic? High blood sugars will increase thirst, keto drops blood sugar, hence you’ll be less thirsty.

#4

I think water intake is just ‘us’ ya know. Some days I drink like a maniac, other days I barely drink 1 big old glass of water. I don’t know truly, I go all over with water in my years on plan so? I say if you feel good, don’t worry. Drink as you want. Never force, just eat/drink and live :sunny:
In fact like 3 days ago I drank so much water I even commented to my husband, like, wow, I can’t believe I am going thru this much water and still want more and I drank all day straight up to bed time. It was a big water day for me for some reason LOL For most of us things change around as we heal and change so…just go with the flow on it :slight_smile:

(Matt) #5

Thanks all.

To KetoType2, I dont think so, never been tested. Hmm interesting… I’ll keep going to try to force consumption of water which used to be automatic.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #6

There is no need to force water beyond what you need to satisfy your thirst. Some considerations that may be involved in your experience are the fact that glucose (i.e., carbohydrate) intake causes water retention, and it also slows down the excretion of sodium. These are possible reasons for needing more water on a high-carbohydrate diet.

It is possible that you are not getting quite enough sodium in your diet, now that you are eating ketogenically, so you might see if that is an issue. Recent studies have shown that the healthiest range of salt intake is 10-15 grams a day (2-3 U.S. teaspoons), inclusive of salt already present in food. If you increase your salt intake, it might increase your thirst somewhat.

In any case, “drinking to thirst,” as Dr. Tim Noakes puts it, is the best course of action. Dr. Noakes, a noted marathoner and sports physician, was the first to recommend that athletes needed to stay hydrated, but his concern is now that sports-drink companies are recommending a dangerously high intake. (In the past few years, many runners have collapsed at races from overhydration, and several have died.) If drinking to thirst is enough for athletes, then it is surely enough for the rest of us.

#7

Except the many people who haven’t proper thirst and barely drink. I don’t get it as my thirst is very enthusiastic and it’s illogical for me not to have a properly working thirst but we read everywhere that many people drink way too little (and it’s similar to hunger. some people undereat and doesn’t feel hunger)… I knew such people myself. But I am against forcing big amounts of water on everyone too, I saw such people on forums among the most respected ones…

#8

Yea listen to Paul on this one. Don’t force? Why? Old habits, old drinking/food intake and everything change as we heal and restore our bodies so? why force when it could be the right step for health?

Just drink when thirsty. It is very simple :wink:

(Matt) #9

Hi Paul,

Interesting, a lot to think about. I think I’m below 10grams of salt per day so thats something I need to look at.

Confused by the science, water rention makes one thirsty? (seems counter intituive on the surface?)? And salt excretion from where to what? From cells to blood? if there a decent article to read to avoid repeating please share that if you can, appreciated. Thanks

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #10

If you are eating in a way that causes you to retain water, you will need to drink in order to have water to retain.

As far as excreting sodium is concerned, the kidneys play a huge role in keeping the proper level of salt in the bloodstream by filtering it out of the blood and putting it in the urine, so it will leave the body. As already mentioned, the kidney’s normal rate is faster than we experience when we eat a high carbohydrate diet. Part of this is because we need more salt to keep the proper balance between salt inside cells (retaining water means a need for more salt) and salt in the blood serum. Another part of this is that insulin causes the kidneys to excrete less sodium. When we go keto, the kidneys return to that normal, faster rate of excreting sodium, so we may need to work a bit to keep our intake up. The benefit of getting enough salt is that it aids the body in keeping proper levels of potassium, magnesium, and calcium, since they are all regulated by interlinked mechanisms.