Dehydration Is a Silent Threat and How To Prevent It
- Brainz Magazine
- Mar 13
- 7 min read
Melanie Lagan is a trained nurse and certified Integrative Health Practitioner specialising in Women's Wellness and Kidney Health. She is the founder of Wetherby Natural Health, an online wellness coaching service and, an expert voice in the field of holistic kidney health.
You’ve probably heard that drinking water is good for your health, but have you ever asked yourself why it’s so important? What exactly is dehydration, and why could it be a risk to your health—even threatening your kidneys? In this two-part series, we’ll dive deep into the topic of hydration and why it's essential for overall health and kidney function. We start by looking at what dehydration is and how it can affect you before sharing simple, practical strategies to help you stay hydrated, support your kidneys, and feel your best.
What is dehydration?
Dehydration describes a condition in which more fluid is lost than replaced, leading to a total body water deficit that affects normal function. Ongoing or chronic dehydration can cause significant health disruptions over time. The elderly, babies, and young children are particularly vulnerable to becoming dehydrated.
How does being dehydrated affect you?
Our bodies are over 70% water, and prominent water researchers such as Dr. Gerald Pollack explain that 99% of all bodily molecules are water molecules. Water is the most essential nutrient for all life as we know it and is vital for health. This is why being dehydrated affects us profoundly on a physical, mental, and even emotional level. Anxiety, dizziness, headaches, plummeting energy levels, joint pain, constipation, allergy flare-ups, and skin problems, to name just a few, can all be symptoms of a body water deficit.
Unlike some other nutrients, water isn’t stored in the body, and it is the role of the kidneys to maintain water balance.
Can dehydration cause kidney damage?
Adequate hydration is essential for kidney health. While the kidneys maintain healthy body water levels to safeguard against dehydration, they are blood-rich, sensitive organs that are highly susceptible to the damaging effects of dehydration.
When the body is low on water, blood pressure tends to drop due to reduced overall blood volume. The tiny blood vessels in the kidney tissues shrink or become clogged. The kidneys, which act as the body’s waste- and toxin-filtering units, excrete waste by producing urine, a process that requires water. In a dehydrated state, the kidneys must concentrate all the accumulating waste, such as urea, into a smaller amount of fluid for elimination, increasing the burden on these delicate organs.
Research has found that frequent or ongoing ‘mild dehydration’ can cause damage to the kidneys and contribute to the progression of all forms of chronic kidney disease. By contrast, an increased water intake has been shown to prevent urinary stones from recurring.
Causes of dehydration
Involuntary dehydration may result from multiple factors, including exercise, heat, cold, and other stressors imposed on the body, such as acute illness (e.g., diarrhoea, vomiting, or fever) or certain medications (diuretics, or "water tablets," being one example). A key cause of dehydration is insufficient intake of quality drinking water to compensate for its ongoing use in metabolic processes and its loss through the skin, urine, or stool. Another reason for a net deficit can be the inability of the cells to absorb water due to poor cell health or inferior water quality (I will be diving deeper into this in Part II).
Tip: Fluids such as alcohol, soft drinks, energy drinks, black tea, and coffee further compound a dehydrated state, as the body needs to use water to process them. These should not be counted as hydrating fluids.
3 tell-tale signs you may be dehydrated
How do you know whether you have enough body water onboard? Look out for these signs—they are the body’s warning signals that more fluid is needed:
Thirst is a classic, albeit late, warning sign that all is not well. As a healthy person, when you feel thirsty, you have probably already lost at least 1% of your body weight in water. Be aware that thirst sensation can be altered in hot or cold temperatures, in the context of acute or chronic disease, when taking medications, and in other circumstances. For example, people with chronic kidney disease may have an altered thirst reflex, while antihistamine drugs may cause dry mouth and increased thirst.
Dark, concentrated-looking urine is a visible sign of dehydration and a potential risk to kidney health, especially if it occurs regularly. It’s important to remember that some foods, such as carrots, beetroot, berries, and red wine, as well as certain medications, can also affect urine color. Urine that appears foamy or has a yeasty or ammonia-like smell could indicate kidney distress and should be assessed promptly by a qualified healthcare professional.
Skin changes, such as dry mucosae (e.g., the lining of the mouth or intestinal tract) and poor skin elasticity, are tell-tale signs of general dehydration, indicating a net water deficit of 3% or more. You can check this by pinching a fold of skin, for example, between your thumb and index finger using the fingers of your other hand. If the skin flattens back immediately, it indicates good elasticity. However, if the skin fold holds its shape for longer, it is a clear sign that you need to drink more water.
Practical tips for optimal hydration
So now you realize that you really should be drinking more water. This is a great starting point, but how much is enough for you? With the practical tips below, you can get started today on building healthy drinking habits (no pun intended) to feel your best!
Please note: This article does not constitute or replace medical assessment, advice, or treatment. The following recommendations are aimed at individuals who do not have a diagnosis of heart disease, advanced or end-stage chronic kidney disease, renal failure, or those who are on dialysis. They have very different medical and fluid needs, so they should always seek and follow advice from their kidney dietitian or doctor regarding recommended fluid intake. Equally, if you have a heart or other medical condition, please always confirm with your doctor or pharmacist first. You are responsible for ensuring that any measures you take to improve your health are appropriate for your circumstances.
Quality is key
I highly recommend sticking to the purest water you can access, ideally at room temperature. Learn more about water quality in Part II of this article series.
Drink the right amount of water for your individual needs
Needs may vary according to multiple factors, including age, activity level, metabolic rate, environment, medications, acute illness, fluid, and dietary intake. The UK government recommends consuming 6–8 glasses of fluids daily. From an integrative health perspective, a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t cut it, as personal (risk) factors are not accounted for. In my practice, I recommend clients drink 30 ml (ideally 35–40 ml) of high-quality water per kg of body weight. For example, if someone weighs 60 kg, this would mean aiming for a minimum water intake of 1.8 liters daily to stay adequately hydrated.
Kickstart your day with a deeply hydrating drink
After several hours of sleep, the body is most dehydrated in the morning. Drink approximately ½ liter of water on an empty stomach first thing before having a cup of coffee or tea. Add the tiniest pinch (about 1/8 tsp) of grey Celtic sea salt to replenish essential minerals, along with a squirt of lime or lemon to taste, to support the body in excreting waste products accumulated overnight.
Tip: Prepare your drink the night before and have it ready by your bedside when you wake up—easy!
Keep water reserves topped up throughout the day.
Body water is continually used for a myriad of processes and must be replenished regularly. Instead of binge drinking several glasses at once, adopt a habit of having water throughout the day at regular intervals. Aim for a 250 ml glass of pure water every hour.
Balance the effect of dehydrating drinks
The processing of soft drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, and even black tea or coffee draws on available body water. Drink an extra glass of water alongside or after consuming any of the drinks listed to maintain balance and avoid a net deficit, in addition to your total daily hydration target.
What else do you need to know?
To recap, water is essential for life and health. We have explored dehydration—why it matters, how to spot it, and the risks of ongoing dehydration to general well-being and kidney function. You now have practical strategies to help you determine and meet your hydration needs, which may differ from those of others.
Hydration status is a key component of the in-depth, whole-person assessment process I use with my wellness clients and an essential building block of a healthy lifestyle. Drinking sufficient high-quality water serves as both a preventative and therapeutic measure, and it can be a game-changer for those experiencing signs and symptoms of compromised health, including early-stage kidney problems.
Quantity or quality?
Drinking the right amount of water is just one part of the equation. Water quality and the ability of our cells to absorb the water we drink are equally important pieces of the puzzle. This is the focus of my next article (Part II) on hydration. We will dive deep into the topic of water itself to understand how to maximize absorption at the cellular level to promote health, well-being, and even longevity.
If you are committed to taking charge of your health but don’t know where or how to start, I am here to support, guide, and empower you. Just book a free connection call to see how I can help.
Melanie Lagan, Women's Wellness and Kidney Health Coach
Melanie Lagan is a nurse, Women's Wellness Coach and holistic kidney health expert who is committed to helping women reclaim their energy, calm and sense of well-being so they can live their best life, with confidence. Disillusioned after many years of nursing in the NHS, she trained as an Integrative Health Practitioner and Kidney Health Coach and created highly effective strategies for sustained client results. Melanie is the founder of online wellness coaching service Wetherby Natural Health.
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