Confusing thirst and hunger?

SirBonerFart

I've seen this myth reported many times on MFP blogs and forum posts.

Has anyone ever actually seen any evidence of this? I would like to see some sources. I believe its false and would have been detrimental to the human race
:flowerforyou:

usmcmp

False: when I drink two gallons a day I am more hungry.

ostrichagain

Right now I am actually thirsty, but for some reason my brain thinks a sandwich would help with that. Just like when I'm stressed out and my brain says, "eat all the food!"

It's completely ridiculous. I wouldn't say I'm confused, but some wire is crossed somewhere.

aliciamhosein

"The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because the thirst mechanism is so weak. By doing so, the body is led to think that it needs food when what it’s really asking for is water. Moreover, the fact that the symptoms of dehydration (i.e. feeling weak, dizzy and cranky) mimic those of hunger contribute to people’s confusion between the two signals.

Not a lot of people know that you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink. Generally, the thirst mechanism kicks in when you’re around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated, which is measured by body weight change due to sweat loss. Real dehydration occurs by the time at least 2 percent of your body weight is reduced, causing you to suffer side effects like headaches and nausea sooner. Stock up on water all day long to avoid this.

Apart from avoiding those unhealthy symptoms, having enough water in your daily diet fills you up, helping you avoid overeating. When you lack consumption of water, your body is quicker to experience dehydration. Aside from water assisting in the flushing out of toxins in the body, it also eases digestion and blood circulation. Drinking enough water will help ensure that you are not mistaking thirst for hunger, which can help keep weight loss in check.

Listen to what your body signals you to do. Do not be tempted to reach for whatever snack is in sight at the first sign of “hunger”. Your best bet to identify whether that feeling is hunger or thirst is to drink water, approximately 8 ounces, upon the first time you’re brain tells you that you’re hungry. Wait 15 minutes before you decide. If you were truly hungry, that feeling of wanting to eat something won’t leave while if you were actually thirsty, then you’ll feel satisfied.
The moment you establish that you are, in fact, hungry, do stay away from foods that are full of empty calories. Opt for fiber-rich snacks, which are low in fat and high in antioxidants. Oatmeal, bran flakes and apples are excellent, easily available sources. Berries, red and purple-skinned grapes, which coincidentally contain resveratrol, a compound known to facilitate caloric restriction, are also some of the high-fiber foods you can guiltlessly munch on."

<http://www.pureandhealthy.com/blog/2010/08/hungry-you-could-be-confusing-it-for-thirst/&gt;

SirBonerFart

"The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because the thirst mechanism is so weak. By doing so, the body is led to think that it needs food when what it’s really asking for is water. Moreover, the fact that the symptoms of dehydration (i.e. feeling weak, dizzy and cranky) mimic those of hunger contribute to people’s confusion between the two signals.

Not a lot of people know that you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink. Generally, the thirst mechanism kicks in when you’re around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated, which is measured by body weight change due to sweat loss. Real dehydration occurs by the time at least 2 percent of your body weight is reduced, causing you to suffer side effects like headaches and nausea sooner. Stock up on water all day long to avoid this.

Apart from avoiding those unhealthy symptoms, having enough water in your daily diet fills you up, helping you avoid overeating. When you lack consumption of water, your body is quicker to experience dehydration. Aside from water assisting in the flushing out of toxins in the body, it also eases digestion and blood circulation. Drinking enough water will help ensure that you are not mistaking thirst for hunger, which can help keep weight loss in check.

Listen to what your body signals you to do. Do not be tempted to reach for whatever snack is in sight at the first sign of “hunger”. Your best bet to identify whether that feeling is hunger or thirst is to drink water, approximately 8 ounces, upon the first time you’re brain tells you that you’re hungry. Wait 15 minutes before you decide. If you were truly hungry, that feeling of wanting to eat something won’t leave while if you were actually thirsty, then you’ll feel satisfied.
The moment you establish that you are, in fact, hungry, do stay away from foods that are full of empty calories. Opt for fiber-rich snacks, which are low in fat and high in antioxidants. Oatmeal, bran flakes and apples are excellent, easily available sources. Berries, red and purple-skinned grapes, which coincidentally contain resveratrol, a compound known to facilitate caloric restriction, are also some of the high-fiber foods you can guiltlessly munch on."

<http://www.pureandhealthy.com/blog/2010/08/hungry-you-could-be-confusing-it-for-thirst/&gt;

Sorry I should have clarified. I meant a trustworthy source not a blog :flowerforyou:

aliciamhosein

"The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because the thirst mechanism is so weak. By doing so, the body is led to think that it needs food when what it’s really asking for is water. Moreover, the fact that the symptoms of dehydration (i.e. feeling weak, dizzy and cranky) mimic those of hunger contribute to people’s confusion between the two signals.

Not a lot of people know that you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink. Generally, the thirst mechanism kicks in when you’re around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated, which is measured by body weight change due to sweat loss. Real dehydration occurs by the time at least 2 percent of your body weight is reduced, causing you to suffer side effects like headaches and nausea sooner. Stock up on water all day long to avoid this.

Apart from avoiding those unhealthy symptoms, having enough water in your daily diet fills you up, helping you avoid overeating. When you lack consumption of water, your body is quicker to experience dehydration. Aside from water assisting in the flushing out of toxins in the body, it also eases digestion and blood circulation. Drinking enough water will help ensure that you are not mistaking thirst for hunger, which can help keep weight loss in check.

Listen to what your body signals you to do. Do not be tempted to reach for whatever snack is in sight at the first sign of “hunger”. Your best bet to identify whether that feeling is hunger or thirst is to drink water, approximately 8 ounces, upon the first time you’re brain tells you that you’re hungry. Wait 15 minutes before you decide. If you were truly hungry, that feeling of wanting to eat something won’t leave while if you were actually thirsty, then you’ll feel satisfied.
The moment you establish that you are, in fact, hungry, do stay away from foods that are full of empty calories. Opt for fiber-rich snacks, which are low in fat and high in antioxidants. Oatmeal, bran flakes and apples are excellent, easily available sources. Berries, red and purple-skinned grapes, which coincidentally contain resveratrol, a compound known to facilitate caloric restriction, are also some of the high-fiber foods you can guiltlessly munch on."

<http://www.pureandhealthy.com/blog/2010/08/hungry-you-could-be-confusing-it-for-thirst/&gt;

Sorry I should have clarified. I meant a trustworthy source not a blog :flowerforyou:

WEBMD

Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/15-best-diet-tips-ever

firstsip

"The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because the thirst mechanism is so weak. By doing so, the body is led to think that it needs food when what it’s really asking for is water. Moreover, the fact that the symptoms of dehydration (i.e. feeling weak, dizzy and cranky) mimic those of hunger contribute to people’s confusion between the two signals.

Not a lot of people know that you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink. Generally, the thirst mechanism kicks in when you’re around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated, which is measured by body weight change due to sweat loss. Real dehydration occurs by the time at least 2 percent of your body weight is reduced, causing you to suffer side effects like headaches and nausea sooner. Stock up on water all day long to avoid this.

Apart from avoiding those unhealthy symptoms, having enough water in your daily diet fills you up, helping you avoid overeating. When you lack consumption of water, your body is quicker to experience dehydration. Aside from water assisting in the flushing out of toxins in the body, it also eases digestion and blood circulation. Drinking enough water will help ensure that you are not mistaking thirst for hunger, which can help keep weight loss in check.

Listen to what your body signals you to do. Do not be tempted to reach for whatever snack is in sight at the first sign of “hunger”. Your best bet to identify whether that feeling is hunger or thirst is to drink water, approximately 8 ounces, upon the first time you’re brain tells you that you’re hungry. Wait 15 minutes before you decide. If you were truly hungry, that feeling of wanting to eat something won’t leave while if you were actually thirsty, then you’ll feel satisfied.
The moment you establish that you are, in fact, hungry, do stay away from foods that are full of empty calories. Opt for fiber-rich snacks, which are low in fat and high in antioxidants. Oatmeal, bran flakes and apples are excellent, easily available sources. Berries, red and purple-skinned grapes, which coincidentally contain resveratrol, a compound known to facilitate caloric restriction, are also some of the high-fiber foods you can guiltlessly munch on."

<http://www.pureandhealthy.com/blog/2010/08/hungry-you-could-be-confusing-it-for-thirst/&gt;

Sorry I should have clarified. I meant a trustworthy source not a blog :flowerforyou:

WEBMD

Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/15-best-diet-tips-ever

Source?

usmcmp

"The truth is, most people confuse thirst and hunger, often mistaking the former for the latter. Clinical studies have shown that 37% of people mistake hunger for thirst because the thirst mechanism is so weak. By doing so, the body is led to think that it needs food when what it’s really asking for is water. Moreover, the fact that the symptoms of dehydration (i.e. feeling weak, dizzy and cranky) mimic those of hunger contribute to people’s confusion between the two signals.

Not a lot of people know that you don’t necessarily have to wait until you’re thirsty to grab a drink. Generally, the thirst mechanism kicks in when you’re around 1 to 2 percent dehydrated, which is measured by body weight change due to sweat loss. Real dehydration occurs by the time at least 2 percent of your body weight is reduced, causing you to suffer side effects like headaches and nausea sooner. Stock up on water all day long to avoid this.

Apart from avoiding those unhealthy symptoms, having enough water in your daily diet fills you up, helping you avoid overeating. When you lack consumption of water, your body is quicker to experience dehydration. Aside from water assisting in the flushing out of toxins in the body, it also eases digestion and blood circulation. Drinking enough water will help ensure that you are not mistaking thirst for hunger, which can help keep weight loss in check.

Listen to what your body signals you to do. Do not be tempted to reach for whatever snack is in sight at the first sign of “hunger”. Your best bet to identify whether that feeling is hunger or thirst is to drink water, approximately 8 ounces, upon the first time you’re brain tells you that you’re hungry. Wait 15 minutes before you decide. If you were truly hungry, that feeling of wanting to eat something won’t leave while if you were actually thirsty, then you’ll feel satisfied.
The moment you establish that you are, in fact, hungry, do stay away from foods that are full of empty calories. Opt for fiber-rich snacks, which are low in fat and high in antioxidants. Oatmeal, bran flakes and apples are excellent, easily available sources. Berries, red and purple-skinned grapes, which coincidentally contain resveratrol, a compound known to facilitate caloric restriction, are also some of the high-fiber foods you can guiltlessly munch on."

<http://www.pureandhealthy.com/blog/2010/08/hungry-you-could-be-confusing-it-for-thirst/&gt;

Sorry I should have clarified. I meant a trustworthy source not a blog :flowerforyou:

WEBMD

Best Diet Tip No. 1: Drink plenty of water or other calorie-free beverages.

People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. So you can end up eating extra calories when an ice-cold glass of water is really what you need.

"If you don't like plain water, try adding citrus or a splash of juice, or brew infused teas like mango or peach, which have lots of flavor but no calories," says Cynthia Sass, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/15-best-diet-tips-ever

lol@ WebMD for a trustworthy source.

run2bfree

I have this. I went to a nutritionist to help me. I often would eat because I thought I was hungry and barely drank any fluids all day - leading to becoming very dehydrated. basically she said, if you feel it in your belly, you are hungry. If you feel hungry in your mouth or head - then drink water. Common sense, yes but when you can't tell the difference, you can't tell....

aliciamhosein

According to Kari-Ann Harrison, Products Specialist, in 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often confused with hunger. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%. (http://www.calorad-distributors.com/water.htm)

usmcmp

According to Kari-Ann Harrison, Products Specialist, in 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is often confused with hunger. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. Mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%. (http://www.calorad-distributors.com/water.htm)

They sell water, not a good source.

coco3382458

what would be a good source?

aliciamhosein

Why is Hydration Important?


Maintaining good hydration is absolutely critical to maintaining good health, and it becomes even more important to pay attention to as we age. As we get older the body "dries out", and our tendons and ligaments become less resilient. Poor hydration can lead to constipation, dry and itchy skin, acne, nose bleeds, repeated urinary tract infections, dry coughs, sneezing, sinus pressure, and headaches and fatigue, which can be the result of toxins building up in our bodies. Poor hydration weakens the body's immune system and leads to chemical, nutritional and pH imbalances, which can eventually cause sickness and premature aging. Lack of being sufficiently hydrated is the number one trigger of daytime fatigue, and a mere two percent drop in body water can trigger short-term memory problems and difficulty focusing on reading a computer screen or printed page.

Being properly hydrated can also help you lose weight. In 37% of people, the thirst mechanism is so weak it's mistaken for hunger, causing you to ingest calories you don't need, when you could have solved your hunger with a zero-calorie glass of water! In fact, one glass of water will shut down hunger pains for almost 100% of dieters.

We lose about a quart and a half of water per day just through breathing, and overall, we lose over three quarts a day. Clearly it's critical we replace that water, and understand when and how much is needed to hydrate ourselves.

How can you tell if you're properly hydrated? The first question to ask yourself is: are you thirsty? If so, chances are you need more liquid. Also, check the color of your urine. Is it light yellow? If so, it's likely you're properly hydrated. If not, and you haven't recently eaten foods like beets, carrots, asparagus, or fava beans, which can turn your urine red, orange, green and brown, respectively, chances are you might be dehydrated. (Note also that some medications can cause your urine to change color.)

Of course the best way to tell if you're dehydrated is to test yourself with Stayhealthy's BC3 Body Composition Analyzer. It's also very important to be properly hydrated to ensure consistent measurements using the BC3. We suggest making sure you're adequately hydrated each day and take your body composition readings at the same time of day. This will provide the greatest consistency to your readings and provide the best information over time.

For more information on hydration, please refer to this Technical Health Bulletin (PDF).



1. All data, except where otherwise noted, sourced from an article by Glenn Ellis, a syndicated health columnist and radio commentator, and author of Which Doctor? http://blackpressusa.com/news/Article.asp?SID=4&Title=Department&NewsID=9340





2. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
if Mayo clinic is not a good source I don't know what is. lmfao

aliciamhosein

btw all of my sources state the very same thing about hunger and thirst..... so in my opinion they must be accurate.

buzzcockgirl

what would be a good source?

What she said. I mean, what is a good source? If not the internet, not WebMD, not a blog, not a company that sells water (and presumably has done some research on it's product), then.... I guess it has to come straight from ... who? A dietician? I could say: "my dietician told me a lot of people confuse thirst for hunger", but you'd say - and what are his credentials?
I know for me, I can fill up on water. If I'm feeling like eating (hunger? boredom?) but I'm "out" of calories or in between snacks or meals... I chug water. I may not have been thirsty, but it does satisfy me somewhat, fills my stomach up a bit and buys me some more time until dinner or whatever.

There- that's a reliable source. I know it to be true, as it comes from ME!

I guess overall, it's up to each person. The same thing can't be true for everyone... but for me, it works.

MB_Positif

When I drink more water, I have to pee a lot, but when I eat a lot I don't pee any extra. Now, that is confusing.

aliciamhosein

When I drink more water, I have to pee a lot, but when I eat a lot I don't pee any extra. Now, that is confusing.

lol

SirBonerFart

what would be a good source?

Something from a peer reviewed journal? physiology book? Anything but random websites

BrainyBurro

I've seen this myth reported many times on MFP blogs and forum posts.

Has anyone ever actually seen any evidence of this? I would like to see some sources. I believe its false and would have been detrimental to the human race
:flowerforyou:

i've always treated it as silly and obvious broscience.

an actual physiological description of the mechanism that sounds plausible might be enough for me to change my mind. i've just not heard one before.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Doesn't work for me. If I'm hungry and I drink a bunch of water I just end up sloshy, stabby, and still hungry.

Achrya

Doesn't work for me. If I'm hungry and I drink a bunch of water I just end up sloshy, stabby, and still hungry.

This. If I drink water when I'm hungry 20 minutes later I'm still hungry AND I have to pee. That is not a win in my book.

BeachIron

I'm pretty sure I can identify the difference but given the level of critical thinking skills demonstrated in the MFP forums on a daily basis I need to point out that my experience is merely anecdotal and other's results may vary.

amybg1

OK folks let's simplify things a bit here and say that the best source for this 'myth' is YOU! Each person's body functions differently, what signals we get can mean something different from one person to the next. For ME this would be true - if I haven't been drinking my usual amount I will feel it in my stomach, when I'm not super dehydrated it will feel different than hunger but if I am pretty dehydrated (before any of the obvious signs show up) I will feel like I am hungry. And so have some water, maybe a cup or two all depending on your dehydration level and wait a few minutes. If the feeling subsides, you're dehydrated and if not then you're hungry.

OBVIOUSLY this won't work for everyone but for some it does. Look at it this way: If you gave 10 girls the EXACT same pair of pants to wear and we established that ALL wore a size 8 would the pair of pants fit ALL of them the same? No. So in this same sense, everyone's signals work differently and so what is an indicator for someone isn't for another. Plain and simple

kelsully

When I drink more water, I have to pee a lot, but when I eat a lot I don't pee any extra. Now, that is confusing.

drinking more water helps though when you also eat a lot of food because then you get to poop too.

SirBonerFart

I'm pretty sure I can identify the difference but given the level of critical thinking skills demonstrated in the MFP forums on a daily basis I need to point out that my experience is merely anecdotal and other's results may vary.

Good point

SirBonerFart

OK folks let's simplify things a bit here and say that the best source for this 'myth' is YOU! Each person's body functions differently, what signals we get can mean something different from one person to the next. For ME this would be true - if I haven't been drinking my usual amount I will feel it in my stomach, when I'm not super dehydrated it will feel different than hunger but if I am pretty dehydrated (before any of the obvious signs show up) I will feel like I am hungry. And so have some water, maybe a cup or two all depending on your dehydration level and wait a few minutes. If the feeling subsides, you're dehydrated and if not then you're hungry.

OBVIOUSLY this won't work for everyone but for some it does. Look at it this way: If you gave 10 girls the EXACT same pair of pants to wear and we established that ALL wore a size 8 would the pair of pants fit ALL of them the same? No. So in this same sense, everyone's signals work differently and so what is an indicator for someone isn't for another. Plain and simple

I was not really looking for anecdotal evidence but thank you for your input :flowerforyou:

PhattiPhat

Yeah, the whole "you might be confusing thirst with hunger" seems like bull in my case. Drinking water does nothing.

However, it does work for headaches.

usmcmp

I'm pretty sure I can identify the difference but given the level of critical thinking skills demonstrated in the MFP forums on a daily basis I need to point out that my experience is merely anecdotal and other's results may vary.

I love you Beach!

usmcmp

what would be a good source?

Peer reviewed study. Article from a science journal. They keep saying hunger mechanism or thirst mechanism, but I'm 100% sure I never saw that body part in an anatomy book.

ikopke

Here is a reliable (peer reviewed) source on the issue of debate (still in debate)

"Hunger and Thirst: Issues in measurement and prediction of eating and drinking"
Richard D. Mattes, MPH, PhD, RD
Physiol Behav. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 April 26.
Published in final edited form as:
Physiol Behav. 2010 April 26; 100(1): 22–32.
Published online 2010 January 11. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2009.12.026
PMCID: PMC2849909
NIHMSID: NIHMS175763


You can read the paper at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2849909/


OR

Thirst-drinking, hunger-eating; tight coupling?
J Am Diet Assoc. 2009 Mar;109(3):486-90. doi: 10.1016/j.jada.2008.11.027.
McKiernan F, Hollis JH, McCabe GP, Mattes RD.

You can read the paper at:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2671201/

There's quite a few that link from these too.

Cheers,
I.

kellymarie31

I have a personal anecdote about hunger being confused with thirst that includes hard data. Not quite what you requested, but still provides some food for thought.

This is long, but bear with me:

I used to be 230 pounds and suffered from a severe heart arrhythmia. My heart condition progressively got worse over a couple of years despite significant intervention (3 ablations, multiple hearts meds, frequent hospitalizations, etc.). I was also very hungry during this time, but didn't really think much of it because I assumed it was just a self-control issue with food.

Eventually, my heart condition got so bad that my heart started to fail and I was hospitalized for a long time (about 6 six weeks). During that long hospitalization, doctors discovered that a part of my body which affects hydration levels (the pituitary) had stopped working properly. That condition, called Central DI, was causing me to be chronically (and seriously) dehydrated, and it was putting a lot of stress on my heart.

For treatment, I was started on a replacement pituitary medicine, DDAVP, which forced my body to hold onto the water I drank so that I did't become dangerously dehydrated.

The result of this treatment was that not only did my heart improve once I was hydrated, but my hunger significantly decreased. I ended up losing over 70 lbs. after starting DDAVP in 2010, and the weight has not come back. I started tracking my weight loss here on MFP after I had lost the first 40 or so pounds.

What I realized was that the entire time I was heavy I thought I was hungry, but I was actually thirsty. Once proper hydration was restored, my eating adjusted to normal on its own.

To this day, I can tell if I need to increase my DDAVP dosage or drink more water by paying attention to whether I am still hungry after a meal that should have been adequate in calories.

Of course, this is an extreme example - most people on here do not have a pituitary problem that causes dehydration. But I do think my experience illustrates that confusing thirst with hunger is something that can actually happen, even if it is a rare occurrence.