Caffeinated Beverages COUNT Toward Water Intake **Please rea
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tseecka
Posts: 90 Member
NB: I know this isn't NEW news, but in the last few days I have spoken to a lot of people about this, both on MFP and offline. Thought it might be worth to share some irrefutable resources. 
I was having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of "more liquids = dehydration" in the context of caffeinated drinks, including coffee and tea. I've heard it around a lot, but never really understood how it all worked, so I went digging.
Eventually, my internet searching led me to a publication by the Institute of Medicine, back in 2005. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate." Yeah, it's a mouthful. The entire text is available online for free, and I do encourage you to take a quick search through it if you're interested in information on any of those five components.
The one I was interested in, however, was water, and more specifically, the correlation between water intake and caffeinated drinks. (Also alcohol, but let's not get into that ;P)
As I went through the book systematically to find any references to caffeine, I eventually reached pages 457 and 458. I provide a VERY interesting quote from those pages in reference to caffeinated drinks:
" Ingestion of fluids containing caffeine and alcohol, known to result in diuresis, are not associated with increased incidence of dehydration or body water deficits; thus their consumption can contribute to the total body water needs of individuals." (Referenced from the Institute of Medicine, 2001).
I haven't found any more recent research yet, though I'm still looking; but my understanding from this and other information sourced from this text is that, while caffeinated and alcoholic drinks DO act as diuretics, the RESULT is not an overall DECREASE in the amount of body water; therefore, things like drinking two cups of water to make up for a cup of coffee are in fact myths, and unnecessary.
If you're interested, you can read the entire text at the following link. I doubt anyone will read the whole thing, it is very long and rather dry, but do use it as a reference if you have any questions about those particular aspects of diet and nutrition.
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10925&page=R1
And an additional note on the subject:
"In his review, “Caffeine, Body Fluid-Electrolyte Balance, and Exercise Performance,” Lawrence E. Armstrong, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Connecticut disproves the notion that caffeinated beverages rob us of our precious fluids. By reviewing the scientific research on the subject, he concludes that although caffeine, like water, is a mild diuresis (it increases excretion of urine), moderate caffeine consumption does not produce a “fluid-electrolyte imbalance” that can affect health or exercise performance. Furthermore, we retain roughly the same amount of fluid after drinking a caffeinated beverage as we do after drinking water."
Quoted from: http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what
The article in question can be found at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/559762 (you may need to create an account)
I was having trouble wrapping my head around the idea of "more liquids = dehydration" in the context of caffeinated drinks, including coffee and tea. I've heard it around a lot, but never really understood how it all worked, so I went digging.
Eventually, my internet searching led me to a publication by the Institute of Medicine, back in 2005. "Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate." Yeah, it's a mouthful. The entire text is available online for free, and I do encourage you to take a quick search through it if you're interested in information on any of those five components.
The one I was interested in, however, was water, and more specifically, the correlation between water intake and caffeinated drinks. (Also alcohol, but let's not get into that ;P)
As I went through the book systematically to find any references to caffeine, I eventually reached pages 457 and 458. I provide a VERY interesting quote from those pages in reference to caffeinated drinks:
" Ingestion of fluids containing caffeine and alcohol, known to result in diuresis, are not associated with increased incidence of dehydration or body water deficits; thus their consumption can contribute to the total body water needs of individuals." (Referenced from the Institute of Medicine, 2001).
I haven't found any more recent research yet, though I'm still looking; but my understanding from this and other information sourced from this text is that, while caffeinated and alcoholic drinks DO act as diuretics, the RESULT is not an overall DECREASE in the amount of body water; therefore, things like drinking two cups of water to make up for a cup of coffee are in fact myths, and unnecessary.
If you're interested, you can read the entire text at the following link. I doubt anyone will read the whole thing, it is very long and rather dry, but do use it as a reference if you have any questions about those particular aspects of diet and nutrition.
http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=10925&page=R1
And an additional note on the subject:
"In his review, “Caffeine, Body Fluid-Electrolyte Balance, and Exercise Performance,” Lawrence E. Armstrong, a professor of exercise physiology at the University of Connecticut disproves the notion that caffeinated beverages rob us of our precious fluids. By reviewing the scientific research on the subject, he concludes that although caffeine, like water, is a mild diuresis (it increases excretion of urine), moderate caffeine consumption does not produce a “fluid-electrolyte imbalance” that can affect health or exercise performance. Furthermore, we retain roughly the same amount of fluid after drinking a caffeinated beverage as we do after drinking water."
Quoted from: http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what
The article in question can be found at: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/559762 (you may need to create an account)
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Replies
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I drink water. I don't drink soda. 2-3 coffee's a month.
Soda's are bad. I learned that.
Also, that needs cliff notes lol.0 -
Oooh, very interesting. Especially considering I'm on something like my 5th cup of coffee today (probably not the best idea, but I am *incredibly* focused.
)
It's also my understanding that the "8 glasses of water" standard that you hear bandied about is a bit of a misrepresentation, and that in fact, that's the TOTAL amount of water we should be taking in a day, including from our food, other beverages, etc. Which means that for all of us who can't seem to choke down 8 actual glasses of water a day, we're still probably doing pretty OK, as long as our diet isn't mostly dehydrated foods. 0 -
thank you for this post. Very informative and relieving. I like my coffee in the mornings AND a cup in the evening as well at times.
Mary0 -
Thank you for posting! :happy:0
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I was so sick of this discussion and questions about it that I put links in my signature.
I wish more people would realize that what you need are FLUIDS and it doesn't have to be just plain water.
Everydays someone posts how they have trouble gagging down enough plain water or how miserable they are having to stop drinking coffee..... this does not have to feel like a punishment
OMG I just realized they removed my signature links? WTF?0 -
Yes, that's totally correct. Ask any qualified nutritional and they'll tell you the same thing. The Diuretic effect of caffeine is minimal, whereas it's nearly all water.
Look at it this way: There are plenty of people who only drink coffee or tea. They never drink water. If it dehydrated them, they would be dead since they're not getting any water, only caffeinated drinks.0 -
I'm a researcher at heart - you did a great job! I read recently, probably on MFP, that sodas and coffee do count toward the fluid intake, in moderation of course. I was told by my office neighbor, a former P.A., that as long as our urine is mostly clear we are good to go and considered hydrated. I stopped drinking water for the most part, still had clear urine. I wasn't losing weight. I started drinking the 8 glasses of water again and I got over the hump I needed and hit a new goal. For what that's worth....0
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I drink water. I don't drink soda. 2-3 coffee's a month.
Soda's are bad. I learned that.
Also, that needs cliff notes lol.
I cut out soda entirely myself. Any drink may contribute to water intake, but the sugars and the carbs contribute to weight gain. If you cut out soda from your diet, you'll lose a TON of weight.0 -
It's also my understanding that the "8 glasses of water" standard that you hear bandied about is a bit of a misrepresentation, and that in fact, that's the TOTAL amount of water we should be taking in a day, including from our food, other beverages, etc. Which means that for all of us who can't seem to choke down 8 actual glasses of water a day, we're still probably doing pretty OK, as long as our diet isn't mostly dehydrated foods.
I believe that earlier in that same section of the text (Page 456, 457) it does touch on that fact, yes.0 -
Here are the links that used to be in my signature about this topic:
How much water a day? (By the Mayo Clinic)
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283
http://www.divinecaroline.com/22178/46361-coffee-makes-dehydrated-say-what
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/drinking-enough-water-topic-overview
http://www.livestrong.com/article/466085-can-you-substiture-green-tea-for-the-8-glasses-of-water-a-day/
"Eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Another approach to water intake is the "8 x 8 rule" — drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day (about 1.9 liters). The rule could also be stated, "Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of fluid a day," as all fluids count toward the daily total. Although the approach really isn't supported by scientific evidence, many people use this easy-to-remember rule as a guideline for how much water and other fluids to drink."0 -
I'm a researcher at heart - you did a great job!
Ahahaha--thank you! I'm just over a year out of university but apparently I kind of miss the whole Google-Fu Research aspect of things, who knew?
After four years of having it drilled into my head by professors to ALWAYS QUOTE YOUR SOURCES it's second nature for me to go digging for proper scholarly articles any time I try to make a point or I want to gain understanding on a subject.
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I don't know... every time I drink alcohol, I always get extremely thirsty, and my skin dries out. I don't know about caffeine, because I don't drink enough to notice. I am still a skeptic 0
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I think the major problems that come with coffee and tea don't so much have to do with dehydration and the coffee and tea in and of its self, but it's when people start putting sugar and cream into them when they don't help with weight loss. I've been off coffee for a couple months now and it's not becuase I had just black coffee and thought it was unhealthy, it was because I needed my coffee to be half sugar and cream and I would drink 2, 3 and sometimes 4 cups a day. That's what was unhealthy. Also, since quiting after the initial withdrawals I quite having headackes too.0
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I completely believe the research but for some reason I get very thirsty after drinking coffee. Every morning I have 2 cups of coffee and then don't feel like my thirst gets quenched until I have 4-6 cups of water after. Any clue what causes the thirst if not for dehydration?0
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I drink water. I don't drink soda. 2-3 coffee's a month.
Soda's are bad. I learned that.
Also, that needs cliff notes lol.
Yeah, by all means! All the additives in many of our favourite caffeinated drinks really act against the health benefits of "fluids fluids and more fluids". But in the case of coffee and tea, if you're drinking it straight/black, there is really very little extra that you're taking in to your body besides water, and nothing whatsoever to be concerned over.
Ah Cliff's Notes. You can do a search at the bottom of the page for any term you're interested in, and it will show you where it pops up in each section. That's how I found the caffeine info I posted. 0 -
Good post OP, heres another link about research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I drink a lot of green tea and a couple of real teas time to time
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm0 -
I don't know... every time I drink alcohol, I always get extremely thirsty, and my skin dries out. I don't know about caffeine, because I don't drink enough to notice. I am still a skeptic
From my understanding--and this is just me, so don't quote me on this :P--caffeine and alcohol are still diuretics, so yes, they can cause water loss and mild dehydration, as well as thirst. But in terms of your total body water, fluids in/fluids out, and what our bodies need to function, they still supply what is necessary.
As someone else said, if someone drank nothing but coffee or alcohol for two weeks, they wouldn't die from dehydration. That's basically what it boils down to. (Alcohol poisoning, on the other hand...)0 -
YES! A post based on actual science, not just "yes it does," "no it doesn't."
Thank you for bringing something concrete to the forums -- and also -- YAY!! My coffee and tea counts!!0 -
Agreed!I'm a researcher at heart - you did a great job!
Ahahaha--thank you! I'm just over a year out of university but apparently I kind of miss the whole Google-Fu Research aspect of things, who knew?
After four years of having it drilled into my head by professors to ALWAYS QUOTE YOUR SOURCES it's second nature for me to go digging for proper scholarly articles any time I try to make a point or I want to gain understanding on a subject.
I have a teacher right now that is making us do a website annotated bib and I am having the hardest time, because I never use websites unless they're governmental or accredited organizations. I always use scholarly articles and for some reason while I'm searching that's all I can find since my mind is so trained to look for journals and articles online I have no clue how to find credible website.0 -
Good post OP, heres another link about research published in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I drink a lot of green tea and a couple of real teas time to time
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5281046.stm
Awesome, thanks! I drink about twice as much tea as I do water in a day, if not more, and I've definitely never noticed any adverse effects. 0
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