
Is Thirst The Only Indicator Of Dehydration?
How do you know if you’re dehydrated? Most of us refer to thirst as an indicator and associate with a need to drink more water. In certain cases, though, thirst isn’t the most reliable indicator of hydration status. For instance, with age, the thirst response decreases. Therefore, adults over 50 are more likely not to experience thirst as intensely as younger people. In addition, exercise, fatigue or stress may also contribute to a diminished thirst response, and children also experience thirst less intensely than adults. Thankfully, our bodies signal hydration another way as well :) Urine color says a lot about our hydration status. The thumb rule to follow is: Lighter the color of urine, the better hydrated you are, the darker the color, more hydration is required.
But why Urine Color?
Dehydration is caused when the volume of water in the body is depleted. When we are dehydrated, our kidneys, which filter waste, tell the body to retain water. Therefore, we have less water in our urine, which causes it to become more concentrated and darker in color. The following urine chart will help to tract your hydration status:
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