Dietitian Lyudmila Denisenko spoke about unusual signs of dehydration.
It can be easy to understand that the body is dehydrated – the mucous membrane of the mouth dries out, the eyes become red and sore (dry eye syndrome), and general health worsens. But there are also signs of dehydration that may seem unusual, nutritionist Denisenko told kp.ru about this.
In particular, a craving for sweets may be such an unusual sign of dehydration, the specialist noted.
“ Due to dehydration, the production of glycogen, the storehouse of our energy, which is produced by liver cells, is disrupted. Without water, glycogen formation slows down or stops altogether, and the body strives to get sugar from food. So he begins to crave everything sweet,” the doctor shared.
In addition, when dehydrated, severe hunger is more likely to be felt.
“It seems that you shouldn’t want to eat in the heat, but the centers of hunger and thirst in the brain are nearby, and the body can sometimes confuse the signals. Requiring water, it exacerbates the feeling of hunger,” the expert said.
Denisenko added that a lack of water in the body can also cause mood swings – increased irritability, aggressiveness or, conversely, a decline in emotional tone. The doctor explained that psycho-emotional instability due to dehydration is a peculiar reaction of the body to an increase in heart rate due to thickening of the blood caused by a lack of fluid.
Also, in a person who drinks too little water, the smell of sweat becomes sharper and more pronounced (despite hygiene) or the smell coming from the mouth worsens.
Another sign of dehydration is a feeling of increased fatigue, inability to gather and concentrate, “fog” in the head. According to Denisova, such a condition is already a serious sign of dehydration, which is fraught with dangerous consequences for the body.
The MedikForum.ru portal previously wrote about what disorders can occur in the body due to insufficient water intake.
Important! Information is provided for reference purposes. Ask a specialist about contraindications and side effects and under no circumstances self-medicate. At the first signs of illness, consult a doctor.