SerpApi.Org
Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, RD
Key Takeaways
Being dehydrated can raise your blood sugar by making the glucose in your bloodstream more concentrated.
People with diabetes are more prone to dehydration, which can trigger high blood sugar and worsen dehydration.
Drinking plain water is important for staying hydrated, but foods and drinks with electrolytes can help if you’re dehydrated.
Dehydration can contribute to high blood sugar, but the connection works both ways since high blood sugar can also further exacerbate dehydration. Here’s what to know about symptoms and staying hydrated.
The Link Between Blood Sugar and Dehydration
Simply put, being dehydrated can raise your blood sugar.
When you’re dehydrated, there’s less water in your blood, and so your blood volume decreases. The glucose in your bloodstream, therefore, becomes more concentrated, and your blood sugar levels rise.
So, it’s not that the amount of sugar in your blood increases; rather, as water decreases, the overall ratio of glucose to water in your blood changes.
Staying hydrated can help keep your blood sugar levels in check, whether you have diabetes or not.
What If You Have Dehydration With Diabetes?
If you have diabetes, it’s even more important to stay hydrated, because you’re especially susceptible to fluctuations in blood sugar, and you’re also more prone to dehydration.
Diabetes is a chronic condition where your body doesn’t produce enough insulin or can’t use it effectively. Insulin is an important hormone that helps move sugar from your bloodstream (from food or drinks you’ve consumed) into your cells, where it can be used for energy. When your body can’t use insulin properly, or doesn’t have enough of it, you can experience dangerous spikes in blood sugar.
Hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) can also contribute to dehydration through a process called osmotic diuresis. When your blood sugar is high, your kidneys produce certain substances that draw more fluids into your urine, leading you to pee more. As you let out fluids, you become even more dehydrated.
It’s therefore especially important that people with diabetes stay hydrated, since dehydration can be a trigger for a hyperglycemic episode, and hyperglycemia can also cause dehydration.
How Electrolytes Impact Blood Sugar
Electrolytes help regulate blood sugar. These mineral salts carry an electrical charge and are essential for nerve, muscle, and overall bodily functions. One important action electrolytes perform is maintaining fluid balance in your body, including the amount of water in your bloodstream, which has implications for your blood sugar.
If you’re dehydrated and your electrolytes are out of whack, the ratio between your blood volume and sugar in your bloodstream may also be thrown off balance.
On the flip side, your electrolytes are also impacted by your blood sugar. Having an episode of high blood sugar can deplete your electrolytes due to chemical reactions triggered by low insulin levels.
Drinking plain water is important for staying hydrated, but you get few electrolytes from tap water.
Certain fluids or foods that contain electrolytes can help you stay hydrated, especially if you’re dehydrated from exercise or illness.
Of course, people with diabetes may need to watch the carbohydrate content of some electrolyte drinks and monitor their blood sugar before and after drinking them. Talk to a healthcare provider about the best options for your needs.
How Much Water Should You Drink?
There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to how much water to drink per day. However, the general recommendation is:
- 11.5 cups for women
- 15.5 cups for men
Keep in mind that this includes water from foods (like fruits and vegetables) and other fluids (like coffee or tea), which make up about 20% of that amount.
You might also need to up your water intake if you sweat a lot due to hot weather or exercise, if you’ve lost fluids from being sick, if you’re on certain medications like a diuretic, if you’ve recently had an episode of high blood sugar, or in other situations.
Read the original article on Verywell Health
