Proper hydration is one of the best and easiest things you can do to promote good health. Yet, many people become dehydrated and don’t even know it. Intoxication or working out, in particular, can cause rapid dehydration that should be remedied as soon as possible.
Read on to learn more about the causes of dehydration and how proper hydration with coconut water will benefit your body.
- What Causes a Hangover?
- Why is Hydration Important?
- How Can Coconut Water Help Dehydration?
What Causes a Hangover?
A hangover occurs due to dehydration. When you consume alcohol, your body quickly metabolizes it, and it enters your bloodstream. Alcohol causes your pituitary gland to stop the production of vasopressin.
Vasopressin is an anti-diuretic hormone, and without it, your body expels the majority of liquids you consume, rather than allowing your organs to absorb them. In fact, drinking 250 ml of alcohol can cause your body to expel about 800 ml of liquid, thereby making you become dehydrated quickly.
Your body needs these expelled liquids contain vital electrolytes. These electrolytes include potassium and sodium, among others, and the loss of these nutrients disturbs muscle, nerve, and overall cellular function. In addition, a depletion of potassium and sodium can result in headaches, nausea, and other symptoms associated with a hangover.
In addition to your body getting rid of essential electrolytes and water, glycogen in your liver also breaks down due to alcohol consumption. Glycogen is an essential carbohydrate that, while you drink alcohol, is turned into glucose and expelled from your body. The absence of glycogen causes fatigue and weakness associated with a hangover.
Fatigue is also, in part, due to your body’s increased production of glutamine after drinking alcohol. Glutamine decreases your ability to sleep deeply, so even if you sleep for several hours after intoxication, you will probably still wake up tired.
Hangover dehydration also causes your thirsty organs to steal water from your brain. This causes your brain to decrease in size, making your brain’s membranes tighten and pull, causing additional head pain during a hangover.
A hangover can be made worse if you’re dehydrated prior to drinking, if you drink on an empty stomach, or if you engage in physical activities while drinking.
That said, why does your body need to be hydrated anyways? Read on to find out.
Why is Hydration Important?
For starters, hydration is important because more than half of your body is composed of water. Yet, there’s a lot more to hydration than that.
Every cell in your body requires water to properly function. When your cells lose more water than they take in, they become dehydrated.
So while water seems simple and readily available, it’s important to actually remember to drink it, and to drink a lot of it. Even if you’re not thirsty, it’s recommended that you continue to consume water. The average person should consume about 8-10 glasses of water per day.
If you’re an athlete or experiencing dehydration due to intoxication, hangover or flu, you will need to consume even more water, especially electrolyte-enhanced water or other super hydrating alternatives like coconut water.
How Can Coconut Water Help Dehydration?
Coconut water is incredibly rich in electrolytes, particularly potassium, and sodium. When you sweat or expel too many liquids, your body loses these electrolytes and becomes dehydrated.
It’s important to maintain good hydration and replenish your electrolytes as soon as you begin to lose them. Coconut water makes it easy (and delicious) to stay hydrated.
So, coconut water is an excellent source of potassium and sodium making it an excellent drink for rehydration, but what else is good about it?
Coconut water is rich in other essential electrolytes, too, such as calcium and magnesium. Electrolytes are necessary for almost every cellular function in your body, especially proper heart, nerve, and muscle function.
Coconut water also contains lots of vitamins, particularly vitamin C and B vitamins. Vitamin C helps to boost immunity. B vitamins help to boost metabolism, and keep your digestive tract moving properly.
How does coconut water help you hydrate during a hangover? Comment below!
Coconut water is better tasting than regular water and full of vitamins and electrolytes that help you to recover quickly. Most hangover solutions leave you felling worse, but coconut water restores you.
Alcohol expels liquids and electrolytes thus causing dehydration which therefore leads to a hangover. Coconut water enriched with electrolytes helps replenish by providing hydration and essential vitamins and minerals to revamp the body.
Should this be taken before bed. after drinking, or in the morning after. Is it safe with Tylenol?
It sounds like coconut water would be a great replinishing drink after a run. Would this be another common use and those of you who have tried it, what is your reaction to its effects?
I work in retail and am in constant need of rehydration due to extreme climate conditions from heat and ac. It’s nice to know there is a great tasting alternative to sports drinks and flavored waters that actually works with your body to keep you hydrated!!!
Wish I would of known this yesterday lol
Coconut water has proven to be replenishing not only during a hangover. Its a good thirst quencher and like most drinks that are high in sugars coconut water is a healthy drink that helps keep people quenched and healthy. Like most drinks that are high in sugars (coke,sprite ect.) coconut water actually replenishes you and doesnt leave you thirstyer like most drinks would. I drink coconut water on the daily, And i absolutely love it.
Well in that case, are their any benefits of drinking this WITH alcohol. As in a mixed drink? Wouldn’t that help you to stay hydrated? Now I’m craving Piña Colada’s. Would there happen to be any drink receipes? Alcoholic or not?
@Sheila: I have used coconut water after running! It’s a great way to rehydrate when you need something more substantive than water but want to avoid unhealthy drinks and don’t need a full meal.
I’ve also enjoyed coconut water as part of a breakfast after a night out. It’s really refreshing and requires no effort to prepare.
I have heard about coconut water being used for all around health and wasnt aware of all the other benefits of this product.I often get migraine headache due to dehydration and this is going to be a life saver.
Are they caffeine free? I’ve been looking for coconut water because I have heard so many great things about it, I’m glad to find it in your stores!
Coconut water is awesome for hangovers. It’s so refreshing, re-hydrating, and easy on the stomach. Love it!
Ive found out that drinking coconut water does help with a hangover.I had the killer of all hangovers last week and drank a coconut water and felt better within a half hour
Coconut Water really benefits me.
I am really looking forward to trying this product!
I have always wanted to try Coconut Water. Im excited to see if it is as good as it sounds. Are you allowed to mix it with anything?
Great info here! Can’t wait to try it out.
Since trying coconut water (several brands) I have noticed more energy. I am not a water drinker so I tend to dehydrate often.
I have to force myself to drink it though because it’s too bland. Perhaps your brand will tickle my taste buds.
I am anxious to try coconut water. I have heard nothing but good things about coconuts. It really makes me think about tropical paradise.
Good to know!
Staying hydrated should be easy but I struggle with getting my 8-10 glasses in every day. It is hard for me because unless I have been working out or am really hot and thirsty the taste of plain water is just boring. I used to use crystal light a lot because it would flavor my water. However, the artificial sweeteners are pretty terrible for you. That is why I absolutely love the coconut water solution. My secret to always skipping the hangover was to always drink a big glass of water before I passed out after a night of drinking. But not I just drink a big coconut water instead. It is delicious and I wake up feeling great the next day… skipping the hangover all together!!
Wow I’ve heard really good things lately about the hydrating effects of coconut water. I’m glad to see that you offer plain as well as flavored varieties. Are they sweetened with anything? That would be a good thing to know.
Hey this looks like a great product! I’m always getting cramps in my feet due to dehydration. I think this would really help me.
I think after a night of drinking a flavored water that’s good for you will seem to make the hurting not seem so bad.
nice article
Coconut water was the original IV solution. Balanced perfectly!
I have always been interested in coconut water since seeing my hero SurvivorMan speaking of his virtues. Also knowing that it can help with a hangover…priceless. Will definitely be getting a piece on this one.
I drink alot of soda and my husband constantly says I am dehydrated because I experience headaches and my hands are looking so old. I would love to try this drink and see maybe If I would enjoy it as an alternative to water. I am not a fan of water or the fruity flavored waters that are usually sweetened with artificial sweeteners.
I think coconut water might be my new best friend when it comes to recovering from a long night out. In my line of work I’m constantly out in the sun alot. Dehydration is my #1 enemy,especially if I’ve had a drink or two the night before. I drink regular water for the most part & I am not a big fan of it. I would like to try this and see if the taste is alot better, and if it leaves me feeling more refreshed.
Many studies have shown that the antiviral, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity of Coconut Water may help with a number of minor to severe health conditions. This nutrient rich drink has been used to regulate blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels, and it has been found to boost energy levels and increase metabolism in the human body. Other conditions that it has been found to be effective at treating include stomach flu, dysentery, indigestion, constipation, intestinal worms, cholera, urinary abnormalities, urethral stone, malfunctioning kidneys, dry and itchy skin, age spots, and wrinkles.
Love anything coconut, and now finding that it is so good for us as well is just an added benefit! It is amazing all the cures good old mother nature can give us if we are just willing to look to her first!
i would love to try this kind . i love cocunt water
i just love coconut water.i have only tried one flaver the pineapple punch i cant wait to try all the others. LUV IT!