Wakewater

Share Link We recently shared some of the science behind sweat and electrolyte loss, highlighting the necessity and importance of replenishing key electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chloride) after physical activity and exercise.

Having a clear understanding of how we lose electrolytes was crucial when it came to formulating our own, and though we found that most electrolytes were lost through sweat, there was another contender: drinking alcohol.

We had heard about the correlation between drinking alcohol and electrolyte loss before, but wondered how could we be losing electrolytes just by consuming a liquid? Is there any truth to the claims that electrolytes are a great hangover cure after a night of heavy drinking?

The truth is, alcohol, regardless of its type, has a major impact on the absorption, elimination, efficacy, and concentration of essential electrolytes and minerals within the body. As a diuretic, alcohol consumption triggers diuresis, a condition characterized by increased urine output, and tricks our kidneys into flushing out water by blocking the release of natural hormones needed to control fluid and electrolyte levels.

Generally speaking, the intensity of alcohols diuretic effect is largely determined by the strength of the alcohol consumed. This means that spirits with a higher alcohol content like vodka, whisky, and rum dehydrate us faster than drinks with a lower alcohol content like beer, coolers, and wine.

However, drinks with a lower alcohol content tend to be consumed in greater volumes, and can quickly add up to have the same dehydrating effect that would occur when consuming a stronger alcohol. The more alcohol we consume, the more likely we are to experience its dehydrating effect, often being left with a headache, feeling tired, thirsty, nauseous, irritable, or in other words, hungover.

Though hangovers may seem like an inevitable outcome of drinking alcohol, the truth is we can easily fight back by keeping ourselves hy...