Signs of nutrient deficiencies usually take weeks or months to appear, but this isn’t the case for water.Dehydration symptomslike a dry mouth, increased thirst, headache and decreased urination can come on within a few hours if you’re not keeping tabs on your daily water and fluid intake. But mild dehydration is easily remedied with water or awater-electrolyte beverage.
Consequently, most people consider dehydration a temporary health issue with little to no long-term effects. Still, research has suggested that frequently being dehydrated may increase one’s risk of developing high blood pressure. And this could be a problem, considering that the average American adult drinks only around 44 ounces of water daily—not meeting the daily recommendations, per theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention.
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What’s the Connection Between Dehydration and Blood Pressure?
When homeostasis, a state of equilibrium, is even slightly disturbed, the body has thousands of backup scenarios to initiate immediately to stabilize things and keep them running smoothly. The body’s response to early dehydration is a great example! Here’s how it works when you don’t drink enough water or haven’t had enough fluids.
How Frequent Dehydration Can Lead to High Blood Pressure
How could dehydration really lead to hypertension (or ongoing high blood pressure) if the changes above are temporary and resolved with hydration? This question is why researchers took a deeper look at the long-term effects that frequent episodes of dehydration may have. And it’s a good thing they did, because regular episodes of mild dehydration have been associated with an increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, dementia, chronic kidney disease and inflammatory bowel disease. Plus, some research suggests that frequent dehydration impacts the cardiovascular system, including contributing to hypertension.
According to theAmerican Heart Association, there are two categories of hypertension; stage 1 and 2. Stage 1 is when your blood pressure regularly ranges between 130-139/80-89 mm Hg, whereas stage 2 is when your blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg or higher.
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The Bottom Line
It’s probably smart to consider an ongoing lack of adequate hydration as a risk factor for hypertension. This risk seems to stem from high levels of ADH and subsequent changes to blood pressure and the health of blood vessels that occur over time. While the body’s backup plan when it senses dehydration is lifesaving, the response isn’t intended to appear regularly.
It’s important to note that factors like age, weight and height should be considered to determinehow much water you should drink. And, drinking water isn’t the only way to hydrate; certainfoods can help you meet your needstoo.
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