What Causes Dehydration?

Air conditioning: the dried air pulls moisture from your lungs as you breathe; we can recognize this in a desert condition, but don’t think about the effect with cool air. The process of cooling the air causes a great deal of moisture to be lost from it … ever notice how much an air conditioner drips while it is working? The relative humidity drops 50-70% as the air is cooled. The same is true of cold winter air; it holds far less moisture than warm air, another reason people get more colds in the winter … it’s not just the cold weather. The air conditioning in airplanes combined with the low air pressure can cause you to lose enough fluids to have you end up with a cold or the flu a couple of days after your trip.

Antihistamines and decongestants: both work by dehydrating the cells and can have a profound effect on mental acuity. This is why airline pilots are not permitted to use them less than eight hours before flying. Don’t you wish that this requirement applied to surgeons and others in such decision-intensive jobs? This can also affect the performance of athletes, especially ones who depend upon fast reactions … like tennis or handball. Have you noticed how many more errors are made in the final innings of a baseball game or the last quarter of a football game?

Caffeine is a diuretic causing you to lose fluids via the kidneys, more than you have in that cup of coffee or soft drink. Recent studies indicate that people who drink more caffeine may have built up a tolerance and may not lose as much of what they drink as less frequent users. Another study indicates that these “heavy drinkers” may be chronically dehydrated and, therefore, can’t lose much more fluid.

Alcohol also causes you to lose more fluid than you drink, more than caffeine because it is an anti-antidiuretic .. same result, different process (it suppresses the anti-diuretic hormone). Check with us if you’re confused … or drink some of VITALYTE™. Even more serious than this systemic loss of fluids, alcohol also pulls water directly from the tissues, especially affecting the stomach, liver and brain and ultimately seriously damaging these organs. Gookinaid hadn’t been on the market long before we started getting testimonials about how effective it is in alleviating the effects of hangovers and in preventing them, depending upon when you drink the VITALYTE. Boston sportscasters announced on the radio during the 1978 Boston Marathon that “Gookinaid is the best thing in the world for hangovers!”… and they should know! (talk about an endorsement)