Summer is here. During the summer, especially during scorching days, many people are taken to the hospital because of fainting due to dehydration. Dehydration occurs when more fluids leave the body than enters it. The human body consists of 75% water. Water can be found inside cells, in between the cells, within blood vessels, and is responsible for many bodily functions. 

Causes 

There are many different causes of dehydration. 

1. Low water intake is prevalent when someone is sick, busy, or doesn’t have access to clean water (like traveling, hiking, etc.). 
2. Diarrhea or vomiting – while someone is experiencing diarrhea or is vomiting, they lose a lot of water. If they don’t drink a significant amount of water, they will get dehydrated. 
3. Excessive sweating – when someone is exercising or in a hot place, they tend to sweat a lot. If they don’t drink, they will experience dehydration. 
4. High Fever – The higher someone’s fever is, the more fluids they will lose. 
5. Hot Weather – Hot weather increases the amount of sweat, causing dehydration. 
6. Medication – certain medications can cause dehydration, specifically diuretics and blood pressure medication which increase urination. 

Symptoms 

Symptoms can vary based on the severity of the situation. If someone is suffering from minor dehydration, then their symptoms might include:

1. Thirst 
2. Concentrated and yellow urine. 
3. Decreased urination 
4. Low blood pressure 
5. Dizziness (especially when going from lying down to sitting up)
6. Lethargy (tiredness and fatigue)
7. Constipation 

In more extreme cases, one might experience the following symptoms:

1. Dry mouth 
2. Eyes stop making tears
3. Sweating stops 
4. Muscle cramps
5. Confusion
6. Coma
7. Organ failure 
8. Death 

The apparent treatment for dehydration is to hydrate and increase your water intake. Your fluid intake needs to be:

• 3.7 liters of fluids a day for men (about 15.5 cups). 
• 2.7 liters of fluids a day for women (about 11.5 cups). 

It is important to note that drinking water isn’t enough to hydrate someone properly. Electrolytes are essential. Electrolytes are tiny particles that carry electrical charges throughout the body. They help the body maintain proper function. For example, electrolytes play a key role in maintaining water around inside and outside cells when you sweat. Therefore, it is essential to drink fluids with electrolytes. You can buy electrolytes in a pharmacy and add them to water, or you can drink soda or juice. 

During the summer, it is easy to forget to drink the proper amount of water. However, it can be very harmful to your body. Therefore, we recommend that you bring a water bottle with you everywhere you go!