Thread by @questmoosa

Most people are unaware that the saying “drink 6-8 glasses of water a day” comes from a 1945 recommendation based on zero medical research.

In reality, proper hydration is much more complex than that.

Here’s how you actually achieve it:

(thread 🧵)

First off, drinking 8 glasses of water a day is a recommendation based on zero scientific research.

And yet every summer we are inundated with this myth. This stops today.

Proper hydration relies on this equation:

The hydration equation: sodium and glucose in a (minimum) 2:1 ratio.

It activates sodium-glucose transporter proteins which pall water across cell membranes.

You need both electrolytes (sodium) and glucose (sugar) to achieve the proper hydration.

Let’s talk about it.

1.) Electrolytes

Electrolytes are minerals that when dissolved in water, turn into ions that conduct electricity in the body.

These ions are crucial for maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve signals, and contracting muscles.

The key electrolytes are:
-Sodium
-Potassium
-Magnesium
-Calcium
-Chloride

Sodium is responsible for maintaining all of the others, making it the king of electrolytes.

However, each individual mineral has its own important function, all of which are needed for hydration.

Have you ever been incredibly thirsty but no matter how much you drink, you just can’t seem to quench it?

Well, this is because you’re lacking electrolytes and instead, diluting your system with plain water.

Our thirst and salt cravings have evolved alongside each other into a highly adaptive mechanism that regulates the balance of electrolytes and water in our bodies.

If you just slam plain water (“cuZ GotTa GeT tHat GaLLoN a DaY BroH”) you will dilute the sodium in your system.

When our body notices sodium content getting too diluted, it produces a spike of aldosterone.

Aldosterone helps control the balance of water and salts in the kidney by holding onto sodium and excreting potassium and magnesium.

It might seem counterintuitive, but drinking all that plain water will actually DEHYDRATE you.

Adding electrolytes to your water is a step in the right direction, but we’re still missing an important ingredient...

2.) Glucose

Glucose is the primary energy source for a plethora of cellular functions.

It is also crucial for electrolyte transportation.

When consumed together, glucose and sodium are co-transported through the gut into cells via sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs).

This co-transportation allows both substances to be absorbed and distributed into the bloodstream.

Glucose then supplies you with energy while sodium draws water into your blood (i.e., hydrating you).

SGLTs in the kidneys then reabsorb glucose and sodium so that you can retain them when you pee, thus maintaining electrolyte balance and proper hydration.

Because SGLTs rely on both sodium and glucose to function, if you take one out of the equation, the sodium/electrolytes you’ve consumed cannot be transported or retained as effectively.

Electrolytes are vital, but without glucose, you won’t fully reap their hydrating properties.

More often than not, you are not:

• Tired
• Irritable
• Low energy
• Unable to focus

You are just dehydrated.

Studies have shown that even mild dehydration (1-2% loss of body weight) can impair cognitive performance, particularly attention and working memory.

Before I give you my battle-tested hydration solutions, understand this:

Sugar-free hydration solutions are not hydration solutions, they are electrolyte solutions—you need glucose.

Ditch your PRIME and Gatorade. Hydrate properly with these:

→ Pinch of Celtic sea salt (1/2-1tbsp) with 1/2 a squeezed lemon.

Lemon also contains sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium—great for hydration

→ 1 tbsp honey and good crack of pink salt: Higher on the glucose side, great for pre-workout

→ Coconut water: Rich in glucose, sodium, and other electrolytes

→ Pickles in brine [sodium] + dried fruit, such as apricots [glucose]: Often found outside sauna’s in Sweden for hydration

→ Electrolyte tabs/packets provide a 360 hydration/muscle/nerve support if they have a brought spectrum of electrolytes + glucose

Thanks for reading!

If you like this post, consider reading my free article on everything you need to do to boost thyroid hormones (T3+T4) hence improving your looks,physique and energy:

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