The most common "remedy" that many people with POTS/Dysautonomia get told is to " drink, drink, drink!" but does that always help? Here are some things you might want to consider if you haven't already...
Interestingly enough, many doctors fail to inform their patients that an over-consumption of "plain/tap water" can actually worsen your symptoms. When you consume excessive amounts of water (especially non-enhanced water) it flushes out the little sodium from our bodies that we actually have. Excessive consumptions of water can also lead to a dilution of the essential electrolytes that we need in our body to maintain proper heart rhythms and nerve functions, which we as POTS patients suffer with already.
So what exactly happens? First, it is important to note that the body uses essential electrolytes for muscle and nerve function (and pots patients nervous system are always in overdrive) - When we consume excessive amounts of water, our bodies naturally expel the water by means of urination, excessive sweating, etc... (and some POTS patients experience extreme night sweats, and excessive urination) So, the more we drink. the more we urinate. The more we urinate, the more essential electrolytes we lose. The more electrolytes we lose, the worse we can feel. Notice the patten? All of the water that you just drank to "feel better" is now flushing your system of the essential electrolytes every time your urinate.
Are electrolytes really "that" important? I was told I need to drink A LOT? Yes! *The electrolytes that I am primarily referring to are potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sodium.* Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body and regulation of the heart and nerves. When we lose these electrolytes in our body (the ones that get flushed out by excessive fluid intake) we can feel nauseous and light headed...(which are also common symptoms of POTS). In people with POTS, it is very common for our electrolytes to get thrown off rather easily - which can cause a worsening of symptoms.
What happened to me & what you can do? I did what I was told my my cardiologists and neurologists...I consumed plentiful amounts of sodium and water in a day and still wasn't seeing too much results. Later, I found that my 24urine tests revealed that my blood volume and complete sodium counts were drastically low. This was hard for me to believe as I drank and drank through the day (always had a bottle of water in my hand & ate so much salt). However; by me drinking plentiful amounts of "tap" water throughout the day, I was inadvertently making my symptoms worse. All of those fluids washed away most of the sodium in my body, which threw off my electrolytes, which in return made my blood volume drop significantly. (I couldn't believe it!)
My doctors asked if I am drinking enough - quickly I responded, yes! "I carry a water bottle with me usually everywhere I do!" With a head nod like he understood, he told me that I need to make sure I am consuming "electrolyte enhanced water" as water consumption is very important, but making sure our bodies are replenished with the electrolytes can be just as important for a POTSy as well. We are not the "typical individuals" - naturally, people with POTS have a low sodium count to begin with, so an excessive consumption of water can really alter our counts. This is why for POTS patients, it is especially important to drink enhanced water. So next time your are at your doctor, ask for a 24hr sodium urine test to see how your body is functioning throughout a complete 24hour cycle, if you haven't had one already and start drinking "enhanced" water!
Are all "enhanced waters" the same? No, no. and no! Some waters or drinks are full of (hidden) added sugars or unnecessary additives. The two best enhanced waters out there are Smart Water and 365Water from Whole Foods. These two water drinks are simple water with added electrolytes. Nothing else. Pure, and simple; meeting the basic needs! Beware of other drinks out there that claim to be just as good or "better".
If electrolytes are important, what about Gatorade or Vitamin Water? Let me start with Gatorade. Gatorade is packed with added sugars, and high fructose corn syrup. If that doesn't bother you, then lets dig a little deeper on why it should: In order for your body to properly metabolize sugar, it needs all those vitamins and minerals (found in that lovely old gatorade you just drank) to metabolize them. Hm? Looks like you just lost all that much needed hydration and electrolytes and gained some icky sugar.
For more information on how our body metabolizes sugar, check out this article here
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| ♥ photo credit |
Next, lets dissect the ingredients of the ever so popular vitamin water. (let me say that I have absolutely no idea why this beverage is called "water" as it has more sugar than even some bottles of gatorade or juice!) Beware...as the makers of smart water are trying to trick you. If you look at the serving size of one bottle it is 2.5 servings with approximately 13 grams of sugar (depending on the flavor) per serving. (If you do the math that equals 32.5grams of sugar per bottle!) Now, I don't know about you, but who really only drinks 1/3 of their bottled beverage
...especially if you have POTS?!
What kind of enhanced waters do you purchase, or prefer?
I hope everyone has a wonderful September!
