H₂O
February 18, 2020 12:30 PM Subscribe
The truth about hydration: should you drink eight glasses of water a day? Why drinking water all day long is not the best way to stay hydrated. Should you drink water out of a chocolate syrup bottle? Why you should drink water first thing every day. The wellness influencers who never drink water. Why don't men drink water? Does drinking water make you sweat more or less? This is what you should know. Why do we drink so much bottled water? Can you drink expired bottled water? Does drinking more water help you hydrate your dry skin? How long you can live without water? Hate drinking water? There's an app for that. Am I drinking too much seltzer water? Drinking too much water will kill me, and I don’t care. Is your pet drinking more than normal? The Rock drinks a truly unfathomable amount of water every day. There’s a persistent myth that you shouldn’t drink water while eating. You can disregard it. A quarter of humanity faces looming water crises.
Too few links. Need to add U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate (2005): Chapter: 4 Water (pp.73-185). Or just read the press release. Or just this, from the press release: "...we concluded that on a daily basis, people get adequate amounts of water from normal drinking behavior -- consumption of beverages at meals and in other social situations -- and by letting their thirst guide them."
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:42 PM on February 18, 2020 [20 favorites]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 12:42 PM on February 18, 2020 [20 favorites]
If I'm going on a long walk or run with a limited amount of water, is it better to ration it out till the end, or just drink it all up if I'm thirsty?I feel like Les Stroud, Survivorman, has answered that in numerous episodes but I cannot recall which is optimal.
posted by Fizz at 12:44 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Do none of these "no water" people get UTIs?
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:47 PM on February 18, 2020 [16 favorites]
posted by The corpse in the library at 12:47 PM on February 18, 2020 [16 favorites]
I read a few of those links, and am even more confused now. Fun!
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:54 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by The_Vegetables at 12:54 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
after reading those links im sure id be thirsty
FOR CLARITY
posted by lalochezia at 12:56 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
FOR CLARITY
posted by lalochezia at 12:56 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
"It depends." (But plastic water bottles are killing us all.)
posted by Harry Caul at 12:58 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Harry Caul at 12:58 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
Clip 'n' save — Days of expected survival in the desert under two conditions.
This is from Physiology of Man in the Desert, which I've never read but believe is based on research done in the US during World War II, and which could could not be ethically reproduced today. I suspect the experimental design was something like, "Here's a canteen and there's the desert; tap out when you're really feeling it."
(If someone can provide a more sophisticated summary of the work, I'd appreciate it!)
posted by compartment at 12:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
This is from Physiology of Man in the Desert, which I've never read but believe is based on research done in the US during World War II, and which could could not be ethically reproduced today. I suspect the experimental design was something like, "Here's a canteen and there's the desert; tap out when you're really feeling it."
(If someone can provide a more sophisticated summary of the work, I'd appreciate it!)
posted by compartment at 12:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Eponysparklingwater.
posted by dywypi at 12:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
posted by dywypi at 12:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
Are you peeing every day? Then you're adequately hydrated.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by GallonOfAlan at 1:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Wow, I have never heard the myth about not drinking water before or while eating. Glad to know I can continue to ignore its existence.
posted by acidnova at 1:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
posted by acidnova at 1:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
Look I've been drinking water for over 35 years and I haven't drowned yet
posted by Automocar at 1:07 PM on February 18, 2020 [14 favorites]
posted by Automocar at 1:07 PM on February 18, 2020 [14 favorites]
So one of the reasons sports teams love Gatorade so much, aside from brand loyalty, is that it has a lot of sodium in it. Electrolytes like sodium and potassium are critical to absorbing water into your bloodstream. This is why you can die from drinking too much water - it depletes your electrolytes and you can no longer absorb it. There are, of course, lower- and no-sugar options like Nuun, Maurten, etc. They are more expensive and less readily available.
Now, if you're not engaging in vigorous sporting activity, chances are you don't need to supplement your electrolytes. It can happen, though, that you may find yourself critically dehydrated in situations where there is no obvious cause. This happened to me once after a nasty breakup. I was at band rehearsal and then suddenly got tunnel vision. Thought I was having a diabetic attack (it was a phobia of mine at the time) and sent myself to the ER, only to find out that I had extremely low blood volume from dehydration. So they set me up on an IV drip and I spent the night rehydrating. The next day, though, I drank water and still felt awful. My PCP told me to drink Gatorade, and boom, I was better. I don't drink Gatorade/Nuun all the time, but if I am running, I definitely will. Also: it is great for hangovers.
posted by grumpybear69 at 1:09 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
Now, if you're not engaging in vigorous sporting activity, chances are you don't need to supplement your electrolytes. It can happen, though, that you may find yourself critically dehydrated in situations where there is no obvious cause. This happened to me once after a nasty breakup. I was at band rehearsal and then suddenly got tunnel vision. Thought I was having a diabetic attack (it was a phobia of mine at the time) and sent myself to the ER, only to find out that I had extremely low blood volume from dehydration. So they set me up on an IV drip and I spent the night rehydrating. The next day, though, I drank water and still felt awful. My PCP told me to drink Gatorade, and boom, I was better. I don't drink Gatorade/Nuun all the time, but if I am running, I definitely will. Also: it is great for hangovers.
posted by grumpybear69 at 1:09 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
is that it has a lot of sodium in it
For reals, sometimes when I feel unfathomably thirsty what I really need is to nibble a little maldon flake right out of the jar. And THEN drink a bunch of water, yes, but the salt first.
posted by poffin boffin at 1:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [12 favorites]
For reals, sometimes when I feel unfathomably thirsty what I really need is to nibble a little maldon flake right out of the jar. And THEN drink a bunch of water, yes, but the salt first.
posted by poffin boffin at 1:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [12 favorites]
Gatorade has barely any potassium, like 1% of your daily allowance. Pedialyte is a bit better, but now big sports teams do direct IVs for dehydration, and sports drinks vs soda vs water is pretty much equal among high school teams.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
I drink a lot of water. I have a refillable water bottle with a tethered screw top next to my laptop as I type this. I love water. I have met people who don't like water, and that boggles my mind. Clean, cold water is so damn good. I leaned hard on my elderly parents to drink more water, and now they do. I'm pro-water.
Optimum aqua est.
posted by SoberHighland at 1:17 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
Optimum aqua est.
posted by SoberHighland at 1:17 PM on February 18, 2020 [17 favorites]
As Alice Fraser says on the podcast The Last Post:
Why not try half a glass of water? It won't do much, but it will at least do something.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 1:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
Why not try half a glass of water? It won't do much, but it will at least do something.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 1:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
Once, in a desert in Iran, I got sunstroke. I was saved by nomads (found by our bus driver, who was certain plain water wasn't the solution) who gave me a 1 1/2 liter bottle of doogh. Since then, it's been my favorite refreshing drink and I have it nearly every morning for breakfast. I believe the salt was an important part of what helped me get better back then.
posted by mumimor at 1:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [18 favorites]
posted by mumimor at 1:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [18 favorites]
Gatorade is popular because they sell it in dry bulk in a cool-aid esque mix to schools for a pretty cheap price.
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by The_Vegetables at 1:19 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
You don't need Gatorade. If you are really dehydrated, make an Oral Rehydration Therapy solution at home - a mix of sugar and salt:
Simply combine one quart water, half teaspoon salt and six level teaspoons of sugar. Optionally, a half cup of orange juice or a mashed banana can be added for potassium. The WHO-ORS solution is a scientifically sound method of body fluid loss replacement, which was developed for use in developing countries where cholera or other diarrheal diseases are common.
posted by vacapinta at 1:24 PM on February 18, 2020 [38 favorites]
Simply combine one quart water, half teaspoon salt and six level teaspoons of sugar. Optionally, a half cup of orange juice or a mashed banana can be added for potassium. The WHO-ORS solution is a scientifically sound method of body fluid loss replacement, which was developed for use in developing countries where cholera or other diarrheal diseases are common.
posted by vacapinta at 1:24 PM on February 18, 2020 [38 favorites]
cool, Ccleanr, cold water (slyt)
posted by 20 year lurk at 1:27 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by 20 year lurk at 1:27 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
Salt substitutes like "NoSalt" contain potassium chloride. I used to make a rehydration mix with table salt, NoSalt and sugar using an old WHO recipe. I don't know why it is omitted now, perhaps availability is the issue.
posted by Botanizer at 1:33 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by Botanizer at 1:33 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
In one of John McPhee's many books there was a rancher who was setting out on a day's ride. He had water, but he also had a mantra of "If I drink now I will be thirsty all day." I don't remember the book, but I do recall the feeling that this was some sort of hard won wisdom. And I did not understand it.
posted by Midnight Skulker at 1:34 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by Midnight Skulker at 1:34 PM on February 18, 2020
Do you even know what fish do in water? Ewww!
posted by nofundy at 1:36 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by nofundy at 1:36 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
When I'm on long rides, I fill my Camelbak with ice water and then throw in a few tablets of Nuun's electrolytes-and-caffeine combo. (Fun fact: Caffeine is far less diuretic than most people think; you have to pee after drinking coffee because of the water in it.) With any sort of slow-burn carbohydrates, such as Clif bars, I can go all day in the middle of summer.
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:38 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Halloween Jack at 1:38 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Do you even know what fish do in water?
They play Go Human!, of course.
posted by grumpybear69 at 1:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [22 favorites]
They play Go Human!, of course.
posted by grumpybear69 at 1:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [22 favorites]
Speaking of which, you can go a lot longer without taking a dump than without needing to pee. It is similar to how you can go a lot longer without needing to eat compared to going without water.
I remember a friends Grandpa who was having trouble peeing and did not think to go to the Doctor for like a couple of days. By the time he collapsed and was taken to the ER; his body was in a shock and he did not survive the night.
I have been quite anal about both the consumption of water and the egress of it ever since.
posted by indianbadger1 at 1:42 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
I remember a friends Grandpa who was having trouble peeing and did not think to go to the Doctor for like a couple of days. By the time he collapsed and was taken to the ER; his body was in a shock and he did not survive the night.
I have been quite anal about both the consumption of water and the egress of it ever since.
posted by indianbadger1 at 1:42 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
In the Army they told us the best place for water was in the body. Rationing was mostly psychological. But the US Army has been wrong about a lot of things so who knows.
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 1:50 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 1:50 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
indianbadger1: "I have been quite anal about both the consumption of water and the egress of it ever since."
I hate to break it to you, but you're doing it wrong.
posted by chavenet at 1:52 PM on February 18, 2020 [83 favorites]
I hate to break it to you, but you're doing it wrong.
posted by chavenet at 1:52 PM on February 18, 2020 [83 favorites]
I once gave myself a "hangover" by drinking only sports electrolyte drinks for two days straight while cycling from dawn to dusk. Switched up from sports drinks to water/dilute drinks and was much happier after that.
posted by caphector at 1:57 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by caphector at 1:57 PM on February 18, 2020
… but seriously, don't forget to poop. Your large intestine's busy going all stillsuit on your poop to remove and reuse the water, so if you leave it too long you might as well try to pass concrete.
posted by scruss at 1:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [19 favorites]
posted by scruss at 1:59 PM on February 18, 2020 [19 favorites]
Not being physically able to pee is a lot worse than not being willing to pee, which your body will eventually figure out without deathly consequences.
posted by en forme de poire at 2:00 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by en forme de poire at 2:00 PM on February 18, 2020
I prefer just to drink my own urine, it's much safer
posted by greenhornet at 2:02 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by greenhornet at 2:02 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
I did not expect that I would be picking up a copy of Physiology of Man in the Desert from the library on the way home today. Thanks, compartment. I think.
posted by eotvos at 2:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by eotvos at 2:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Bear Grylls, is that you?
posted by en forme de poire at 2:06 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by en forme de poire at 2:06 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
From the first link “... remember, if you wait until you feel thirsty, you may already be dehydrated. No one is sure where this advice came from, but it’s all over the internet.” - pretty sure this advice came from the tag line to all those a Gatorade commercials back in the 80’s. Repeat something often enough, and it becomes fact (just ask our beloved leader).
posted by doctord at 2:07 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
posted by doctord at 2:07 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
The Canadian Forces survival courses had the advice that it was usually better to just drink the water than to carry it in the short term as well.
posted by cirhosis at 2:14 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by cirhosis at 2:14 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
I've found that if there is a handy rule of thumb about some ordinary activity in American society, it probably came from an early to mid-twentieth century advertisement for a product that probably no longer exists.
posted by Caduceus at 2:21 PM on February 18, 2020 [44 favorites]
posted by Caduceus at 2:21 PM on February 18, 2020 [44 favorites]
I was saved by nomads (found by our bus driver, who was certain plain water wasn't the solution) who gave me a 1 1/2 liter bottle of doogh.
The local Armenian market has some brand of other of this stuff. Honestly, I'm not a fan, even though I like kefir. I bet I'd feel differently if I was suffering from heatstroke and someone offered me a bottle, to be fair.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:23 PM on February 18, 2020
The local Armenian market has some brand of other of this stuff. Honestly, I'm not a fan, even though I like kefir. I bet I'd feel differently if I was suffering from heatstroke and someone offered me a bottle, to be fair.
posted by tobascodagama at 2:23 PM on February 18, 2020
i love water. i love fizzy water. i would rather drink water or fizzy water than anything else. i miss milk/choc milk sometimes but i'm older and lactose intolerant these days so i just avoid those.
mmm water. going to fill up my bottle right now.
posted by affectionateborg at 2:24 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
mmm water. going to fill up my bottle right now.
posted by affectionateborg at 2:24 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
I hate to break it to you, but you're doing it wrong.
OK, so there was this recent anime, Are You Lost? about four girls trapped on an island and one of them is the daughter of a survivalist and knows how to keep them alive through all sorts of conditions.
The last episode, "How to Replenish Water" the survivalist and another girl are trying to get back to the island and all they have is some horrible murky water that you shouldn't drink.
Shit you not, the answer was to take it anally, like the rectum was good enough at absorbing water and less subject to sickness from drinking icky water that you shouldn't drink.
I'm curious if this is a thing. The rest of the series always had a "these are actual survival things" from shelter to water to food to building traps, etc.
I sorta wonder if that's some Bear Grylls or special forces actually true or not. Maybe it's in the big pile o' links.
posted by zengargoyle at 2:26 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
OK, so there was this recent anime, Are You Lost? about four girls trapped on an island and one of them is the daughter of a survivalist and knows how to keep them alive through all sorts of conditions.
The last episode, "How to Replenish Water" the survivalist and another girl are trying to get back to the island and all they have is some horrible murky water that you shouldn't drink.
Shit you not, the answer was to take it anally, like the rectum was good enough at absorbing water and less subject to sickness from drinking icky water that you shouldn't drink.
I'm curious if this is a thing. The rest of the series always had a "these are actual survival things" from shelter to water to food to building traps, etc.
I sorta wonder if that's some Bear Grylls or special forces actually true or not. Maybe it's in the big pile o' links.
posted by zengargoyle at 2:26 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
Shit you not, the answer was to take it anally
I kinda feel like this is a tautology.
posted by hanov3r at 2:29 PM on February 18, 2020 [29 favorites]
I kinda feel like this is a tautology.
posted by hanov3r at 2:29 PM on February 18, 2020 [29 favorites]
"Shit you not, the answer was to take it anally, like the rectum was good enough at absorbing water and less subject to sickness from drinking icky water that you shouldn't drink."
I did SERE school in the 1980's. And I don't recall them saying that. They might have. But I think I'd remember that. Or they may have added it later.
Anyway I'd start asking if survival was worth if it came down to butt chugging mud.
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 2:31 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
I did SERE school in the 1980's. And I don't recall them saying that. They might have. But I think I'd remember that. Or they may have added it later.
Anyway I'd start asking if survival was worth if it came down to butt chugging mud.
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 2:31 PM on February 18, 2020 [10 favorites]
Also, Bear Grylis has apparently touched on this.
posted by hanov3r at 2:32 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
posted by hanov3r at 2:32 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
In one of John McPhee's many books there was a rancher who was setting out on a day's ride. He had water, but he also had a mantra of "If I drink now I will be thirsty all day."
It was David Love, in Rising from the Plains (part of Annals of the Former World).
posted by Huffy Puffy at 2:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
It was David Love, in Rising from the Plains (part of Annals of the Former World).
posted by Huffy Puffy at 2:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
From this link ("Drinking too much water will kill me, and I don’t care"):
The transformation of water into a specialty product is one of the strangest results of the rise of wellness culture. Hydration improves the daily health of every part of the body, and at some point, wellness blogs and fitness authorities realized they could repackage this pedestrian information as a host of secret tips to fix everything from your skin to your sleep.
"Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?"
Gatorade has barely any potassium, like 1% of your daily allowance. Pedialyte is a bit better, but now big sports teams do direct IVs for dehydration, and sports drinks vs soda vs water is pretty much equal among high school teams.
Related to that...
Hyponatremia among Runners in the Boston Marathon:
These observations suggest that hyponatremia — and particularly severe hyponatremia — may be a greater problem than previously recognized. If our sample was representative of the overall 2002 Boston Marathon field of runners, we would estimate that approximately 1900 of the nearly 15,000 finishers had some degree of hyponatremia, and that approximately 90 finishers had critical hyponatremia.
Substantial weight gain appeared to be the most important predictor of hyponatremia and correlated with increased fluid intake. Our finding of greater frequency of voiding among runners with hyponatremia suggests that most runners gain weight as a result of excessive fluid consumption, although inappropriate fluid retention may also have a role. Most reported cases of serious illness have involved runners in the United States. Our findings indicate that the problem of excessive hydration is not an isolated occurrence but may be part of a tendency among many U.S. marathon runners, especially those in the nonelite category, in which most of the growth in running has occurred.20
We could find no association between the composition of fluids consumed and hyponatremia. This finding probably reflects the relative hypotonicity of most commercial sports drinks, which have a typical sodium concentration of 18 mmol per liter, less than one fifth the concentration of normal saline. Although it is difficult to rule out some effect of the type of fluid consumed on the risk of hyponatremia, our findings suggest that the contribution of the type of fluid is small as compared with the volume of fluid ingested.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:43 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
The transformation of water into a specialty product is one of the strangest results of the rise of wellness culture. Hydration improves the daily health of every part of the body, and at some point, wellness blogs and fitness authorities realized they could repackage this pedestrian information as a host of secret tips to fix everything from your skin to your sleep.
"Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink a glass of water?"
Gatorade has barely any potassium, like 1% of your daily allowance. Pedialyte is a bit better, but now big sports teams do direct IVs for dehydration, and sports drinks vs soda vs water is pretty much equal among high school teams.
Related to that...
Hyponatremia among Runners in the Boston Marathon:
These observations suggest that hyponatremia — and particularly severe hyponatremia — may be a greater problem than previously recognized. If our sample was representative of the overall 2002 Boston Marathon field of runners, we would estimate that approximately 1900 of the nearly 15,000 finishers had some degree of hyponatremia, and that approximately 90 finishers had critical hyponatremia.
Substantial weight gain appeared to be the most important predictor of hyponatremia and correlated with increased fluid intake. Our finding of greater frequency of voiding among runners with hyponatremia suggests that most runners gain weight as a result of excessive fluid consumption, although inappropriate fluid retention may also have a role. Most reported cases of serious illness have involved runners in the United States. Our findings indicate that the problem of excessive hydration is not an isolated occurrence but may be part of a tendency among many U.S. marathon runners, especially those in the nonelite category, in which most of the growth in running has occurred.20
We could find no association between the composition of fluids consumed and hyponatremia. This finding probably reflects the relative hypotonicity of most commercial sports drinks, which have a typical sodium concentration of 18 mmol per liter, less than one fifth the concentration of normal saline. Although it is difficult to rule out some effect of the type of fluid consumed on the risk of hyponatremia, our findings suggest that the contribution of the type of fluid is small as compared with the volume of fluid ingested.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 2:43 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
chavenet said: I hate to break it to you, but you're doing it wrong.
Touche! :)
posted by indianbadger1 at 2:44 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
Touche! :)
posted by indianbadger1 at 2:44 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
> Look I've been drinking water for over 35 years and I haven't drowned yet
Are you sure? Have you checked recently?
posted by Godspeed.You!Black.Emperor.Penguin at 2:51 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Are you sure? Have you checked recently?
posted by Godspeed.You!Black.Emperor.Penguin at 2:51 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
How did we get this far without anybody mentioning the flood of links.
This is why you can die from drinking too much water - it depletes your electrolytes and you can no longer absorb it.
[on preview: continuing the water toxicity thing!]
Just to prevent the pendulum from swinging back too far into the Gatorade marketing department, hyponatremia is pretty hard to accomplish. I found one figure that said drinking more than 1.5L/hr is where problems come in, which is two large bicycle bottles every hour for multiple hours. This is a gallon every three hours at the low end...a lot of water!
Everybody's different, but I'm not in the best shape and I've gone on three hour bike rides that included difficult extended climbing sections in 100°F+ heat and there's no way I needed six bottles, or could have drank them even if I could carry them.
approximately 1900 of the nearly 15,000 finishers had some degree of hyponatremia, and that approximately 90 finishers had critical hyponatremia.
90 out of 15,000 is 0.6%, a pretty low incidence, especially in an event where people are quite motivated to overdo it.
posted by rhizome at 2:53 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
This is why you can die from drinking too much water - it depletes your electrolytes and you can no longer absorb it.
[on preview: continuing the water toxicity thing!]
Just to prevent the pendulum from swinging back too far into the Gatorade marketing department, hyponatremia is pretty hard to accomplish. I found one figure that said drinking more than 1.5L/hr is where problems come in, which is two large bicycle bottles every hour for multiple hours. This is a gallon every three hours at the low end...a lot of water!
Everybody's different, but I'm not in the best shape and I've gone on three hour bike rides that included difficult extended climbing sections in 100°F+ heat and there's no way I needed six bottles, or could have drank them even if I could carry them.
approximately 1900 of the nearly 15,000 finishers had some degree of hyponatremia, and that approximately 90 finishers had critical hyponatremia.
90 out of 15,000 is 0.6%, a pretty low incidence, especially in an event where people are quite motivated to overdo it.
posted by rhizome at 2:53 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
Also, I don't mean to put people off water, it's just that NUUN is expensive! Gatorade too! And usually unnecessary, scientifically, that's all.
posted by rhizome at 2:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by rhizome at 2:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
I have met people who don't like water, and that boggles my mind. Clean, cold water is so damn good. I leaned hard on my elderly parents to drink more water, and now they do.
posted by SoberHighland
These does seem to me to be an age divide, in that older people I know barely drink water, and younger ones always seem to have a water bottle with them (me included). I have carried a water bottle everywhere since...~2003? And now that I take several meds that have dry mouth as a side effect, I cannot be without my water bottle, ever.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland
These does seem to me to be an age divide, in that older people I know barely drink water, and younger ones always seem to have a water bottle with them (me included). I have carried a water bottle everywhere since...~2003? And now that I take several meds that have dry mouth as a side effect, I cannot be without my water bottle, ever.
posted by fiercecupcake at 2:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
90 out of 15,000 is 0.6%, a pretty low incidence, especially in an event where people are quite motivated to overdo it.
As someone who ran cross country and middle distance track in high school, I'd imagine that drinking enough water to do that would make the act of running -- at whatever pace -- pretty darn uncomfortable. It also doesn't seem to be an issue for elite-level racers because they're too busy running to over-consume fluids.
But apparently one of the problems is that when it does occur and people show up at the first aid tent with symptoms of hyponatremia, it looks a lot like dehydration, so sometimes additional fluids are given with disastrous consequences.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:01 PM on February 18, 2020
As someone who ran cross country and middle distance track in high school, I'd imagine that drinking enough water to do that would make the act of running -- at whatever pace -- pretty darn uncomfortable. It also doesn't seem to be an issue for elite-level racers because they're too busy running to over-consume fluids.
But apparently one of the problems is that when it does occur and people show up at the first aid tent with symptoms of hyponatremia, it looks a lot like dehydration, so sometimes additional fluids are given with disastrous consequences.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 3:01 PM on February 18, 2020
Easy Delicious Homemade Hydration Drink
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
Ok yes this is a variation of the WHO ORS described above. But it really is easy and delicious.
posted by medusa at 3:01 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
1 cup orange juice
1 cup water
1 pinch salt
Ok yes this is a variation of the WHO ORS described above. But it really is easy and delicious.
posted by medusa at 3:01 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
But apparently one of the problems is that when it does occur and people show up at the first aid tent with symptoms of hyponatremia, it looks a lot like dehydration, so sometimes additional fluids are given with disastrous consequences.
Yes. I know someone who had this happen after drinking a ton of water while not eating because she was doing a "cleanse." In the ER they thought she was dehydrated and gave her fluids, I think she started getting heart arrhythmia.
posted by medusa at 3:03 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yes. I know someone who had this happen after drinking a ton of water while not eating because she was doing a "cleanse." In the ER they thought she was dehydrated and gave her fluids, I think she started getting heart arrhythmia.
posted by medusa at 3:03 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
There’s a persistent myth that you shouldn’t drink water while eating.
So persistent that neither I nor anyone I've shared a meal have ever heard of it, and have been drinking water with our food in blissful ignorance.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
So persistent that neither I nor anyone I've shared a meal have ever heard of it, and have been drinking water with our food in blissful ignorance.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Should you drink water out of a chocolate syrup bottle?
It can make for an interesting time at the gym.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:17 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
It can make for an interesting time at the gym.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:17 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
there was this recent anime
Ew
about four girls trapped on an island and one of them is the daughter of a survivalist and knows how to keep them alive through all sorts of conditions.
The last episode, "How to Replenish Water" the survivalist and another girl are trying to get back to the island and all they have is some horrible murky water that you shouldn't drink.
Oh, this actually sounds quite interesting and wholesome, maybe I should reconsider my preconce-
the answer was to take it anally,
Ah, there it is
posted by ominous_paws at 3:30 PM on February 18, 2020 [15 favorites]
Ew
about four girls trapped on an island and one of them is the daughter of a survivalist and knows how to keep them alive through all sorts of conditions.
The last episode, "How to Replenish Water" the survivalist and another girl are trying to get back to the island and all they have is some horrible murky water that you shouldn't drink.
Oh, this actually sounds quite interesting and wholesome, maybe I should reconsider my preconce-
the answer was to take it anally,
Ah, there it is
posted by ominous_paws at 3:30 PM on February 18, 2020 [15 favorites]
If all they have is murky water, how do they plan to get enough of it up the butt to make a difference? Like, without extra equipment?
Metafilter: how do they plan to get enough of it up the butt to make a difference?
posted by mrgoat at 3:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Metafilter: how do they plan to get enough of it up the butt to make a difference?
posted by mrgoat at 3:39 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
"There’s a persistent myth that you shouldn’t drink water while eating."
My Aunt made all of us kids do that when we stayed with her when young. We hated it. But I'm old. Haven't seen it since then.
posted by aleph at 3:41 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
My Aunt made all of us kids do that when we stayed with her when young. We hated it. But I'm old. Haven't seen it since then.
posted by aleph at 3:41 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
When I was a kid, we used to drink City of Chicago tap water from the garden hose. I live to tell the tale.
I scoff at those who scoff at purchasing bottled water. If I'm out and about and thirsty, I'd rather drink water than cola or sprite or any of that crap. I'll pay cash money to drink water if I'm thirsty. What are my options? A hot, buzzing and neglected drinking fountain at a gas station? I'm at the point where I only like sodas if I'm having pizza, or a hot dog and fries or something like that. And even then I rarely do.
I've been on my own fizzy water craze since the late '90s, but recently the prices on 12-packs of cans has been going up, up, up. I buy the generic store-brand fizzy stuff, and know the ebb and flow of pricing for the different labels. I still drink plain old tap water from the sink. My wife filters hers, but we get our H20 from Lake Michigan, and I figure I'll survive. There's probably lead and other stuff in it, but I'm turning 50 this year, and my brain and gizzards can handle it. I think.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:45 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
I scoff at those who scoff at purchasing bottled water. If I'm out and about and thirsty, I'd rather drink water than cola or sprite or any of that crap. I'll pay cash money to drink water if I'm thirsty. What are my options? A hot, buzzing and neglected drinking fountain at a gas station? I'm at the point where I only like sodas if I'm having pizza, or a hot dog and fries or something like that. And even then I rarely do.
I've been on my own fizzy water craze since the late '90s, but recently the prices on 12-packs of cans has been going up, up, up. I buy the generic store-brand fizzy stuff, and know the ebb and flow of pricing for the different labels. I still drink plain old tap water from the sink. My wife filters hers, but we get our H20 from Lake Michigan, and I figure I'll survive. There's probably lead and other stuff in it, but I'm turning 50 this year, and my brain and gizzards can handle it. I think.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:45 PM on February 18, 2020 [4 favorites]
You should try to get magnesium and potassium in your rehydration solution, not just sodium (and sugar, which'll bump your blood glucose and make you feel better for a bit, but doesn't do much for the dehydration itself). I use an unsweetened and nearly flavorless product called LyteShow (or LyteLine, they seem to have some branding issues) that has really been a general life improvement even as a fairly sedentary person in a mild climate, including in my quality of sleep; there are a number of similar products with the same nutritional profile. It runs about $16 for a supply that covers two people using it pretty much daily for 6-8 weeks, which I think is acceptable and lots cheaper than that much sports drink or Pedialyte.
However, if you have gastro or food poisoning, Pedialyte or drugstore brand popsicles are the food of the gods that you intake so slowly you might not yark them back up. They're sold at room temp, keep a box on hand and a few in the freezer at all times.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:45 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
However, if you have gastro or food poisoning, Pedialyte or drugstore brand popsicles are the food of the gods that you intake so slowly you might not yark them back up. They're sold at room temp, keep a box on hand and a few in the freezer at all times.
posted by Lyn Never at 3:45 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
See, I'm the person who drinks only water, 64 oz a day, never within 15 minutes of eating. But that's because of multiple medical problems! I can’t have coffee, fizzy drinks, or sweet drinks without being sick. My body retains water very poorly (POTS), so I have been told by my doctor to drink 64 oz of water a day (plus 6 salt pills). I can’t rely on thirst because I have dry mouth so my brain just tunes out those signals. I have rapid gastric emptying, so can’t drink water with food or I digest it too quickly. If you don’t have all of these problems then your water intake is probably fine.
posted by brook horse at 3:48 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by brook horse at 3:48 PM on February 18, 2020
I have another Old Man in Chicago Water Drinking Story for you all. I was probably 11 years old and at the beach on Lake Michigan in Chicago that summer. Super hot outside and we'd been playing in the surf (at least what is considered surf in these parts) for hours. I was so, so thirsty!
I dipped my Frisbee in the lake and drank deeply! It tasted so good! I thought "I probably shouldn't be doing this" but I was eleven, and thirsty and it tasted good and it was hot outside! That afternoon I drank several Frisbees-full of untreated lake water, and somehow did not get sick. Not even a little. I think it made me stronger.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:52 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
I dipped my Frisbee in the lake and drank deeply! It tasted so good! I thought "I probably shouldn't be doing this" but I was eleven, and thirsty and it tasted good and it was hot outside! That afternoon I drank several Frisbees-full of untreated lake water, and somehow did not get sick. Not even a little. I think it made me stronger.
posted by SoberHighland at 3:52 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
I live in a place where the untreated tap water is proven to be better than bottled water, and still people buy bottled water. Heck, sometimes I buy bottled water. Anyway, if you look at those maps in the OP, there are actually lots of places that have water, and in those places it is not meaningful to carry around bottled water. A couple of years ago I lived in a place where there were springs literally everywhere. I couldn't walk 100 meters without finding a spring. And then I could walk another 100 meters or maybe just a bit more to the coast and find oysters. I really got the lifestyle of the Stone Age.
Generally, I think our bodies are really good at knowing what we need. Processed food and drink confuses our senses so we can't really feel what we need, and I for one can crave a burger and fries with a coke at the most inappropriate times. But if you "detox" away from processed foods, your natural sense of balance will recalibrate, in my experience.
posted by mumimor at 4:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Generally, I think our bodies are really good at knowing what we need. Processed food and drink confuses our senses so we can't really feel what we need, and I for one can crave a burger and fries with a coke at the most inappropriate times. But if you "detox" away from processed foods, your natural sense of balance will recalibrate, in my experience.
posted by mumimor at 4:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Okay so I really doubt rectal rehydration with contaminated water is a good idea. If literally muddy water were introduced into the rectum it would likely irritate the hell out of the cells that line your digestive tract, which would reduce their ability to keep stuff out of the rest of your body, which would in turn increase the odds of infections by whatever microbes happened to be swimming around in there. You'd be bypassing many of the defenses against bugs that would normally exist in the stomach, small intestine, and intact colon. If you're dehydrated you absolutely don't want diarrhea, nor do you want microbes in your blood at any point in time. Also, that practice seems like it could potentially also draw water across the epithelia in the wrong direction, if the water was too salty or had too many other things dissolved in it -- which would of course make you less hydrated.
posted by en forme de poire at 4:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
posted by en forme de poire at 4:04 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
If your urine is dark, drink water. Your body is pretty good at extracting water from food and drink. I got dehydrated in Central California once because I'm from places that are humid. In the desert, you don't notice how much moisture you're losing from every pore.
Bottled water is a great way to take clean, cheap local water and make people distrust it and buy water that has to be trucked around in wasteful plastic. It's occasionally useful, but if your tap water isn't safe, raise hell. Like muminor, my tap water is excellent - clean, good-tasting. Everyone on the planet should have clean affordable water.
posted by theora55 at 4:10 PM on February 18, 2020 [9 favorites]
Bottled water is a great way to take clean, cheap local water and make people distrust it and buy water that has to be trucked around in wasteful plastic. It's occasionally useful, but if your tap water isn't safe, raise hell. Like muminor, my tap water is excellent - clean, good-tasting. Everyone on the planet should have clean affordable water.
posted by theora55 at 4:10 PM on February 18, 2020 [9 favorites]
Back in '95 or so, I worked room service at the bleeding-edge hip hotel at the time, the Delano in Miami Beach. The place was owned by Ian Schrager of Studio 54 fame. Madonna owned stake in the restaurant.
We had to send a few cases of Evian in liter glass bottles to Mariah Carey's room. She washed her hair with it.
I've got a bunch of other celebrity room service tales, but this is the water-based story.
posted by SoberHighland at 4:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
We had to send a few cases of Evian in liter glass bottles to Mariah Carey's room. She washed her hair with it.
I've got a bunch of other celebrity room service tales, but this is the water-based story.
posted by SoberHighland at 4:16 PM on February 18, 2020 [11 favorites]
A while back I was on a podcast about extreme desert hydration, which includes probably the worst dehydration story you'll ever hear.
posted by gottabefunky at 4:44 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
posted by gottabefunky at 4:44 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
I lived in a place where there were springs literally everywhere.
Spring water is not necessarily clean water. If the spring is downslope from a barnyard or from toxic waste, it can be very unclean, and you probably won't know it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [8 favorites]
Spring water is not necessarily clean water. If the spring is downslope from a barnyard or from toxic waste, it can be very unclean, and you probably won't know it.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 5:05 PM on February 18, 2020 [8 favorites]
I work in a science lab with a lax water bottle culture (I basically brew beer but with very sick yeast most of the time, and could safely drink most experiments that happen within 10 feet of my desk), but our department recently got dinged by health & safety for drinks in the lab and let me tell you, not being able to have a water bottle for 8+ hours a day when you're on your feet doing experiments is the worst. I don't know how people do it. I only ever drink at my desk, which is physically separated from my lab bench, but if I don't see the water, I don't realize I'm thirsty until I'm dehydrated enough to start making all kinds of bad decisions.
posted by deludingmyself at 5:10 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by deludingmyself at 5:10 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
water is the original conspiracy
posted by philip-random at 5:12 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by philip-random at 5:12 PM on February 18, 2020
There’s a persistent myth that you shouldn’t drink water while eating."
My Aunt made all of us kids do that when we stayed with her when young. We hated it. But I'm old. Haven't seen it since then.
Stomach acid is much more acidic than 5% vinegar (pH 1 vs. pH ~2.4), and is supposedly a major barrier to pathogens in things we consume, so mixing food with water might lower that barrier — I'd guess water was more dangerous than food historically — and avoiding that might have made more sense when waterborne diseases were quite a lot more common.
posted by jamjam at 5:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
My Aunt made all of us kids do that when we stayed with her when young. We hated it. But I'm old. Haven't seen it since then.
Stomach acid is much more acidic than 5% vinegar (pH 1 vs. pH ~2.4), and is supposedly a major barrier to pathogens in things we consume, so mixing food with water might lower that barrier — I'd guess water was more dangerous than food historically — and avoiding that might have made more sense when waterborne diseases were quite a lot more common.
posted by jamjam at 5:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
These does seem to me to be an age divide, in that older people I know barely drink water, and younger ones always seem to have a water bottle with them (me included).
Agreed! I'm super curious about the anthropology of this. As an old millennial, I never had a water bottle growing up, and we weren't allowed to have them in school. (Rich suburban public school, Maryland, late 90s.) Can kids have water bottles in school now? I also never had water before bed or on my bedside table at night, and now I watch my friends parent their small children and send them to bed with hydroflask in case they get thirsty and contemplate how completely dehydrated I must've been for, at the very least, my entire teenage years.
posted by deludingmyself at 5:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Agreed! I'm super curious about the anthropology of this. As an old millennial, I never had a water bottle growing up, and we weren't allowed to have them in school. (Rich suburban public school, Maryland, late 90s.) Can kids have water bottles in school now? I also never had water before bed or on my bedside table at night, and now I watch my friends parent their small children and send them to bed with hydroflask in case they get thirsty and contemplate how completely dehydrated I must've been for, at the very least, my entire teenage years.
posted by deludingmyself at 5:18 PM on February 18, 2020 [5 favorites]
Maybe, yeah. For my 5 year old, the water bottle is mandatory per school rules. And yes, I've thought the same thing too. Going by modern standards, my teenage years (I'm 43) were both massively dehydrated and sleep deprived. It wasn't good.
posted by DangerIsMyMiddleName at 5:35 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
posted by DangerIsMyMiddleName at 5:35 PM on February 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
Back in olden days there were drinking fountains in school hallways which students would sip from between classes. And sometimes engage in shenanigans & bullying.
posted by ovvl at 5:41 PM on February 18, 2020 [16 favorites]
posted by ovvl at 5:41 PM on February 18, 2020 [16 favorites]
Back in olden days there were drinking fountains in school hallways which students would sip from between classes. And sometimes engage in shenanigans & bullying.
One of the threats in my youth was the "bubbler ride" which I only ever heard about but never witnessed. Bubbler is a regional term in Wisconsin (and apparently a couple other places) for water fountain. And the bubbler ride was when bullies would put someone on the fountain and turn it on to make it look like they peed their pants. I'm sure it happened to someone but I think my school had an expulsion or automatic suspension policy for it so it was not a common occurrence.
posted by acidnova at 6:04 PM on February 18, 2020
One of the threats in my youth was the "bubbler ride" which I only ever heard about but never witnessed. Bubbler is a regional term in Wisconsin (and apparently a couple other places) for water fountain. And the bubbler ride was when bullies would put someone on the fountain and turn it on to make it look like they peed their pants. I'm sure it happened to someone but I think my school had an expulsion or automatic suspension policy for it so it was not a common occurrence.
posted by acidnova at 6:04 PM on February 18, 2020
I'm not in the best shape and I've gone on three hour bike rides that included difficult extended climbing sections in 100°F+ heat and there's no way I needed six bottles, or could have drank them even if I could carry them.
Most of the daily segments on RAGBRAI are considerably longer than that, and I've emptied my 50 oz. Camelback multiple times and had to urinate infrequently during some of the longer ones. I don't add electrolytes to every refill, but it does help, above and beyond the caffeine. (And Nuun isn't that expensive; a tube of tablets costs less than $5 when you buy in bulk, and is enough to treat 160 oz. of water.)
Also, the drinking fountains in my place of work dispense filtered water, with an "overhead" dispenser for filling water bottles, and a counter showing how many plastic bottles they've saved. I use one for filling my half-gallon drink container.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:11 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Most of the daily segments on RAGBRAI are considerably longer than that, and I've emptied my 50 oz. Camelback multiple times and had to urinate infrequently during some of the longer ones. I don't add electrolytes to every refill, but it does help, above and beyond the caffeine. (And Nuun isn't that expensive; a tube of tablets costs less than $5 when you buy in bulk, and is enough to treat 160 oz. of water.)
Also, the drinking fountains in my place of work dispense filtered water, with an "overhead" dispenser for filling water bottles, and a counter showing how many plastic bottles they've saved. I use one for filling my half-gallon drink container.
posted by Halloween Jack at 6:11 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Back in olden days there were drinking fountains in school hallways
Back in the really olden days there were common cups for public water fountains! Until people started getting really ill, that is.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
Back in the really olden days there were common cups for public water fountains! Until people started getting really ill, that is.
posted by MonkeyToes at 6:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [6 favorites]
Spring water is not necessarily clean water. If the spring is downslope from a barnyard or from toxic waste, it can be very unclean, and you probably won't know it.
Yup.
This happened in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Yup.
This happened in Walkerton, Ontario in 2000.
posted by mandolin conspiracy at 6:15 PM on February 18, 2020 [1 favorite]
Can kids have water bottles in school now?
Yes. At one of my kids’ school it’s encouraged, because there’s only one water fountain that’s safe to drink from. At the other water fountains they’re supposed to let it run for a few minutes before drinking.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
Yes. At one of my kids’ school it’s encouraged, because there’s only one water fountain that’s safe to drink from. At the other water fountains they’re supposed to let it run for a few minutes before drinking.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:55 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]
They never worried about that sort of thing back in the 70's, and I grew up just flimtrabblittina.
(In Florida at least, you usually had to let it run a while just to drain off the lukewarm liquid that had been stultifying in the pipes to get to the cool fresh stuff, so you didn't feel like you were gulping down nasty soup-water; meanwhile listening to all the other sweaty impatient kids in line behind you whining about you taking too long)
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:20 PM on February 18, 2020
(In Florida at least, you usually had to let it run a while just to drain off the lukewarm liquid that had been stultifying in the pipes to get to the cool fresh stuff, so you didn't feel like you were gulping down nasty soup-water; meanwhile listening to all the other sweaty impatient kids in line behind you whining about you taking too long)
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:20 PM on February 18, 2020
(In short, it paid to shoot for being 2nd or 3rd in line so you got the good stuff without being the butt of complaints from people behind you)
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:21 PM on February 18, 2020
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:21 PM on February 18, 2020
If you want rehydration/electrolyte tabs for cheap then hit up Aldi. I was foolish and bought mine at the chemist instead of the cheaper option at Aldi with its better selection of flavors. It is way easier to have electrolyte tabs while travelling and at home.
I am also a fizzy water guzzler. I caved and got the SodaStream because all those plastic bottles of the fizzy were giving me conniptions of guilt. I envy New Yorkers who get their fizzy water delivered and in re-usable glass bottles. Now I get to ask my dentist when I see her next if I have done wrong by my teeth and the love of the fizzy.
posted by jadepearl at 11:00 PM on February 18, 2020
I am also a fizzy water guzzler. I caved and got the SodaStream because all those plastic bottles of the fizzy were giving me conniptions of guilt. I envy New Yorkers who get their fizzy water delivered and in re-usable glass bottles. Now I get to ask my dentist when I see her next if I have done wrong by my teeth and the love of the fizzy.
posted by jadepearl at 11:00 PM on February 18, 2020
Spring water is not necessarily clean water. If the spring is downslope from a barnyard or from toxic waste, it can be very unclean, and you probably won't know it.
The specific place I lived in was at the foot of a forested hill, and close to the site of the first documented køkkenmødding, hence the reference to Stone Age life. This country is fanatic about pure and safe drinking water. There isn't a week where there isn't something in the news about how farmers need to be policed better, or how we should plant more forest to protect the water. Obviously, it's a good sort of fanaticism. But it is strange that so many people here buy still water. One of my former colleagues had a cousin who found a spring at the bottom of their garden and began bottling and selling the water, arguably starting the trend. They are now millionaires, having sold the brand to a big company, so the water isn't even from the bottom of their garden anymore.
My colleague, who has a bitter streak, was then involved in producing a free reusable water bottle for school so the kids can bring tap water to school. It was funny, but my colleague was right, the amount of plastic used to transport water around is horrible to think of. From this story I also know that you should not reuse your standard plastic bottle: the plastic is impossible to clean well enough, and over time there will be bacteria growth. For reuse, you need glass, porcelain or a special hardened laboratory grade plastic that can be sterilized.
posted by mumimor at 12:02 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
The specific place I lived in was at the foot of a forested hill, and close to the site of the first documented køkkenmødding, hence the reference to Stone Age life. This country is fanatic about pure and safe drinking water. There isn't a week where there isn't something in the news about how farmers need to be policed better, or how we should plant more forest to protect the water. Obviously, it's a good sort of fanaticism. But it is strange that so many people here buy still water. One of my former colleagues had a cousin who found a spring at the bottom of their garden and began bottling and selling the water, arguably starting the trend. They are now millionaires, having sold the brand to a big company, so the water isn't even from the bottom of their garden anymore.
My colleague, who has a bitter streak, was then involved in producing a free reusable water bottle for school so the kids can bring tap water to school. It was funny, but my colleague was right, the amount of plastic used to transport water around is horrible to think of. From this story I also know that you should not reuse your standard plastic bottle: the plastic is impossible to clean well enough, and over time there will be bacteria growth. For reuse, you need glass, porcelain or a special hardened laboratory grade plastic that can be sterilized.
posted by mumimor at 12:02 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
I just wish the West would get better about rehydration drinks without sugar - after a fainting incident I alternated between Pocari Sweat and Aquarion in Japanese rainy season and it was amazing how bearable the temperature and humidity became.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 1:49 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by I claim sanctuary at 1:49 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
The drink X litres / glasses of water a day thing makes my bullshit sense tingle. It ticks all three main points*:
Is the action evocative of purity / cleanliness / healthiness / vigour?
Is there a performative aspect to it?
Is it difficult to prove or disprove its effectiveness by experiment?
See also: vitamin suppliments, fad diets, anything sold by Gwyneth Paltrow, perineum sunning, anything promoted using the word 'wellness' , superfoods, et cetera, et cetera.
*Extra credit is given in the following cases: can it be used to sell a product? is adhering to the regime difficult enough to make you feel like like you've achieved something, without being too difficult to manage? Does never performing the action have a proven negative effect?
posted by Ned G at 2:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [9 favorites]
Is the action evocative of purity / cleanliness / healthiness / vigour?
Is there a performative aspect to it?
Is it difficult to prove or disprove its effectiveness by experiment?
See also: vitamin suppliments, fad diets, anything sold by Gwyneth Paltrow, perineum sunning, anything promoted using the word 'wellness' , superfoods, et cetera, et cetera.
*Extra credit is given in the following cases: can it be used to sell a product? is adhering to the regime difficult enough to make you feel like like you've achieved something, without being too difficult to manage? Does never performing the action have a proven negative effect?
posted by Ned G at 2:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [9 favorites]
For reuse, you need glass, porcelain or a special hardened laboratory grade plastic that can be sterilized.
Let us not forget stainless steel, or even coated aluminum. They are safe, and can be sterilized. Also what is the "special hardened laboratory grade plastic?" Is it HDPE, like what Nalgene bottles are made of?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
Let us not forget stainless steel, or even coated aluminum. They are safe, and can be sterilized. Also what is the "special hardened laboratory grade plastic?" Is it HDPE, like what Nalgene bottles are made of?
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
The truth about hydration: should you drink eight glasses of water a day?
What, like out of the toilet?
posted by Mayor West at 6:19 AM on February 19, 2020 [6 favorites]
What, like out of the toilet?
posted by Mayor West at 6:19 AM on February 19, 2020 [6 favorites]
A lot of the runners I train with have mustard packets to replace electrolytes on long runs, or a separate little bottle of pickle juice. A lot of running lore is just that but I have gotten very good at judging the hue of urine to make sure I'm not going into hyponatremia.
posted by winna at 6:38 AM on February 19, 2020
posted by winna at 6:38 AM on February 19, 2020
Does never performing the action have a proven negative effect?
Never drinking water (or other hydrating beverage)? Yes, it has a proven negative effect. That effect is called dehydration.
Of all of the pseudoscientific gooptalk going on, "drink water" - even "drink 8 glasses of water a day" - is the most anodyne advice of all. Nobody is going to go into hypoatremia from that, and given how terrible people are at sticking to that sort of routine, it will likely just end up as more awareness of fluid intake. I know that, for me, if I am going to do any sort of exercise - running, martial arts, hiking - I need to spend the two days prior drinking a significant amount of water so that, when the time comes to do whatever it is I'm doing, I will have enough water in my system that I wont' sweat it all out and get tired / overheated early. That is a thing that happens to me, and has happened enough times that I've conducted essentially scientific trials on myself. Obviously YMMV. And I don't really count the ounces of water that I consume - it has more to do with how much I'm peeing and what the color is. If I'm peeing yellow before a run, that's Bad News Bears.
TL;DR: "Drink water" is not bullshit advice.
posted by grumpybear69 at 9:03 AM on February 19, 2020 [3 favorites]
Never drinking water (or other hydrating beverage)? Yes, it has a proven negative effect. That effect is called dehydration.
Of all of the pseudoscientific gooptalk going on, "drink water" - even "drink 8 glasses of water a day" - is the most anodyne advice of all. Nobody is going to go into hypoatremia from that, and given how terrible people are at sticking to that sort of routine, it will likely just end up as more awareness of fluid intake. I know that, for me, if I am going to do any sort of exercise - running, martial arts, hiking - I need to spend the two days prior drinking a significant amount of water so that, when the time comes to do whatever it is I'm doing, I will have enough water in my system that I wont' sweat it all out and get tired / overheated early. That is a thing that happens to me, and has happened enough times that I've conducted essentially scientific trials on myself. Obviously YMMV. And I don't really count the ounces of water that I consume - it has more to do with how much I'm peeing and what the color is. If I'm peeing yellow before a run, that's Bad News Bears.
TL;DR: "Drink water" is not bullshit advice.
posted by grumpybear69 at 9:03 AM on February 19, 2020 [3 favorites]
A lot of the runners I train with have mustard packets to replace electrolytes on long runs, or a separate little bottle of pickle juice.
Pickle juice has become so popular for cyclists that you can now buy it separately.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:17 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
Pickle juice has become so popular for cyclists that you can now buy it separately.
posted by Halloween Jack at 9:17 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
TL;DR: "Drink water" is not bullshit advice.
Yeah, I agree with you, but "drink 8 glasses of water per day to be healthy" is bullshit advice. Of course you'd die after a few days if you didn't drink anything, but it doesn't follow on from that that you need to drink lots of water. If you're doing lots of exercise and you know how your body reacts I'm sure you're right, but you're not the audience that the usual wellness advice is aimed at.
posted by Ned G at 9:23 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I agree with you, but "drink 8 glasses of water per day to be healthy" is bullshit advice. Of course you'd die after a few days if you didn't drink anything, but it doesn't follow on from that that you need to drink lots of water. If you're doing lots of exercise and you know how your body reacts I'm sure you're right, but you're not the audience that the usual wellness advice is aimed at.
posted by Ned G at 9:23 AM on February 19, 2020 [2 favorites]
I found it amusing that the crossfitters at work put up signs promoting water use; drink 8 cups a day; drink 0.5l 20 min before exercise; drink 0.5l during every 30 min of exercise, etc.
Meanwhile I'm an ultra runner and unless I'm working on gut training I never bring water for anything less than 90 minutes, and that includes 2pm on 32C+ days in full sun. My thoughts fall along the lines of Tim Noakes in Waterlogged; drink to thirst.
If people putting their bodies to semi extreme circumstance like running 100 miles can get by, by drinking when they're thirsty, then that's probably good enough for the office dwellers, crossfitters and weekend warriors.
I do worry/take more electrolytes than he recommends during races. For the races where I've had digestion issues, or random pains spring up; I've always fallen behind on my planned salt intake and not noticed anything else "obvious" after the fact to possibly explain things.
Re: 8 cups - I agree that for someone trying to get out of the habit of drinking pop, trying to drink water could help. With 8 cups, they might not have room/space to touch the pop! It's like if I'm working to cut weight, I prepare a 1.2L container filled with cut up raw veggies, and I can't have any other snacks until that's empty. I usually finish this around 4:30pm on a workday, and am so full of veggies that the thought of eating anything else never came up :) .
(98%+ of my beverage consumption is water, herbal tea and coffee (sorted by approximate volume per day))
posted by nobeagle at 9:33 AM on February 19, 2020 [5 favorites]
Meanwhile I'm an ultra runner and unless I'm working on gut training I never bring water for anything less than 90 minutes, and that includes 2pm on 32C+ days in full sun. My thoughts fall along the lines of Tim Noakes in Waterlogged; drink to thirst.
If people putting their bodies to semi extreme circumstance like running 100 miles can get by, by drinking when they're thirsty, then that's probably good enough for the office dwellers, crossfitters and weekend warriors.
I do worry/take more electrolytes than he recommends during races. For the races where I've had digestion issues, or random pains spring up; I've always fallen behind on my planned salt intake and not noticed anything else "obvious" after the fact to possibly explain things.
Re: 8 cups - I agree that for someone trying to get out of the habit of drinking pop, trying to drink water could help. With 8 cups, they might not have room/space to touch the pop! It's like if I'm working to cut weight, I prepare a 1.2L container filled with cut up raw veggies, and I can't have any other snacks until that's empty. I usually finish this around 4:30pm on a workday, and am so full of veggies that the thought of eating anything else never came up :) .
(98%+ of my beverage consumption is water, herbal tea and coffee (sorted by approximate volume per day))
posted by nobeagle at 9:33 AM on February 19, 2020 [5 favorites]
From mandolin conspiracy's quote: The transformation of water into a specialty product is one of the strangest results of the rise of wellness culture.
I'm pretty sure this is about the transformation of water into profits, and not so much about wellness anything. It's the Neoliberal's pool - we just swim in it.
posted by sneebler at 9:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [8 favorites]
I'm pretty sure this is about the transformation of water into profits, and not so much about wellness anything. It's the Neoliberal's pool - we just swim in it.
posted by sneebler at 9:36 AM on February 19, 2020 [8 favorites]
Having been born in the mid-80s, this is so weird to me, because I barely remember drinking water at all, for any reason, before I was 17-18 years old. Mealtimes we had milk; for sports things we had Gatorade or Juicy Juice; if I was sick it was ginger ale or Sprite. In summer it was generic Kool-Aid mix or Crystal Light. But never, ever plain water. Yet I don't remember feeling particularly thirsty, ever.
What's up with that?! Have we all internalized the Dasani marketing strategy to the point where we're completely re-conditioned to crave water where we didn't in the past? Or are we just better informed about human physiology, and less addicted to sugar?
posted by witchen at 3:27 PM on February 18 [3 favorites +] [!]
I was also born in the mid-80s, and in high school around 2000-2004, it was extremely popular for students to have reusable water bottles. Old school Nalgenes were the most common, and lots of people slapped stickers all over them.
Now that I remember back, bringing water was also a thing for us in elementary and middle school, especially towards the end of the academic year/beginning of summer. Parents were even encouraged by school admin to freeze water bottles and give them to their kids to bring to class. This was all in the Bay Area, CA.
When did people begin seeing their peers bring reusable water bottles with them? I'm curious as to how this phenomenon gained popularity and which geographical pockets this trend may have started in.
posted by extramundane at 10:18 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
What's up with that?! Have we all internalized the Dasani marketing strategy to the point where we're completely re-conditioned to crave water where we didn't in the past? Or are we just better informed about human physiology, and less addicted to sugar?
posted by witchen at 3:27 PM on February 18 [3 favorites +] [!]
I was also born in the mid-80s, and in high school around 2000-2004, it was extremely popular for students to have reusable water bottles. Old school Nalgenes were the most common, and lots of people slapped stickers all over them.
Now that I remember back, bringing water was also a thing for us in elementary and middle school, especially towards the end of the academic year/beginning of summer. Parents were even encouraged by school admin to freeze water bottles and give them to their kids to bring to class. This was all in the Bay Area, CA.
When did people begin seeing their peers bring reusable water bottles with them? I'm curious as to how this phenomenon gained popularity and which geographical pockets this trend may have started in.
posted by extramundane at 10:18 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
> When did people begin seeing their peers bring reusable water bottles with them? I
I remember when I got to college in 1988 there was a student who always had a reusable water bottle, with a straw, with her, and I thought it was odd; a friend thought it was admirable. I'm now one of those people who carries a bottle everywhere but it's because I get thirsty and I love drinking water (not because I think it has any amazing health benefits, etc).
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:24 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
I remember when I got to college in 1988 there was a student who always had a reusable water bottle, with a straw, with her, and I thought it was odd; a friend thought it was admirable. I'm now one of those people who carries a bottle everywhere but it's because I get thirsty and I love drinking water (not because I think it has any amazing health benefits, etc).
posted by The corpse in the library at 10:24 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
When did people begin seeing their peers bring reusable water bottles with them?
Good question, I want to say I started seeing personal water bottles around the early 2000s for sure, so probably mid 1990s or so with the Healthy Mom set? I feel like for a long time there was only the "plastic water bottle with straw" thing going on.
posted by rhizome at 11:14 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
Good question, I want to say I started seeing personal water bottles around the early 2000s for sure, so probably mid 1990s or so with the Healthy Mom set? I feel like for a long time there was only the "plastic water bottle with straw" thing going on.
posted by rhizome at 11:14 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
The truth about hydration: should you drink eight glasses of water a day?
What, like out of the toilet?
No, silly, out of a glass!
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:21 AM on February 19, 2020
What, like out of the toilet?
No, silly, out of a glass!
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:21 AM on February 19, 2020
When I was in school, back in the sixties and seventies, I could never get enough water to drink, because the hallway water fountains bubbled it out too slowly to get a good drink before my teeth froze, and we didn’t usually have time to go to the water fountains anyway. I didn’t know that was what my problem was, though. I just thought I couldn’t handle the heat (the school was not air conditioned). It made a big difference to me once I was in college and able to carry as much water as I needed. Now I drink over a gallon a day, total, not because of any delusion that I should make myself do so, but just because I get so thirsty, and if I don’t drink water it becomes difficult to think. It’s just a peculiarity of my body, and no, I don’t have diabetes. I could never live on Dune.
I don’t get the fear of reusing a plastic water bottle. Scrubbing out the parts I can reach with my fingers, with water but without any soap, about once a week, seems to be entirely sufficient to keep them from getting smelly, and they don’t make me sick. There may be loads of bacteria on it, but they’re evidently not the kind that cause illness. The only question in my mind is whether any harmful chemicals leach out of the plastic into cold water.
posted by chromium at 11:24 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
I don’t get the fear of reusing a plastic water bottle. Scrubbing out the parts I can reach with my fingers, with water but without any soap, about once a week, seems to be entirely sufficient to keep them from getting smelly, and they don’t make me sick. There may be loads of bacteria on it, but they’re evidently not the kind that cause illness. The only question in my mind is whether any harmful chemicals leach out of the plastic into cold water.
posted by chromium at 11:24 AM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
HYDRATE BEFORE YOU DIE-DRATE
Metafilter: several Frisbees-full of untreated lake water
posted by meemzi at 1:17 PM on February 19, 2020 [5 favorites]
Metafilter: several Frisbees-full of untreated lake water
posted by meemzi at 1:17 PM on February 19, 2020 [5 favorites]
Also what is the "special hardened laboratory grade plastic?" Is it HDPE, like what Nalgene bottles are made of?
Sorry, I don't remember, it's quite a while ago. It was quite a big issue.
posted by mumimor at 2:22 PM on February 19, 2020
Sorry, I don't remember, it's quite a while ago. It was quite a big issue.
posted by mumimor at 2:22 PM on February 19, 2020
because there’s only one water fountain that’s safe to drink from. At the other water fountains they’re supposed to let it run for a few minutes before drinking.
Safe to drink from? Jesus Fucking Christ. Why the fuck do they even HAVE it?
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 8:51 PM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
Safe to drink from? Jesus Fucking Christ. Why the fuck do they even HAVE it?
posted by Everyone Expects The Spanish Influenza at 8:51 PM on February 19, 2020 [1 favorite]
I definitely noticed this change in college, so 1995-1999. All of a sudden everyone had a Nalgene bottle.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:43 PM on February 20, 2020
posted by rabbitrabbit at 12:43 PM on February 20, 2020
The transformation of water into a specialty product is one of the strangest results of the rise of wellness culture.
But pure water has always been an aspect of the sacred, and tainted water of the demonic. But I guess that's just another way of saying that wellness culture has become a religion, complete with prophets, gurus, Saints, churches, sects, holy sites and pilgrimages.
I kind of like that, though; I've spent inordinate amounts of time finding and buying water glasses, carafes, thermoses, and storage vessels — not to mention water treatment systems. The best plain water I ever tasted came out of the tap in an exe's cabin in Government Camp, Oregon, very close to Mount Hood. Out of curiosity I hiked up along the route of the pipeline to a stream which had a series of rapids just before it went into the buried pipe, which was made out wood: sections of long 2x6's bound into a cylinder by helical metal straps. I was later told the wood was elm.
I've tried quite a few times to duplicate that taste by doing various things to tap water, but with limited success. I assume that water had about as much oxygen dissolved in it as the water could hold, and I bought all the equipment I'd need to put filtered water into a beer keg and pressurize it with medical oxygen, but I never got around to doing it.
I have been kind of surprised no one has marketed fizzy water with oxygen under pressure instead of CO2, though. Oxygen is not as soluble in water, but I still think you could make it noticeably bubbly without raising the pressure too high, and I'd really like to try it. The production line might be a nightmare, however.
posted by jamjam at 2:22 AM on February 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
But pure water has always been an aspect of the sacred, and tainted water of the demonic. But I guess that's just another way of saying that wellness culture has become a religion, complete with prophets, gurus, Saints, churches, sects, holy sites and pilgrimages.
I kind of like that, though; I've spent inordinate amounts of time finding and buying water glasses, carafes, thermoses, and storage vessels — not to mention water treatment systems. The best plain water I ever tasted came out of the tap in an exe's cabin in Government Camp, Oregon, very close to Mount Hood. Out of curiosity I hiked up along the route of the pipeline to a stream which had a series of rapids just before it went into the buried pipe, which was made out wood: sections of long 2x6's bound into a cylinder by helical metal straps. I was later told the wood was elm.
I've tried quite a few times to duplicate that taste by doing various things to tap water, but with limited success. I assume that water had about as much oxygen dissolved in it as the water could hold, and I bought all the equipment I'd need to put filtered water into a beer keg and pressurize it with medical oxygen, but I never got around to doing it.
I have been kind of surprised no one has marketed fizzy water with oxygen under pressure instead of CO2, though. Oxygen is not as soluble in water, but I still think you could make it noticeably bubbly without raising the pressure too high, and I'd really like to try it. The production line might be a nightmare, however.
posted by jamjam at 2:22 AM on February 21, 2020 [1 favorite]
I remember that "oxygen bars" were briefly a thing. Oxygen-infused water would totally fit in there.
posted by tobascodagama at 4:06 PM on February 21, 2020
posted by tobascodagama at 4:06 PM on February 21, 2020
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posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:41 PM on February 18, 2020 [2 favorites]