How do you rehydrate quickly after drinking alcohol? If you’re asking this question, you probably know that alcohol causes dehydration and you’re trying to find the best way to do this.
It’s a sensible thought and there are many different ways in which you can rehydrate quickly after drinking.
In this article, we’ll look into all the ways rapid hydration can be achieved so you can choose which way is best suited to your goals.
Before we do so, we’re going to take a closer look at why alcohol causes dehydration and more importantly, when to rehydrate after drinking.
How does alcohol cause dehydration?
Alcohol is a diuretic which means it makes you produce more urine. It does so by blocking the release of a hormone in your brain called vasopressin.
Vasopressin is released by your pituitary gland, and in normal circumstances, signals to your kidneys to reabsorb water.
Because alcohol blocks the release of vasopressin, it means your kidneys flush out more water. As a result, drinking alcohol without rehydrating properly can lead to dehydration. You can read more about this in our article on alcohol and dehydration.
How to rehydrate quickly after drinking
Before starting this section, it’s important to note that in most cases, there’s no real need to rehydrate quickly after drinking. Taking your time, and rehydrating slowly is the best approach. Even if it's just plain water.
With that said, here are some of the ways in which you can speed up rehydration:
1) Rehydration mixes
Our preferred way of rehydrating quickly after drinking is using rehydration mixes.
Rehydration mixes contain a specialized formula that contains a specific ratio of electrolytes, minerals, and sugar to facilitate rapid hydration.
This mix is known as an oral rehydration solution (ORS) and the world health organization promotes its use in diarrheal illnesses.
But the underlying principles are the same for all causes of dehydration which is why an ORS can be used after drinking too.
2) IV drip
The quickest way to rehydrate quickly after drinking is with an IV drip. Having a cannula inserted into one of your veins and a liter of fluid flushed through in less than 1 hour can’t be beaten.
That said, it’s very expensive to do. There are clinics that charge upward of $250 for one IV bag. They are invasive requiring you to have a needle inserted into a vein. And they are not easy to get hold of unless you happen to live near a dedicated clinic.
Moreover, IV fluids are very much an excessive way of rehydrating quickly. In other words, It is unnecessary to have IV fluids after drinking alcohol. Quickest is not always the best way.
3) Energy drinks
So-called energy drinks like Gatorade are also a great way to rehydrate quickly after drinking alcohol. They contain some of the minerals that you’ll find in the oral rehydration solutions mentioned above.
In addition, they are often packed with sugar which is not normally a good thing. But if you've not eaten for several hours, it's a quick and easy way to lift your sugar levels.
Furthermore, they are the cheapest option as well as the easiest to obtain. That’s because you can walk into any store to pick one up.
Source: www.omre.co