Do Your Sugar Cravings Mean You’re Dehydrated? by Joan Kent, PhD

One thing I probably don’t write enough about is dehydration and the problems it causes.

 

The body’s average water level is around 60%, and dehydration can start with as little as a 1.5% drop. One of the many problems that dehydration can cause is sugar cravings.

 

Did Our Ancestors Crave Sugar When Thirsty?

 

When our bodies need water, it makes sense if we feel an urge to seek food. I used to think some of my clients lacked awareness of the difference between thirst and hunger. But there’s an evolutionary basis for it.

 

In hunter/gatherer days, water wasn’t always readily available. The search for food to supply water and quench thirst was logical. The vegetables or fruits eaten were high in water content.

 

Obviously, food options have changed dramatically over the centuries, but the urge to seek food when we’re thirsty may still be with us. Dehydration activates both hunger and thirst centers in the brain’s hypothalamus.

 

Yes, the inability to distinguish thirst from hunger may still show a lack of awareness. But dehydration can trigger sugar cravings for a few other reasons, as well.

 

What Workouts Can Do

 

Exercise can cause dehydration. If the workout is long and continues past the onset of dehydration, the body’s use of glycogen – carbohydrate stored in muscle – speeds up and reduces glycogen stores rapidly. A post-workout craving for carbs is likely, since carbs are used to create glycogen. The carbs we crave will often be sugary.

 

In my experience, clients frequently crave fruit after a workout. Some people might say this reflects that evolutionary drive to obtain water from food.

 

BUT!! Bananas are the most popular fruit choice – even though they contain less water (74%) than other fruits like watermelon, strawberries, grapefruit, cantaloupe, peaches, pineapple, raspberries or oranges (88% to 90% or more).

 

So choosing a banana after a workout doesn’t mesh with that water-seeking hypothesis.

Bananas, however, are higher in sugar (18g per cup) than many other fruits that contain more water. The choice seems to be less about water and more about sugar.

 

Speaking of Post-Workout Sugar…

 

Dehydration can make it difficult for the liver, which uses water, to release glycogen and other components of stored energy. That can lead to food cravings, according to John Higgins, M.D., associate professor of cardiovascular medicine at the University of Texas and chief of cardiology at Lyndon B. Johnson General Hospital.

 

Cravings for sweet foods are common after workouts because glycogen production involves both water and glucose, the body’s circulating sugar. Dehydration makes it more difficult for the body to produce glycogen, which eating sugar can boost.

There’s Also Serotonin

 

Dehydration interferes with brain levels of serotonin. Low serotonin results in lack of satiety – the feeling we’ve had enough food and don’t need to start a new meal for a while.

 

Low serotonin can trigger the desire to eat more. It can also bring on food cravings, typically for carbs like sugar. It may even make us more impulsive, so the cravings become difficult to resist.

 

But Dehydration Isn’t Just About Sugar Cravings

 

Other reasons to avoid dehydration include fatigue; dry mouth; bad breath; decreased mental performance; decreased athletic performance; higher rate of perceived exertion; dry skin and loss of skin elasticity; constipation; irritability and other “off” moods; headaches; muscle cramps; dizziness; fever; chills.

 

In a study on Physiology and Behavior, driving errors doubled during a 2-hour drive when drivers were dehydrated.

 

A going rule for water consumption is to divide your body weight in pounds by 2. That gives you the number of ounces of water to drink to stay optimally hydrated. By this rule, a 160-pound person would need to drink 80 ounces, or ten 8-ounce glasses, of water per day.

 

At the very least, gauge your urine color. It should be very pale yellow, even clear.

 

Don’t forget to factor in water losses for sweaty workouts or any dehydrating beverages you drink, like coffee or cola. A tough cycling class, for example, may result in sweat losses of 1 to 2 quarts of water. Drink more water to compensate.

 

So stay hydrated and healthy – and see if your cravings for sugar diminish!

 

Are sugar cravings an ongoing problem for you? They may be more than dehydration. I specialize in making it easy to end cravings. Just visit www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free copy of “3 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Trying to Quit Sugar.”

 

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.