Learn more about dehydration symptoms and useful tips on how to prevent it.
Dehydration happens when your body loses too much water or does not have enough water to work normally. Drinking enough water is important for controlling your body temperature and getting rid of waste. Dehydration is when you do not drink enough or lose too much water without replacing it.
Older people can get dehydrated easily because:
It's important to drink enough water regularly to avoid problems from dehydration.
You might be dehydrated if you:
Not drinking enough water can cause:
These can be serious, especially for older people.
Try to drink enough to urinate several times a day with pale, odourless urine. *Dark, smelly urine may indicate dehydration which means you need to drink more. Aim for 6-8 glasses, about 2 litres of fluids daily, unless your doctor says otherwise. Use the urine colour chart below as a guide to see if you're drinking enough.
* If dark, smelly urine persists, please visit your doctor for further evaluation immediately.
*These beverages contain sugar. To limit or avoid the intake of these for people with diabetes.
Coffee and tea are not good sources of fluids because they are diuretics (increase urine production.)
For those on fluid restriction, it is important to adhere to fluid allowance to prevent overhydration and dehydration.
Acknowledgements
Community Dietetics and Nutrition Workgroup (Feb 2022 – Dec 2024) – Dietitians from Public Healthcare Institutions, College of Family Physicians Singapore, Nurses from Polyclinics and Community Care Sector
References
This article was last reviewed on Thursday, October 03, 2024