Adding salt to drinking water? (Read 4474 times)

Lately I have been having a hard time getting myself hydrated. I can tell my blood value is low by looking at the veins in my hands and arms. I can drink and drink water and I just pee and pee... yet my blood volume seams low and I'll get a bit dizzy if I stand up too quickly. (I'll mention I was on BP meds up until last year and it has just become habbit to be low sodium) So... I started lighty salting my foods. And I just wonder if I should add a little salt to my water? If I am drinking 4-8, 24 oz glasses of water throughout the day am I just leaching electrolytes from my body?

Ignoring your veins, which may be swollen or not for other reasons, what makes you believe you are dehydrated?

Can I ask about the question you originally posed? I mostly drink water these days (some beer and coffee, plus the very occasional Coke), to the tune of 2000-3000 mL per day. It hasn't seemed to bother me so far (been doing this for most of the last 12 months). Is this too much? (sorry for the overly generic presentation of this question which is almost assuredly varies by individual)

Okay, next dumb question: what should I drink instead? (please say more beer, please say more beer...) Or is it... just don't drink so much? I knew you could "over drink" on water (I'm marginally aware of water intoxication and hyponatremea), but as I haven't been affected to date I wasn't worried about it. MTA: Thanks for the consult, Trent. Bill my insurance (this is coded as preventative, right!)

How do you know? Have you had your blood sodium checked after drinking loads? Remember, 3 liters of water is nearly a GALLON. It is nearly SEVEN POUNDS of water.

Um, you know I don't go to the doctor or submit myself for any crazy tests like that. I guess I just meant that I haven't felt sick or died from drinking too much water. Though now that I've verbalized that rationale, it sounds pretty damn stupid.

I haven't felt sick or died from drinking too much water.

You can have **** and not know it. **** - replace with - hyponatremia - diabetes - hypertension - cardiomyopathy (i.e., see Ryan Shay) - ...

You can have **** and not know it. **** - replace with - hyponatremia - diabetes - hypertension - cardiomyopathy (i.e., see Ryan Shay) - ...

Fudge... I will make an appointment.

I put a pinch of sea salt in my water if I know I'm going to be sweating a lot, and by a lot, I mean LOT. Other than that, just straight water until I'm not thirsty anymore and I've done fine.

It would be hard for water to dilute B12. It is reasonable to have your electrolytes checked. As before, I think it reasonable to ask your doc why s/he thinks your B12 is low. Finney, the pinch of salt likely does not give you too much sodium. That is, it does not likely do much to prevent a sodium deficiency associated with sweating.