Constantly Peeing? Learn Why This Could Actually Be A Sign Of Dehydration Despite Drinking Water!

Having to pee every hour feels like you must surely be the most hydrated person in the world. Unfortunately, this can mean quite the opposite.

That’s right, a constant need to pee is not always a sign that reaching your daily water goal has succeeded in hydrating you. 🥲

And no, it is also highly unlikely that your need to pee is because you have a “small bladder.”  😉

There are many things that can lead to an overactive bladder (medications, excessive caffeine or alcohol intake, diabetes, UTIs, older age). If, however, you do not fall into one of those categories, and you notice that you only have to constantly pee on days where you drink large amounts of water, then you are likely becoming dehydrated as a result of electrolyte imbalances.

Why can dehydration occur despite drinking water? And how do electrolytes affect hydration levels?

The Mayo Clinic says that:

“Electrolytes are substances that have a natural positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. An adult's body is about 60% water, which means nearly every fluid and cell in your body contains electrolytes. They help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells, and more….. Your cells use electrolytes to conduct electrical charges, which is how your muscles contract. Those same electrical charges also help with chemical reactions, especially when it comes to hydration and the balance of fluids inside and outside of cells.The key principle that electrolytes rely on is that certain chemical elements can naturally hold a positive or a negative electrical charge. When those elements are dissolved in a liquid, that liquid can then conduct electricity.”

Here are three things you should know about electrolyte balance and how this affects your bladder:

1. Electrolytes help create osmotic pressure, which regulates the movement of water in and out of cells. When electrolyte levels are low, there is less osmotic pressure to keep water inside cells, leading to increased water excretion through urine.

2. The kidneys play a vital role in maintaining electrolyte balance and regulating fluid levels in the body. When electrolyte levels become imbalanced, particularly when sodium levels are low, the kidneys respond by increasing urine production. This is the body’s natural response to try and eliminate excess water in an attempt to restore electrolyte balance. The more you try to replenish with only plain water, the more electrolytes your body will flush out, depleting you even further.

3. The most important electrolytes in the body are sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, chloride, and phosphate. At the end of this article I will share with you the best products you should use for consuming the correct amounts of these electrolytes! 🤗 But first, here is a brief overview of how each of these electrolytes helps your body:

SODIUM (Na+)

Functions: Regulates fluid balance, blood pressure, and blood volume; essential for nerve and muscle 💪 function.

Top sources: 🧂🍙🥒 Celtic sea salt, Himalayan salt, seaweed, and pickles.

POTASSIUM (K+)

Functions: Critical for maintaining normal cell function, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction; helps regulate heart 🫀rhythm.

Top sources: 🍌🍊🍋🥔🍅🥑 Bananas, oranges, lemons, potatoes, spinach, tomatoes, and avocados.

CALCIUM (Ca2+)

Functions: Vital for bone and teeth 🦷 health; necessary for muscle contraction, and nerve signaling.

Top sources: 🥛 🧀 🐮 🥬 Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and fortified cereals.

MAGNESIUM (Mg2+)

Functions: Involved in over 300 biochemical 🧬 reactions in the body, including protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose control, and blood pressure regulation.

Top sources: 🌰 🥜 🌾🥬 Nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, and leafy green vegetables.

BICARBONATE (HCO3-)

Functions: Helps maintain the body’s pH 💧 balance by neutralizing acids; important for digestive function.

Top sources: 🥑 🥬 Produced by the body as part of the bicarbonate system; also found in baking soda and certain vegetables. There are many different types of bicarbonate: sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, magnesium bicarbonate, calcium bicarbonate, etc. 

CHLORIDE (CI-)

Functions: Works with sodium to maintain fluid balance and osmotic pressure; important for stomach acid production (hydrochloric acid).

Top sources: 🧂🍙 🍅🫒 Table salt, seaweed, tomatoes, olives, and rye.

PHOSPHATE (PO4^3-)

Functions: Vital for energy production and storage (ATP); important for bone and teeth health, and cell membrane integrity

Top sources: 🥛 🧀 🥚 🎣 🥜 Dairy, eggs, meat, nuts, and legumes.

The recommended daily intake of electrolytes varies based upon gender, age, activity levels, and health conditions. While it is possible to balance your electrolytes through a rich diet, it can be incredibly hard to make sure you are consuming enough of all seven each day. This is why I highly recommend that you add a good multi-vitamin and electrolyte packets to your morning routine!

Unfortunately, finding the right electrolyte powders and multivitamins can be a challenge as far too many health products are anything but healthy. With so many of them being full of yucky fillers, toxic additives, allergens, and artificial dyes, its hard to actually find one that you can be confident in using. Not to worry though!

I have the perfect electrolytes for you:

DryWater Complete Hydration Powders are THE BEST electrolyte packets I have ever tried. And no, this article is not sponsored by them. 😉

1. They contain NO artificial colorants, NO artificial sweeteners, and NO added sugar. All of their sugar comes from real fruit! They are also gluten free, vegan, and Non-GMO.

2. They have much more potassium, sodium, and magnesium than other brands. There are, unfortunately, so many electrolyte products that contain barely any electrolytes and are sugar more than anything. But with these, you get 20% of the DV of Potassium, 17% of the DV of Sodium, and 10% of the DV of Magnesium. You also get 80% of the DV of Vitamin C, 150% of the DV of Vitamin B6, and 420% of the DV of B12 which are each vital for hair and skin health.

3. They taste 👅 amazing. So many electrolyte powders make me sick to my stomach, but these are absolutely delicious. I love using them to boost my energy in the morning and to keep me hydrated after a workout in the evening!

What about multivitamins? While these electrolyte powders have minerals and five essential vitamins (C, B3, B5, B6, B12), it is also vital that you intake plenty of vitamin A, in order to maintain healthy epithelial tissues which play a role in electrolyte absorption, and that you consume the DV of vitamin D as this vitamin is crucial for calcium metabolism.

I have the perfect vitamin for you! One which has 1350 mcg of vitamin A (150% of the DV) and 25 mcg of vitamin D (125 of the DV).

This multivitamin is:

• Soy Free 

• Gluten Free

• Peanut Free

• Tree nut Free

• Dairy Free

• Egg Free

• Fish & Shellfish Free

And, because, it is vegan, the Vitamin D it contains is NOT derived from lanolin (🤢) and is instead derived from lichen (cholecalciferol).

It is also wonderful because it is Non-GMO!

You can find this multivitamin at Natural Grocers, or order it from Amazon by clicking here.

In summary, the idea that frequent urination indicates a small bladder is a myth, and believing that water alone can provide full hydration is a misconception. Dehydration can occur despite drinking plenty of water, so to achieve thorough cellular hydration, it is essential to incorporate a balanced mix of electrolytes, minerals, and vitamins.

Was this article helpful for you?

• Yes! 🤗 I did not know very much about electrolytes.
• I already knew I need electrolytes, but I like the recs 😎

Wait! 🏃‍♀️ I also have a gift for you! 😎

You can claim a free copy of my Vitamin & Mineral Cheat Sheets by logging into Lysobella and downloading them from the Free Guides page under your profile.

These cheat sheets will help you remember:

🍒 How much of each vitamin and mineral you need to eat every day. 

🍋What foods are some of the highest in these vitamins and minerals.

🍑 & what minimum portion sizes you should be eating of them.

ACCESS HERE