Alcohol Thirst

Why shouldn't you drink beer or other alcoholic beverages on a hot summer day? Because alcohol is a diuretic; it causes the body to increase its production of urine and you lose water.

Alcohol does this by causing the pituitary gland to produce less of a hormone that causes the kidneys to reabsorb water. As a result, a higher volume of water is urinated. So even though you may be drinking a lot of fluids, you are not helping potential dehydration if there is alcohol involved.

Drinks that contain caffeine are diurectics also. Therefore, iced tea, colas and coffee are not good substitutes for water either. They will just cause you to lose more fluids.

Resources:

More information on why alcohol and exercise don't mix.

Learn about the negative effects of consuming alcohol while participating in athletics.

July 5, 2003