Why Hydration Matters When Taking Supplements

Your body is approximately 60% water, with your brain and heart being composed of around 73% water¹. Every single cell in your body depends on water to function properly, making hydration one of the most critical, yet often overlooked, factors in maintaining optimal health. Water regulates temperature, lubricates joints, delivers nutrients to cells, supports cognitive function, maintains healthy circulation, and ensures your organs function optimally.

Even mild dehydration can trigger symptoms that many people don't immediately associate with fluid intake. Common effects include headaches, fatigue, cognitive decline affecting memory and focus, dizziness, blood pressure fluctuations, and digestive issues. More severe dehydration can lead to kidney problems, metabolic disorders, and muscle damage.

If you're managing Lyme disease or other chronic conditions, dehydration may contribute to worsening existing symptoms. Brain fog, one of the most commonly reported symptoms by those with chronic illness, can be affected by inadequate hydration. When your brain doesn't receive enough water, cognitive function may decline, making it harder to concentrate, remember information, or think clearly. Similarly, dizziness and lightheadedness may intensify when you're dehydrated, as blood volume decreases and circulation is affected. Maintaining proper hydration is one factor in overall symptom management.

For those managing chronic conditions, particularly Lyme disease and tick-borne infections, proper hydration becomes even more important. Your body is working hard to heal, fight infection, and manage inflammation, all of which require adequate fluid levels.

Supporting Supplement Absorption

Many supplements, particularly those designed to support immune function and cellular health, require proper hydration for optimal absorption. Water helps dissolve water-soluble nutrients, transports them through your digestive system, and facilitates their absorption into your bloodstream.

Supporting Supplement Intake

Whether you're following a practitioner-guided protocol or managing your health independently, hydration supports the effectiveness of your treatment. Proper fluid intake helps maintain healthy blood flow, ensuring that nutrients and therapeutic compounds reach the tissues and cells that need them most. It also supports lymphatic drainage, which is crucial for immune function and reducing inflammation.

Facilitating Natural Processes

Your liver, kidneys, lymphatic system, and digestive tract all rely on water to process and eliminate metabolic waste and byproducts. Proper hydration supports these natural processes.

This is particularly relevant when experiencing die-off reactions (often called Herxheimer or "herx" reactions) during treatment. Adequate hydration may help support your body's natural processes during this time and aid detoxification.

Not all water is created equal. Tap water in developed countries is generally safe, regulated, and cost-effective, though quality varies by location. If you have concerns about local water quality, testing or a home filtration system can help. Mineral water contains naturally occurring minerals like calcium and magnesium in ionic form, which may be more readily available to the body. Filtered water using activated carbon effectively removes contaminants and improves taste, though it may also remove some beneficial minerals.

The most important factor isn't which type of water you choose, but that you're drinking enough clean, safe water consistently. For most people, filtered tap water provides an excellent balance of safety, convenience, and cost-effectiveness.

General guidelines suggest approximately 2.7 litres (about 11 cups) daily for women and 3.7 litres (about 15 cups) for men, including water from all beverages and food. However, these are starting points, not universal rules. Your individual needs may vary widely depending on body size, activity level, climate, and health status.

It's entirely possible to overhydrate, which can lead to electrolyte imbalance and a condition called hyponatremia. Work with your healthcare practitioner or nutritionist to determine the optimal intake for your specific situation, especially if you're managing chronic health conditions or taking medications that affect fluid balance.

1. Start your day with water and keep it accessible. Before reaching for coffee or tea, drink a glass of water to rehydrate after hours without fluids. Carry a reusable water bottle or keep one at your desk, in your car, and by your bedside. When water is within reach, you're far more likely to sip throughout the day.

2. Listen to your body and track your intake. Pay attention to your thirst signals - don't ignore your body's cues about when you need fluids. Consider tracking your water intake using a journal, app, or simple tally system to ensure you're neither over- nor under-consuming. This is especially helpful when establishing healthy hydration habits.

3. Focus on the right beverages. Make water your primary beverage, supplemented with unsweetened herbal teas and diluted fruit or vegetable juices (emphasis on diluted - full-strength juice contains high amounts of sugar). Avoid relying on caffeinated beverages, sugary drinks, or alcohol.

4. Monitor your hydration status. Check your urine colour regularly - pale yellow or straw-colored urine indicates good hydration, while dark yellow or amber suggests you need more fluids. If your urine is completely clear and you're urinating very frequently, you might be overhydrating.

5. Adjust for your circumstances. Your hydration needs increase when exercising, in hot or humid weather, at high altitudes, when ill (especially with fever, vomiting, or diarrhoea), or during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Pay attention to outside temperatures and your activity level, and increase your intake accordingly.

Hydration is a cornerstone of health that works alongside quality supplementation and appropriate treatment protocols. For those managing chronic conditions like Lyme disease, proper hydration supports supplement absorption, facilitates natural processes, and is one factor in overall symptom management.

Pay attention to your hydration levels, listen to your body's signals, and work with your healthcare team to find the approach that works best for your individual situation. Your body's water needs are as unique as you are, and finding your personal hydration sweet spot is an important part of supporting your overall health and recovery.

¹https://www.usgs.gov/ (The Water in You: Water and the Human Body, May 2019)