| When you hear about the dangers of caffeine, | | | | Frappuccino on the way to work, drink diet soda |
| dehydration is almost never brought up. The usual | | | | during the day, an iced tea at lunch, more coffee |
| suspects of dangers include addiction (it's the | | | | in the afternoon to keep going, and never once |
| most addictive drug in the US), fatigue, and | | | | touch a glass of water during the day. This |
| exhaustion. But, caffeine, on top of all it's other | | | | person tends to be an on-the-go type of person, |
| dangers, is also considered a diuretic. | | | | and it's obvious why. |
| A diuretic is "any drug that elevates the rate of | | | | We're all told to drink 8 cups of water a day |
| bodily urine excretion." In layman's terms, it it | | | | minimum. If you live in a hotter climate, then 64 |
| increases your urine output. As a diuretic, caffeine | | | | oz of water is not enough. In fact, you might |
| basically rids your body of all excess water, | | | | want to double that. Water is essential to our well |
| making your cells crenate, or shrivel up. To give | | | | being. We are made up of about 70% water as it |
| you an indication of how serious it is, professional | | | | is, so nourishing that aspect of our body has to |
| bodybuilders get disqualified from competition for | | | | be a priority. |
| using diuretics, but not the majority of steroids. | | | | And if that means cutting out caffeinated drinks, |
| People in this country don't drink enough water. A | | | | your health deserves it. |
| normal person will wake up and grab a | | | | |