Why alcohol and sugar make you thirsty
Why does drinking alcohol or consuming sugar make us thirsty? An international study of mice in Texas and humans in Europe reveals an unexpected anti-dehydration mechanism.
In a study published in Cell Metabolism, researchers identify a hormone that acts on the brain to increase the desire to drink water in response to specific nutrient stresses that can cause dehydration.
“This hormone then travels in the blood to a specific part of the brain, the hypothalamus, to stimulate thirst, thereby preventing dehydration,” said Dr Steven Kliewer.
In mice, the study revealed, the hormone regulated hydration (water drinking) in response to nutrient stress.
A second important finding in this study is the very strong response to the hormone in humans, Dr Kliewer said.
“We always look at food intake, and the metabolic field has spent comparatively little time studying water intake. This study suggests that we should think more about hydration and how it might contribute to metabolism,” Dr Kliewer said.
What foods make you thirsty?
Cheese and anything containing soy, make me thirsty.