Learn whether menopause causes dehydration from doctors and womens health experts who unpack the correlations between both.
It is defined by the absence of menstrual periods for 12 consecutive months.
Perimenopause, on the other hand, is the transitional phase leading up to menopause.
This is because its common to startlosing three-to-five percentof your bodys muscle mass per decade beginning at age 30.
This is a natural phenomenon.
to make it mitigate these symptoms, many will fluid-restrict and thus risk dehydration, she says.
board-certified OB/GYN and chief medical director atBonafide Health
And that causes other symptoms that can be dehydrating.
Estrogen [is central to] the thermoregulatory zone of the brain in the hypothalamus, she explains.
As the estrogen decline nearing menopause, the internal thermostat gets disrupted.
The body can easily overheat, causing the hot flashes.
And in response, the body will produce sweat so that cool the body.
Just like with exercise, sweat can lead to dehydration if youre notadequately replenishing.
Temperature regulation isnt the only part at play, though.
Lets jump back to a decreased sense of thirst real quick.
As you’ve got the option to guess, all of this is where the dehydration comes in.
board-certified OB/GYN and chief medical director atBonafide Health
At what stage of menopause does dehydration ramp up?
He explains thatperimenopauseis typically when hormonal fluctuations start.
Usually in the early part of menopause, hot flashes and night sweats are the issue, she says.
What helps with menopause-related dehydration?
Set water goals
Simply being more mindful can be key.
But how much water do you need?
Dr. Dweck encourages monitoring how often you feel the need to pee and the concentration of your urine.
This can cause fogginess, fatigue, headache, dry mouth, and excessive thirst, too.
She encourages at least a serving a day, increasing that frequency if needed until symptoms decrease or resolve.
Examples ofhydrating foodsinclude watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes, strawberries, peaches, cantaloupe, and oranges.
Both have diuretic properties that can cause more fluid losses, Dr. Miller says.
She encourages drinking water instead.
Final takeaways
While menopause can play a role in dehydration, its not necessarily thebiggestcontributor.
FYI,dehydration recovery can last up to 36 hours, depending on the stage.
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