This post was most recently updated on September 3rd, 2023
Introduction
Have you ever heard from any person saying that coffee may dehydrate you if consumed in enough amounts?
And if the answer is yes, then another question may arise in your mind, Will dehydration happen after drinking a lot of coffee, or just a few sips are enough?
Drinking coffee has become a part of many people’s lives today.
Although they may have a mild diuretic effect, coffee does not seem to increase the risk of dehydration.
Please bear with Health My Lives in this article to find more details for this answer.
Caffeine and hydration
The main reason why many people drink coffee is because of the abundance amount of caffeine on it.
The caffeine, which helps to stimulate the nervous system, is the most consumed stimulant in the world.
Drinking coffee can help improve mood and physical performance.
Let’s take time and say thanks to its positive effects.
After you enjoy the taste of coffee, caffeine reaches your intestines and into your bloodstream.
In the final, it comes to the liver, where it is broken down into many compounds that affect the functionality of organs in the body.
Although caffeine is primarily known for its effects on the brain, many studies have shown that caffeine, especially in high doses, may have a diuretic effect on the kidneys, potentially leading to dehydration and caffeine jitters.
Because of this ability, the more consumption of caffeine affects hydration, or more efficiently, caffeine can make you dehydrated.
Several studies have shown that the diuretic effect of caffeine is most influential in those who didn’t use to take coffee abundantly but now drink abruptly for now.
Because of this ability, the more consumption of caffeine affects hydration, or more efficiently, caffeine can make you dehydrated.
Several studies have shown that the diuretic effect of caffeine is most influential in those who didn’t use to take coffee abundantly but now drink abruptly for now.
The caffeine content in different types of coffee
Different types of coffee contain varying amounts of caffeine. Therefore, their influence on hydration also varies.
Drip coffee
Drip coffee (or filter coffee) is the most common type of coffee in the USA.
Coffee will be brewed by adding hot or boiling water to ground coffee beans (coffee powder) and using a pulp filter to break the coffee.
A 240ml cup of coffee contains 70–140mg of caffeine (on average, about 95 mg).
Instant coffee
Instant coffee is made from frozen or dried coffee beans.
This type of coffee is convenient for storage, transportation, and use.
All you need to do is mix according to the dosage recommended by the manufacturer. The coffee powder will dissolve in hot water and can be used immediately without waiting as coffee filters.
You can also use hot or ice, adding milk to taste. Instant coffee contains less caffeine than regular coffee, with 30–90mg per 240ml of a cup.
Espresso
Espresso is made by squeezing a small amount of boiling water or steam through finely ground coffee beans.
While the amount of coffee used for brewing is less, the espresso contains quite a lot of caffeine. One shot (30–50ml) of espresso contains about 63mg of caffeine.
Decaffeinated coffee (decaf)
Decaf stands for decaffeinated coffee. It is made from coffee beans that remove at least 97% of the caffeine but do not affect the flavor of the coffee.
However, do not let yourself be fooled by its name. In fact, decaffeinated coffee is not entirely caffeine-free.
A cup of decaf 240ml contains 0–7mg of caffeine, about 3 mg on average. Therefore, if you drink 5–10 cups of decaf coffee, you will have about the same amount of caffeine as 1–2 regular coffee cups.
Coffee is not able to dehydrate you
Although the caffeine in coffee may have a diuretic effect, it is not likely to dehydrate you. For caffeine to have a significant diuretic effect, studies show that you need to consume more than 500mg a day. This is equivalent to drinking 5 cups or 1.2 liters of filtered coffee.
A trial of 10 regular coffee drinkers was conducted to demonstrate the effect of drinking 200ml of coffee water containing 269mg caffeine and 537mg caffeine coffee on the body’s dehydration.
The researchers observed that coffee with higher caffeine intake had a diuretic effect in a short period of time. Meanwhile, coffee with lower amounts of caffeine still replenishes the body’s water in the same way as normal filtered water.
Besides, another study conducted on 50 “coffee addicts” with volunteers shows that these people drank nearly 300mg of caffeine one time (3 cups of coffee equals 710ml) daily for three days. The amount of urine increased by only about 109ml compared to when drinking the same amount of non-caffeine drinks.
However, this test was only done for a short time, and the subjects were healthy people used to drinking coffee a lot. To that extent, the results obtained will not apply to everyone. Therefore, you should not replace filtered water with coffee.
Epilogue
Sipping a cup of coffee only contributes to replenishing the body’s water, similar to plain water. You have to drink at least 5 cups of coffee at the same time of day to show some signs of dehydration. However, you should not drink coffee that much, especially when there is a risk of dehydration, such as diarrhea, vomiting, or kidney problems. If you are taking diuretics, consider caffeine intake.
Unlike plain water, coffee can cause side effects such as insomnia, irritability, fast heart rate (palpitations), restlessness, anxiety, and irritability.
Drinking a lot of coffee with milk and sugar also affects weight and health. Additionally, some studies suggest that if you’re pregnant, high caffeine consumption can increase the likelihood of premature birth or miscarriage.
A more natural way to tell when your body is dehydrated is by observing the color of urine. The darker urine color indicates more dehydration.
At this time, find ways to promote the process of hydration (rehydration) for the body. As long as you abstain from drinking coffee, it is not one of the high risks of dehydration, you do not have to worry too much about drinking coffee, but if you take too much coffee in a short time, it will make you dehydrated.
