Why Does Drinking Lots Help?

[erikainorlando]

Hi.

I don't remember why drinking lots of fluids helps...?? Water doesn't seem to help as much as gatorade; water I pee out very quickly. But why does this help? Laying back, relaxing, going slow, AND lots of gatorade seems to aide so much (along with the beta blockers).

but what is the physiological reason for fluids helping??

Thanks

Erika

[Janey]

I am not the best person to answer this AT ALL, but I always thought it was because it makes the blood more profuse and less sticky and in general just increases the blood's volume making it more likely to reach our organ's in its full capacity to give them oxygen and allow them to function normally..

When I am dehydrated, I can really feel the "clagginess" of my blood, like it's having a hard time getting to places and there isn't very much of it...

[erik]

I can throw out a bunch of tidbits for consideration:

Consistent fluid intake should help the body keep up blood volume better. Doing that over time can help promote the active contents of blood (the plasma, proteins, etc. that do more than just the water in the blood) but that takes days. However, just having more total volume of blood in the short term (even if it's "thin" or watery) can be helpful especially if your POTS involves blood pooling to less immediately useful places (like legs and such) since there is more fluid "left over" to keep supplying the brain and elsewhere. "Pooling" can occur in the abdomen from eating, although perhaps a modest bit of that can be tolerated or helpful (as opposed to a major rush and redirection of blood that comes from a heavy meal).

I've read that chugging water can give an immediate blood pressure increase. Electrolyte (sport) drinks are designed to facilitate rapid absorption (both of the nutrients and the water) so they might get into you even quicker than straight water. Having the salt in there (like Gatorade does) can also help with water retention (sudden high salt tends to get retained by the kidneys and to retain salt they re-absorb water too) so that can help explain the peeing away of water but better holding on to gatorade and such. The Gatorade has some other key electrolytes, so those might be helping keep stuff more balanced... too much plain water can gently push electrolytes out of whack... and I tend to think we are sensitive to fluxuations tighter than the standard "normal blood test" margins.

Even a modest bit of sugar can trigger some extra response (above plain water) that happens to help... too much might go the other way. There can be a bit of "satiety" response that comes from ingesting stuff. It's a mild effect but for a body in a shakey autonomic state it could be a bit helpful. I find that a healthy "habit" can be a little calming... like they say some smokers develop response to the tactile aspect of smoking (by association)... perhaps we get a bit of that as our body gives up "feedback" over time for things we do that help (a bit of "classical conditioning" going on perhaps).

[potsgirl]

Erika,

I think both Janey and Erik's responses are very good, but I wanted to ask you if your doc also recommends eating a lot of salt? Along with salt loading, you need water loading, to help keep your kidneys and your overall body functioning well.

[erikainorlando]

Sorry it took me so long to respond...very bad few days..I will add more in a later post.

BUT yes, the doc said salt loading for sure. And then I drinnk a lot!!

Thanks guys..

Erika

[ramakentesh]

In some forms of POTs fuild regulation is off. In others pooling or vasoconstriction results in reduced blood to the heart and or brain - increasing fluids increases blood volume to some extent and partiall mediates this problem.

Vandy think that in many hyperadrenergic Patients, they are naturally hypovolumic and then suffer excessive venous filtration in their stomach region and lose lots of liquid when standing further causing POTS.