Does Higher Altitude Make You Pee More?
By: Beth RushManaging Editor at Body+Mind
Traveling to high-altitude destinations might be on your travel list this year, but the change in atmospheric pressure could affect your daily routine. Many people wonder why being in high-altitude places makes them pee more. Check out if that’s the case and how you can support your well-being while away from home.
How Does Altitude Impact Your Hydration?
High altitude has less atmospheric pressure, which causes increased sweating as the body adjusts to the new water vapor pressure gradient against the skin. If you sweat more quickly, your body loses fluids to cool you down more often.
You might find you’re thirstier in high altitudes because your body needs to compensate for this fluid loss.
Does Higher Altitude Make You Pee More?
Yes. Drinking more fluids at high altitude destinations will make you go to the bathroom more often than your daily water intake at home.
Additionally, the sodium that would typically circulate in your bloodstream exits the body faster through your sweat, so urine pH levels rise and cause a diuretic effect.
What Symptoms Does High Altitude Cause?
Dehydration affects the body in numerous ways. In addition to feeling like you need to drink more fluids, the lack of hydration in your cells may trigger migraines until you increase your liquid intake. Stress is a common migraine trigger for 80% of people, but hydration is a sneaky factor many individuals don’t realize impacts their migraine frequency.
Less-hydrated cells also can’t support your cognitive functioning as well, increasing your fatigue until you get more fluids or electrolytes in your system. It’s another reason why drinking three to four quarts of water daily is essential while traveling.
Dizziness is another common symptom caused by less fluid in your blood maintaining your blood pressure. Your brain can’t function well without enough H2O in your cells. Staying hydrated in high-altitude areas will prevent this frustrating symptom so you can enjoy every moment of your trip.
High altitude dehydration symptoms may include:
- Thirsty or dehydration
- Headaches or migraines
- Fatigue
- Nausea or dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Issues sleeping
Keep these symptoms in mind when traveling to higher altitudes.
3 Ways to Stay Hydrated in High Altitudes
You shouldn’t have to battle any adverse symptoms while away from home. Try these tricks to feel your best anywhere in the world.
Here’s 3 Ways to Stay Hydrated in High Altitudes
1. Focus on Electrolytes
Chewables to enhance hydration and water absorption, like those in Zaca’s travel-friendly packets, make that easy while you’re on the go. Store them in your luggage, backpack or whatever you use to carry your belongings on your adventures so you’re never without hydration-supportive supplements.
2. Take Frequent Water Breaks
Staying hydrated is much easier in high-altitude locations if you’re taking frequent water breaks. Set alarms on your phone or smartwatch to remember to grab your water bottle while you’re busy.
You’ll quickly notice that you have fewer dehydration symptoms if you don’t leave your liquid intake up to chance. Shoot for 2-4 liters of water per day.
3. Decrease Your Alcohol Intake
Celebrating your hiking trips or skiing adventures with a few drinks might sound fun, but you may want to drink less than you would at home. Alcohol is a diuretic because it causes fluid loss through more frequent bathroom trips.
You’ll lose the liquids you’ve worked so hard to drink all day long if you’re drinking alcohol, which might be more demanding on your body in high-altitude destinations.
Follow these three ways to stay hydrated to better enjoy your higher altitude trip!
Recover Quickly With A Mountain Supplement
Staying hydrated in higher altitude destinations is much easier with Zaca Recovery Chewables. Each berry-flavored serving boosts your hydration with ingredients like l-alanyl-l-glutamine, which improves your electrolyte intake
and ability to absorb water better. The high levels of antioxidants further fortifies your body to revive and recover faster. Take 2-4 tasty berry-flavored chewable tablets each day of your mountain trip, or when you need it most.
SOURCES:
1. Physiological and Perceptual Responses of Exposure To Different Thermal Environments at Low Pressure https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0360132322010046
2 Effects of High Altitude on Renal Physiology and Kidney Diseases https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9630589/
3. Dehydration and Headache
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8280611/
4. Strategies for Fighting Stress-Induced Migraines https://blog.cefaly.com/strategies-for-fighting-stress-induced-migraines/
5. Adult Dehydration
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555956/
6. Women’s Travel Essentials That Are Must-Haves for Any Trip https://zacalife.com/blogs/blog/womens-travel-essentials
7. Prevention and Treatment of Dehydration
http://yjhip.com/index.php/Journal/article/view/15
8. Sugar Free Electrolyte: Hydration Chewable
https://zacalife.com/blogs/blog/sugar-free-electrolyte
9. Maintaining Gut Health Tips
https://bodymind.com/tips-to-maintain-gut-health/
10. The Role of Alcohol Consumption in Pathogenesis of Gout
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10408398.2021.1911928
