Doctors Health Press Weighs in on Study Showing Which Fluids Are Best for Hydration
Boston, MA, July 12, 2016 – Doctors Health Press (www.DoctorsHealthPress.com), a division of Lombardi Publishing Corporation and the publisher of various natural health newsletters, books, and reports, including the popular Doctors Health Press e-Bulletin, is weighing in on a study showing which fluids are best for hydration.
A recent study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked to establish a “beverage hydration index” using 13 common beverages. The goal was to test how long each of these beverages kept those who consumed the drinks hydrated by measuring how long each fluid remained in the participant’s body. (Source: Maughan, Ronald J. et al. “A randomized trial to assess the potential of different beverages to affect hydration status: development of a beverage hydration index,” The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, December 23, 2015; http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/103/3/717.full.)
“Most people automatically assume that water is the most effective means of staying hydrated,” says Adrian Newman, publisher of Doctors Health Press. “The common advice has been to drink eight glasses of water a day; however, it’s helpful to have studies that can show whether water is, in fact, the best option for hydration.”
The study required 72 males in their mid-twenties to consume 13 different beverages. Urine samples were then collected and tested for the amount of water retention after a two-hour period. Water was given a hydration value of 1.0 and was used as the baseline when measuring the hydration qualities of the other fluids. If fluids had a value of less than 1.0, this meant they were less effective at hydrating when compared to water. If fluids had a value greater than 1.0, this indicated that they were more effective at hydrating compared to water. The results of the study showed that “Pedialyte,” fat-free milk, whole milk, and orange juice were in fact better hydrators than water.
“This may be surprising to a lot of people,” Newman continues. “Water is thought of as the Holy Grail of hydration. But clearly other beverages have strong hydration qualities as well.”
The study also found that beer, soda, and coffee had results similar to that of water. It’s only with an increase in the strength of the alcohol or coffee that they become less effective at hydration.
“It’s important to remember that beer and soda are often packed with sugar and of course overconsumption of alcohol can cause other health issues,” Newman concludes. “So, although they may be just as effective at hydrating someone on a hot day, they shouldn’t be consumed on daily basis or made to be a substitute for water.”
Doctors Health Press believes in the healing properties of alternative remedies. Its daily e-newsletter provides natural health news focusing on foods, herbs, and other forms of alternative treatment for natural healing. Learn more about Doctors Health Press at www.DoctorsHealthPress.com.
