Chances are, youve heard thatcoffeeis dehydrating.
This notion has been floating around for ages.
But given how popular (and, honestly, life-giving) coffee is, the claim warrants some investigation.
Getty / Daniel Grizelj
Do you really need to worry that youre dehydrating your body bit by bit with every sip of coffee?
Coffee can definitely make you pee more.
In news you already know, coffee containscaffeine.
But the caffeine in coffee can also act as a diuretic, according to theU.S.
National Library of Medicine.
This means it might make you pee more than you normally would.
Diuretics generally cause your body to expel sodium and water, theMayo Clinicsays.
Scientistsarent yet totally surehow caffeine does this.
How true this is can vary from person to person.
But aside from that, coffee isnt inherently dehydrating.
Everyones body handles caffeine differently, of course.
This is part of whyhow much water you should drink every dayis such an individual thing.
Fluids from beverages such as coffee are hydrating, so they count, too.
Its also worth pointing out that being dehydrated doesnt just mean youre a tad thirsty.
It means youve lost enough fluids without replacing them that its beginning to affect your body, theMayo Clinicsays.
If dehydration gets severe enough, it can eventually impede your bodys typical functions.
From there, the symptoms only become more intense.
Theres research to back up coffees lack of dehydrating powers.
During the trials, participants had about three and a half cups of coffee or water a day.
Researchers analyzed participants blood and urine and found that there were no significant differences in how hydrated they were.
Even though coffee cant dehydrate you, having too much still isnt great for you.
The caffeine breakdowns can vacillate for other forms of coffee, too.
Decaf coffee can contain as little as 2 milligrams of caffeine per 8 brewed ounces, theMayo Clinicsays.
An ounce of espresso can have up to 64 milligrams of the stuff.
Something like a latte or mocha can have between 63 and 126 milligrams.
You get the picture.
And dont forget that coffee isnt the only item that contains caffeine.
Many teas, sodas, and types of chocolate also provide this stimulant.
FYI, theres a pretty easy way to figure out if youre a little dehydrated.
It involves looking in the toilet bowl after you pee.
If yoururineis clear or light yellow, youre golden!
Thats a sign of great hydration.
If its darker than that, consider what steps you could take to boost your hydration.
Just dont feel like youve got to abstain from coffee to do it.
