How Does Soda Dehydrate the Body?

Nurses General Nursing

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I was speaking to a nurse whose brother had a 'borderline' creatinine level. Her brother told her that the nurse told him that he drinks alot of soda, and that probably dehydrated him slightly. We were trying to debate this, and from my deduction, it may be that his sugar was elevated.

Anyone have an answer to this? Thanks!

Just check out the sodium levels in sodas, they are insane! This could be a contributing factor to the dehydration thing. If I remember right, diet sodas had more sodium in most cases.

Which soda? Most has no sodium at all--some have 10mg or so. Where I work, any liquid that has less than 60mg of sodium is considered a free water, and is thus restricted in patients who are on a free water fluid restrtiction. That includes soda, juice, tea, coffee, etc. Milk/gatorate/carnation shakes, tomato juice, etc are some of the only few high sodium beverages to my knowledge.

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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

i know thats right....

you can have my coke when you pry it from my cold, dead fingers :stone
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Specializes in ICU, PICC Nurse, Nursing Supervisor.

coma or no coma .. ill take my dr pepper iv or you can insert a g tube. lol

oh, dear!! i don't drink etoh, don't smoke anything, say "no" to drugs, don't gamble, don't cheat...but i can't do without my dr pepper unless i am in a coma!!!!!
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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.
If that were the case, wouldn't you also see that effect with juices? A carb is a carb.

Being on my first cup of coffee as I write this, and not looking at the nutrition label of a Coke, wouldn't it be the sodium content of the soda or any carbonated bev that makes us so dehydrated? I know I'm sucking on the insides of my cheeks an hour after any soda I drink, caffeinated or not.

Chloe

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Being on my first cup of coffee as I write this, and not looking at the nutrition label of a Coke, wouldn't it be the sodium content of the soda or any carbonated bev that makes us so dehydrated? I know I'm sucking on the insides of my cheeks an hour after any soda I drink, caffeinated or not.

Chloe

http://www.thecoca-colacompany.com/mail/goodanswer/soft_drink_nutrition.pdf

Low sodium content. Root beer is the highest at 48. Go figure...

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.

Well gosh, gotta be something that pulls the osmolarity and causes dehydration. If not the salt, and not the sugar, I'm tapped!

Trying to get through my current case of "electrolyte flavored waters" fr Costco now, they make me terribly thirsty as well. And they have sugar substitute in them!

Yucky aftertaste too.

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Well gosh, gotta be something that pulls the osmolarity and causes dehydration. If not the salt, and not the sugar, I'm tapped!

Trying to get through my current case of "electrolyte flavored waters" fr Costco now, they make me terribly thirsty as well. And they have sugar substitute in them!

Yucky aftertaste too.

Take the case to work and leave it in the break room. Nurses will eat/drink anything :lol2:
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Take the case to work and leave it in the break room. Nurses will eat/drink anything :lol2:

I took my 6 year old's soccer candy bars to work - I think there were 50 of them. Gone by the end of my shift. :w00t:

steph

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Specializes in Did the job hop, now in MS. Not Bad!!!!!.

Great idea guys! But need a job!!!!

RN w/ BSN and previous BA w/ honors. Will work for pay!!! :plsebeg:

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I was only right about diet sodas containng more sodium than regular soda. Evidently there is not a whole lot of sodium.

BUT doing some research- Soda's sugar concentration is HIGH, higher than the body's fluids, so the body attempts to dilute this with the addition of more fluid, which makes perfect sense.

Not sure about the diet soda's though.

Jeez, with all the soda that is consumed you would think the answers would be readily available.

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I took my 6 year old's soccer candy bars to work - I think there were 50 of them. Gone by the end of my shift. :w00t:

steph

We are a ravenous bunch, eh? :lol2:
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BUT doing some research- Soda's sugar concentration is HIGH, higher than the body's fluids, so the body attempts to dilute this with the addition of more fluid, which makes perfect sense.

But you're not taking it in IV.

Jeez, with all the soda that is consumed you would think the answers would be readily available.
LOL

Ain't that the truth. Must be a.... conspiracy!

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