Dr. Berg’s Healthy Keto and Intermittent Fasting Podcast

Intermittent Water Drinking: DON'T Drink Until Thirsty

Dec 13, 2023

07:58

Snipd AI

The podcast discusses the concept of intermittent water drinking and its impact on oxytocin levels and stress reduction. It highlights the importance of listening to your body's thirst signals rather than constantly sipping on water. Over-hydrating can dilute stomach acid, flush out electrolytes, and lead to sodium deficiency. The podcast encourages evaluating the frequency of drinking water while maintaining proper hydration and sodium intake to find the right balance.

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Quick takeaways

Drinking water intermittently can trigger oxytocin, reducing stress and cortisol levels.

Waiting until thirsty to drink water helps maintain sodium levels and prevent electrolyte imbalance.

Deep dives

Thirst and Oxytocin

Our ancestors drank water intermittently, triggering oxytocin which reduces stress and cortisol levels. Drinking water constantly can prevent the release of oxytocin. Thirst can also be triggered by heat and sweating, increasing oxytocin levels. Overhydration does not enhance oxytocin production.

Exploring Intermittent Water Drinking and the Role of Oxytocin

2min

The Relationship Between Oxytocin, Hydration, and Stress

6min

Is it healthy to drink water all day long? Let’s talk about it.

Yes, we need water—I’m not against drinking water. But I think we need to rethink the concept of sipping on something constantly.

An interesting research paper suggests that thirst triggers oxytocin, the trust and love hormone. This is also a powerful stress-reducing hormone.

If you drink something all day long, you may not trigger oxytocin as much as if you waited until your body gave you signals of thirst.

We know the importance of eating intermittently, but what about drinking intermittently? We don’t want to reduce the quantity of water we drink, but what if we decrease the frequency we drink?

Drinking too much water can dilute your stomach acid and affect your digestion. It can also flush out electrolytes and lead to low sodium levels.

A sodium deficiency may cause fatigue, weakness, an increase in adrenaline, and many other health concerns. You need a combination of water and sodium in your diet to really hydrate your body.

I think we need to ask ourselves more often whether we’re actually thirsty or not. You may even find your stress goes down a bit if you don’t over-hydrate.

DATA:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27241...