The National Institutes of Health’s findings suggest that people who don’t drink enough fluids may be at a higher risk of disease, but some researchers are sceptical.
Adults who are dehydrated may age faster, have a higher risk of chronic diseases, and die younger than those who are well-hydrated, according to a new National Institutes of Health study.
The findings, released on Monday, are based on data collected from more than 11,000 adults in the United States over a 25-year period. The participants had their first medical visits between the ages of 45 and 66, then returned for follow-ups between the ages of 70 and 90.
The researchers looked at sodium levels in the participants’ blood as a proxy for hydration because higher levels indicate that they weren’t drinking enough fluids. The researchers discovered that participants with high blood-sodium levels aged physiologically faster than those with lower levels, as evidenced by health markers associated with ageing such as high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
The study participants all had blood-sodium concentrations that were considered normal: 135 to 146 millimoles per litre. The findings, however, suggested that people with blood-sodium levels at the upper end of the normal range — above 144 millimoles per litre — were 50% more likely to show signs of physical ageing beyond what would be expected for their years than people with lower blood-sodium levels. They were also at a 20% higher risk of dying prematurely.
The study discovered that even people with blood-sodium levels above 142 millimoles per litre had an increased risk of developing certain chronic diseases such as heart failure, stroke, chronic lung disease, diabetes, and dementia.
