Fasting Side Effect 3: DehydrationWhile fasting, you’re not consuming solid food for a prescribed period of time and this means you are also not taking in your daily supply of the usual electrolytes (such as sodium) contained in food. Since your “thirst center” is located in the hypothalamus along with your “hunger center” you may discover that your usual drive for water intake is depressed during a fast. It will be very important to maintain your fluid intake but since most people do this with electrolyte free water (such as bottled or tap water) your electrolyte balance can get particularly difficult to maintain. Basically you always lose a certain amount of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes every time you urinate- you simply can’t make urine without some of these electrolytes contained in it. So if you’re urinating frequently because you’re drinking a lot of water, you’re also rapidly depleting your body of its electrolytes. In general the body adapts quite well over short periods but in excess this type of behavior can be dangerous and may lead to a condition called “hyponatremia” due to water intoxication. Please refer to our “guidelines” section to develop a balanced hydration strategy for your individual fast. For example, for those who find they naturally lose their drive to drink water you may have to thoughtfully schedule the drinking of about 6-8 8oz glasses of water over the course of the day to maintain adequate water intake. Your own indication of thirst is not a reliable indicator. On the other hand those who enjoy having water readily available and find frequent drinking helps curb hunger or nausea then making sure you limit your fluid intake to 6-8 8oz glasses becomes more important. The best way to minimize the chance of either side effect occurring is just stick to the mainstream advice of 6-8 glasses per day during your fast. You don't want to end up in the ER attached to an IV!!!
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