"Professor Neil Walsh and his team at Liverpool John Moores University have established that people who are dehydrated have higher spikes of cortisol during stressful situations. And these findings, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, suggest that over the long term, dehydration could have important implications for chronic diseases that are associated with heightened stress responses over time, including depression, anxiety disorders, heart disease, and diabetes."
"In the latest study, 62 healthy adults, including both women and men, were screened for their fluid intake, and divided into quartiles from lowest to highest. The lowest-fluid-intake individuals typically drank less than 1.5 liters per day, and the high-fluid-intake group drank at least 2 liters daily (women) or 2.5 liters daily (men). These numbers correspond with dietary recommendations. Individuals in the highest and lowest intake groups were then matched in pairs for similar trait anxiety levels and sleep, and then tracked."
Dehydration increases cortisol spikes during stressful situations. Higher cortisol spikes are linked to chronic conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, heart disease, and diabetes. Sixty-two healthy adults were screened for fluid intake and divided into quartiles; low intake was typically under 1.5 liters per day while high intake met recommended levels (about 2 liters for women, 2.5 liters for men). Highest- and lowest-intake participants were matched for trait anxiety and sleep, and hydration was monitored through blood and urine as they maintained typical intake. Participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test to measure cortisol responses, with dehydrated individuals showing larger spikes.
Read at Psychology Today
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