Medical Questions » Other Problems Questions » Question No. 1453
| Question: | Why do drinks such as tea, coffee and alcohol dehydrate us? |
| Answer: | The reason for this is that caffeine and tannins in coffee and tea bind to the minerals that boost water excretion via the kidneys, including sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium, therefore making the cells dehydrated. Alcohol is processed by a similar mechanism. All these drinks not only use up water during metabolism, but also act as diuretics, increasing the amount of water excreted so that you end up with a deficit. |
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