4 Conditions You Can Prevent with These Easy Hydration Tips

By: Carly Piel, PA-C

You probably know what it feels like to have a parched throat from thirst. Now know this: If it happens frequently and for too long, you could find out what it feels like to have a parched urinary system.

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We all get dehydrated now and then after sweating a lot, excessive urination, being sick (vomiting), or gastrointestinal issues (diarrhea). But based on scientific studies, as many as 28% of Americans are dehydrated as a condition. If you are among them, it can contribute to a number of potentially serious health conditions, including to your urology system.

Your urinary system needs water to flush out waste and toxins. Your cells, which support growth and convert food to energy among other jobs, also need a lot of that water. Cells contain almost 60% of all the water in the body, in fact.

When your body loses more fluids than it takes in, the cells in your urology system suffer as well. Long-term, this can weaken the important organs in your urinary tract.

Drink to Urology Health! 4 Conditions Hydration Can Help

The organs and structures of your urinary tract contribute to you overall health, so when dehydrated, the result can have a ripple effect. These four conditions explain how.

Kidney stones – Your kidneys are the first stop of your urinary system. They filter your blood of waste and toxins and convert the extra fluid into urine, which carries out the waste. If dehydrated, the kidneys make less urine to flush out the waste, which includes minerals such as calcium, salt, and uric acid. As these minerals collect, they can bind and form crystals, or stones. Signs of kidney stones include blood in the urine, up-and-down pain on the side or abdomen, and urgent urination. Read about kidney stone symptoms and treatments.

Urinary tract infection (UTI) – Another side effect of making less urine is that its high concentration of minerals and waste can irritate and impair the urinary tract. Also, you have to go less often, so your urine remains in your body longer, inviting bacteria such as E. coli to grab hold and expand into your bladder and urinary tract. Symptoms include a persistent need to pee but producing little, burning urination, cloudy urine, and lower abdominal pain. Learn more about UTI causes and care here.

Inflamed bladder – Your bladder stores your urine, so the high accumulation of minerals and toxins that linger there due to dehydration can irritate its lining and cause it to swell and ache. If you suffer from interstitial cystitis (IC), or painful bladder syndrome, dehydration can worsen symptoms such pelvic pain, discomfort as the bladder fills, and frequent but little urination. Proper hydration helps manage IC symptoms by diluting urine. Learn more about interstitial cystitis here.

Kidney disease – When your brain detects a lack of water in your blood, it releases an antidiuretic hormone that cues your kidneys to reabsorb and retain more water. This can give minerals and toxins a chance to accumulate in the blood, compromising the kidneys’ ability to function and exposing them to potential disease. Another contributing factor to kidney disease: Dehydration can slow blood and nutrients from reaching your kidneys. A warning: If you have chronic kidney disease, you might have to reduce water and potassium (an important electrolyte) because your kidneys aren’t as able to make urine or regulate potassium. Learn more about kidney health.

You should consult a urology specialist if you or a loved one have any of the symptoms described above.

Dehydration Symptoms to Watch For

Along with feeling parched, common signs of dehydration include:

• You urinate less than usual
• Your urine is dark (healthy urine is golden to pale yellow)
• Headaches and dizziness
• Fatigue
• Confusion
• Sunken eyes and/or cheeks
• Dry skin; skin that stays wrinkled after you pinch it

Urinary-Friendly Practices for Good Hydration

We tend to protect against dehydration in the summer, but the condition can occur in the winter as well. Think about it: you might sweat under layers of clothing, drink less water, and indoor heating is dry.

So make proper hydration a 2026 resolution with these easy practices.

1. Balance alcohol with water. As a diuretic, alcohol can cause you to urinate faster than you can replenish fluids. It also hampers your kidneys’ ability to balance liquids and electrolytes. Mix water in with your cocktail intake to maintain fluid levels, and avoid drinking on an empty stomach; it can promote dehydration.
2. Add electrolytes, if necessary. Your body loses electrolytes when it becomes dehydrated, and it relies on these minerals to carry nutrients to your cells, support your nerves, and stabilize blood pressure, among other functions. If you lose a lot of water, look for electrolyte drinks that include sodium, potassium, and chloride (which regulates body fluids). In a pinch, you also can mix water with a salty snack, such as pretzels.
3. Hydrate with maturity. Dehydration risk tends to climb as you age, because you feel less thirsty and because your kidneys might not operate as well. In fact, an estimated 40% of people older than 65 have chronic dehydration, UCLA Health reports. This includes postmenopausal women, who need to stay hydrated because they are more susceptible to UTIs.
4. Take precautions with prescriptions. Many medications reduce body fluids as a side effect. These include beta blockers, diuretics, antipsychotics, and anticholinergics (for asthma, COPD, overactive bladder, and IBS).
5. Prevent sun damage. Even when you’re in the snow, the sun’s UV rays can cause a sunburn that dries out your skin, leading to dehydration. If you expect to be in the sun for a while, protect your skin with sunscreen and a visor.

If you experience a parched throat from thirst, get hydrated as soon as you can. And stay hydrated. The U.S. Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine recommends drinking 11.5 to 15.5 cups of water per day, for women and men respectively. But note: hydration needs can vary among individuals based on activity and comorbidities (medical conditions, such as obesity). It’s a good idea to talk about your hydration needs with your whole healthcare team, including your primary care provider, urologist, and (if it applies) kidney specialist.

Your urinary system will take care of the rest, in good health.

MidLantic Urology is taking new patients. If you would like to talk to a specialist about improving your urology health, you can find our closest provider and location right here.