When you first think of being dehydrated or needing something to quench your thirst, coffee isn’t usually what immediately springs to mind. Sure, coffee can be thirst-quenching but on a hot summer’s day, an iced coffee sounds more appealing than a piping hot Espresso or Latte. For a lot of people worldwide, coffee makes up a large part of their daily fluid intake so knowing its effects are important. We all know that coffee gives us a boost in terms of our attention and making us feel more alert, but does it actually hydrate us or in fact make us more dehydrated? In this article, I’ll attempt to dive into this topic and find out the effects of coffee on our hydration.   What Are The Signs Of Dehydration? Is Coffee a Diuretic? Before jumping and looking at whether coffee does dehydrate people it’s important to have a clear understanding of what the signs of dehydration are, so you know how to spot them if you feel like you are becoming dehydrated. Dehydration is when the body loses so much fluid that it stops functioning normally and these fluids are not sufficiently replaced When this happens the body will show symptoms in numerous ways and adults should seek medical assistance if they are feeling symptoms of dehydration over a prolonged period of time. Perhaps the most obvious sign of dehydration is an increased feeling of thirst. If you notice yourself feeling thirsty or have gone without water for any length of time, then be sure to increase your intake to rehydrate sufficiently. Along with a feeling of thirst, you may also have a dry mouth, and this is another symptom to be wary of. Another sure way to know if you are dehydrated or not is the color of your urine. If your urine is light in color then it means that you’re sufficiently hydrated. If you’re not hydrated then your urine will be darker in color. If your urine is yellow then you need to drink water immediately as it means you are dehydrated. If your urine is orange or a darker color then you need water immediately and you should consult a medical professional. These are all immediate signs of dehydration and can be easily remedied. If someone continues to be dehydrated they may experience more severe symptoms such as dizziness or a feeling of light-headedness that may affect someone’s ability to walk or stand properly. A fever or an increased heart rate may also be noticed if you are severely dehydrated.   Coffee And Dehydration: What Are The Facts? Now that we know the signs to look out for when dealing with dehydration, we can tackle the main question of this article: Does Coffee Cause Dehydration? The short answer is no, at least that’s what research suggests, although caffeine is a mild diuretic which can make you need to urinate more frequently it does not actually make you more dehydrated. Dr. David [...]