Weekly Toolbox Talk: Stay Hydrated

Stay Hydrated
 

Since the beginning of this year, we have experienced around five incidents involving heat illness
symptoms among our workforce. Some of these cases have shown effects that can impact the heart,
especially when combined with underlying medical conditions or prolonged exposure to high
temperatures. This is a reminder of the importance of proper acclimatization, especially for those
returning to work after time off or new to working in the heat. In addition to water, the controlled use of
sports drinks or electrolyte replacements can help replenish salts lost through sweat. Please stay
alert to your body’s signals and watch out for your coworkers—early action can prevent serious
outcomes.

Water
The natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and
during work. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. You need to
drink 4-6 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of work. That can add up to a lot of water! Water is
the best, but it only helps you if you drink it.

Sports Drinks
Sports drinks don’t hydrate better than water, but you are more likely to drink larger volumes, which
leads to better hydration. The typical sweet-tart taste combination doesn’t quench thirst, so you will
keep drinking a sports drink long after water has lost its appeal.

Juice
Juice may be nutritious, but it isn’t the best choice for hydration. The fructose, or fruit sugar, reduces
the rate of water absorption so cells don’t get hydrated very quickly. Juice is a food in its own right
and it’s uncommon for a person to drink sufficient quantities to keep hydrated. Juice has
carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes, but it isn’t a great thirst quencher.

Carbonated Soft Drinks
When you get right down to it, the colas of the world aren’t good for the body. Soft drinks are devoid
of any real nutritional content. The carbohydrates will slow your absorption of water, but they will also
provide a quick energy boost. In the long run, they aren’t good for you, but if hydration is your goal,
soft drinks aren’t a bad choice. Avoid drinks with lots of sugar or caffeine, which will lessen the speed
or degree of hydration.

Coffee and Tea
Coffee and tea can sabotage hydration. Both drinks act as diuretics, meaning they cause your
kidneys to pull more water out of your bloodstream even as the digestive system is pulling water into
your body. It’s a two-steps-forward-one-step-back scenario.

Energy Drinks
Energy drinks are different from sports drinks, which are designed to replace electrolytes and
nutrients that a body pushed to physical extremes may need. When consumed in high enough
amounts over a long enough period of time, caffeine can cause changes in blood flow and reduce
insulin sensitivity, which affects the body’s ability to regulate sugars from food. In Germany, where
health officials have been tracking the health effects of energy drinks since 2002, adverse events
have included liver damage, seizures, racing heart rate, respiratory disorders, and even death.
Many of these drinks do not label the caffeine content, and some energy drinks contain as much