Low carbs and thirst?

Hi,
 
Just a quick question......when i eat low carbs i find im thirsty all the time and drink lots more than when i have carbs in my diet....just wondering why that is?? I know that sometimes people can mistake hunger for thirst but im getting plenty of fats when the  carbs are low.....hmmm x
 
 

Not heard that one before...?

Tony Barnes


Not heard that one before...?

Yeah i was just wondering if there was a connection?? maybe not and its just me...lol

How low carb are we talking here?
I'm not eating many carbs at all at the moment really...cut out bread almost completely ... no rice, pasta, potatoes anything like that.  I don't feel any thirstier than normal!

Are you taking any additional supplements?

Im on low carb and do tend to drink more when low carb. Jim

If anything drinking more on high carb would make sense to me as the glycogen would pull extra water into your muscle..?

well it is probably a good thing as you should drink more water on a high protein diet. There's one possibly two studies that report no significant difference in perception of thirst between high and 'normal' protein levels in the diet but some think there may be a change due to the potential for diuretic effect. Can't think of any research that proved a link though. The urine becomes more concentrated and high protein intake tends to lower glycogen levels in the cell (taking the water with it) so there may well be.

I would look at what you're eating, the food choices you're making may just mean more total salt in the diet which would probably account for the difference.

It could be ketosis, this can have diuretic effect. I'm a little more thirsty than normal when I start low carbing (especially when i wake after not drinking in the night) but get used to it after a few days.

FrankenJim


Im on low carb and do tend to drink more when low carb. Jim

ditto but its just to try and fill myself up

To add to all the above valid points carb sources like cooked rice and pasta as well as others are all dietary sources of fluids.

60-75% of the mass of cooked wholegrain rice as an example will be water, to test this weigh your uncooked rice then weigh the same amount after cooking, the difference is water uptake of the food during cooking.

Another example would be 30g of uncooked oats, weighs a damn sight less than porridge made with 30g of oats the added mass is milk (fluid).

So its entirely feasable that if your carbs are that low you will be required to drink more fluids for normal function that would have normally been provided by your food.

RedHotF


How low carb are we talking here?
I'm not eating many carbs at all at the moment really...cut out bread almost completely ... no rice, pasta, potatoes anything like that.  I don't feel any thirstier than normal!

Hi..well probably about 30g or less a day for 5 days.....

selector


Are you taking any additional supplements?

Am only taking in a protein shake a day or 2 if i need it.Was taking kre a while back but am having a while off it.

Well i guess it must just be a mixture of slightly more salt in my diet although that has not been on purpose as i never add it to anything but have increased my intake of nut and red meat and things like low fat cheese.
 
 
 
Thanks for all your replies guys and girls much appreciated.....( as she reaches for yet another bottle of water)..lol x