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Why Does Drinking Alcohol Cause Dehydration?
Sick after two or three drinks.
I am 43 years old, 6’ 3” and 230lbs. To the age of 40 I have been perhaps more than moderate drinker. Over the past year I have stopped drinking altogether because of the sickness that would follow after having only two or three drinks over the course of a night. It would start in the middle of the night with a nauseous feeling and increased heart rate followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and cold sweats. By early afternoon I would feel good enough to get around but not eat anything that day.
By no means am I looking for a reason to drink heavily but I would like the occasional drink with friends and be able to handle two or three without the inevitable sickness.
I have tried many types of alcohol thinking it was an allergic reaction. I’ve tried light beers, dark beers, Vodka, Gin, Southern, etc, and have the same result with each. In the past I have been hospitalized a few times for dehydration relating to sporting activities and some just from alcohol alone. I was once told that the more frequent I become dehydrated the easier it can happen. Is it possible I’m experiencing dehydration from two or three drinks even if I’m drinking 3x as much water?
I am 43 years old, 6’ 3” and 230lbs. To the age of 40 I have been perhaps more than moderate drinker. Over the past year I have stopped drinking altogether because of the sickness that would follow after having only two or three drinks over the course of a night. It would start in the middle of the night with a nauseous feeling and increased heart rate followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and cold sweats. By early afternoon I would feel good enough to get around but not eat anything that day.
By no means am I looking for a reason to drink heavily but I would like the occasional drink with friends and be able to handle two or three without the inevitable sickness.
I have tried many types of alcohol thinking it was an allergic reaction. I’ve tried light beers, dark beers, Vodka, Gin, Southern, etc, and have the same result with each. In the past I have been hospitalized a few times for dehydration relating to sporting activities and some just from alcohol alone. I was once told that the more frequent I become dehydrated the easier it can happen. Is it possible I’m experiencing dehydration from two or three drinks even if I’m drinking 3x as much water?
Mon, 22 Sep 2014
well, if you're vomiting it all up, doesn't matter how much water you are drinking. sweating loses additional water. no, repeated dehydration doesn't make you more susceptible to dehydration. it just makes it statitsitcally more likely because the same things often recur. there are two very likely reasons why you're not going to be able to drink normally (and quite possibly more). First, some people, most asians, me, have a genetic predisposition to not break down some alcohol breakdown products that give flushing and nausea. Second, there is an automatic learned aversion to anything you repeatedly get nausea from (conditioned response).
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