GLP-1s raise dehydration risk for a few possible reasons. One is the very mechanism that makes these medications effective in the first place.
People may feel too full to drink fluids. People taking GLP-1s shed pounds because these drugs suppress appetite and increase feelings of fullness, in part by slowing the rate at which food moves through the digestive system.
“Some individuals on GLP-1s may reduce fluid intake because these medications delay gastric emptying, and patients may feel too full to drink more,” says Marie Hiett, RD, a registered dietitian at Tufts Medicine Weight + Wellness—Stoneham in Massachusetts.
Cravings for water as well as for food diminish. Research suggests that GLP-1 medications target areas of the brain involved with sensations of thirst as well as hunger, thus muting thirst cues.
These drugs tamp down the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter made in the brain that’s known as the “feel good” hormone because it imparts a sense of pleasure. Patients may still find eating and drinking pleasurable, but to a lesser degree.
Less food often means less hydration. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics estimates that we get about 20 percent of the water we need from the foods we eat.
If the food you do eat is lacking in nutrients, it may also be low in water content, says Amy Rothberg, MD, professor of medicine in the division of metabolism, endocrinology, and diabetes at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and director of Rewind, a virtual weight management and diabetes treatment program.
“If you’re eating more foods like Doritos as opposed to fruits and vegetables, you may not be getting a lot of water from that type of diet,” she says.
Digestive issues can deplete the body of fluids. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea from GLP-1 use compound the risk of dehydration.
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