Nephrologist Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkök stated that there is a loss of fluid in our body due to hot weather by sweating and breathing from our lungs.
Reminding that the feeling of thirst is one of the strongest reflexes in humans and is directly managed by the brain, Nephrology expert Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkök said that while adequate fluid intake is important for all organs, especially in hot weather, it is much more important for kidney health.
Explaining that when kidney damage due to thirst develops, symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, weakness and muscle aches can develop. Dr. Abdullah Özkök pointed out that in this case, it may be necessary to check the kidney function tests of people with kidney disease, and to give intravenous fluids if necessary.
Pointing out that especially chronic kidney patients should be more careful in the heat, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Internal Medicine and Nephrology specialist Prof. Dr. Özkök gave the following information on the subject: “The kidneys of chronic kidney patients are more sensitive than normal people and can deteriorate more quickly. Therefore, thirst is more dangerous for these patients. For this reason, we advise chronic kidney patients not to go out under the sun in very hot summers and to increase their fluid intake. In addition, it is more difficult for our patients with heart failure and using high-dose diuretic drugs to maintain fluid balance in very hot summers. The doses of diuretic drugs will be adjusted by the physicians following these patients. People with kidney stones should not forget that they may experience kidney stone problems more often when they are dehydrated. Therefore, especially these patients should drink plenty of water to make 2-2.5 liters of urine a day.”
Although fluid consumption is important for kidney patients, Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkök listed his warnings for this group of patients as follows:
“We normally recommend fluid restriction in this patient group, as many of our patients undergoing dialysis do not have urine output. Because if too much fluid is taken, hypertension and heart problems may occur due to excess fluid accumulating in the body. In addition, we recommend that these patients do not go out too much in high temperatures and we loosen the fluid restriction a little. Our kidney transplant patients, on the other hand, should make sure that the water they drink is clean, since their immune system is suppressed, and they should consume bottled and closed water if possible. In addition, we do not want our kidney transplant patients to stay under the sun and in the heat for a long time and we recommend that they use protective sunscreen.
Stating that trying to quench thirst with sugary drinks in hot weather can increase kidney damage, Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkök cited a study on Central American farmers working in the heat for a long time, as an example. “Research has been done on the increased incidence of kidney failure in people who work in sugar beet fields for a long time under extreme heat in Central America, and it has been found that kidney disease in these patients may be due to recurrent heat stress. This may also apply to construction workers and other workers who work long hours outdoors in the summer. However, it has been shown that farmers trying to quench their thirst with sugary drinks increases kidney damage a lot. In hot weather, we should definitely not prefer soft drinks containing fructose-glucose syrup, which are very sugary. Clean pure water is the best drink.
In addition, Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Internal Medicine and Nephrology specialist, reminding that microplastics that can pass into water from plastic bottles can also be harmful to health. Dr. For this reason, Özkök said that it is appropriate to drink water from a glass bottle or glass carboy if possible. Stating that there can be soda among the liquids that can be drunk during the day to quench thirst, Prof. Dr. Özkök said, “But you should not drink more than 1 bottle a day. Especially those with hypertension and kidney stones should prefer low sodium-containing sodas.”
Saying, "There is excess and understatement in the water issue," Prof. Dr. Abdullah Özkök stated that the statement “It is healthy to drink a lot of water” is also wrong and explained the issue as follows: “As I mentioned, the feeling of thirst is a very strong urge in people. We do not expect dehydration-related kidney disease in someone who drinks enough water when thirsty. However, too much water is definitely harmful. As a result of “water intoxication”, we may encounter serious conditions called hyponatremia in the clinic. In this regard, too, we should avoid extremes. If you drink water when thirsty and urinate around 2-2.5 liters a day, we can say that you provide adequate hydration for your body.”
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