It's a mystery

Mar 19, 2007 16:18

How can tea be a diuretic make me thirstier as I drink it if it's mostly made of water?

science, tea

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nplusm March 19 2007, 23:39:58 UTC
Chemically speaking, caffiene is an alkaloid.

As an alkaloid, it will react quickly with acids to create soluable salts. This means, when the alkaloid hits your blood, it reacts with the uric acid, causing a salt precipitate. Excess of salts in your blood are dealt with via the kidney. The kidney takes the excess salt and pushes it out in the urine stream. The more salt it collects, the more it creates urine to expel the salts. The more urine it creates, the more water it takes from your body.

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burgunder March 19 2007, 23:43:54 UTC
That makes sense and reduces the sensation that this (biology, body function) is all Magic™. Thank you!

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nplusm March 19 2007, 23:47:07 UTC
Please note that I don't have any idea why tea makes you thirsty :). This is just why caffiene generally is dehydrating.

That said, I once heard that if you put salt on your tongue and stare at a bright light, you'll create an artificial need for thirst, as your body has been programmed to respond to brightness and salt as causes of dehydration. Never tried it, though...maybe this weekend...

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burgunder March 19 2007, 23:48:08 UTC
This sounds like something that should be done in a double blind experiment before drinking a copious amount of tequila, I'm thinking.

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burgunder March 20 2007, 01:05:32 UTC
Ha! And shame on me for not realizing as I was contemplating my tea that I could not possibly have a more ideal friend to ask that you on this subject: not only do you have NDI but you're BRITISH! ;)

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