Not Drinking Enough Water Increases Stress Hormone Response, Study Finds

Not Drinking Enough Water Increases Stress Hormone Response, Study Finds
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A recent study conducted by researchers at Liverpool John Moores University has revealed that individuals who consume less water daily exhibit a stronger biological reaction to stress, Anadolu Agency reported. The findings were reported by Irish broadcaster RTE on Friday.

The study, published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, involved two groups of 16 adults each. One group habitually drank less than 1.5 liters (approximately 0.4 gallons) of water per day, while the other met the European Food Safety Authority’s recommended daily intake—around 2.5 liters (0.6 gallons) for men and 2 liters (0.5 gallons) for women.

Participants’ hydration levels were monitored over a week before undergoing a stress test consisting of a surprise job interview and a mental arithmetic challenge performed before a panel. Saliva samples collected before and after the test showed that cortisol levels, the body’s primary stress hormone, increased significantly more in the group with lower fluid intake.

Despite similar self-reported anxiety levels and comparable heart rate increases between the two groups during the stress test, only the under-hydrated participants demonstrated heightened cortisol reactivity.

Neil Walsh, from the university’s School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, explained that people who do not meet daily fluid intake recommendations are likely to be poorly hydrated. He noted, “What we didn’t know was whether, when you then stress those people under controlled conditions, they would have a greater stress hormone response.”

Walsh cautioned that elevated cortisol responses are associated with long-term health risks, including heart disease, diabetes, and depression. He advised that maintaining adequate hydration, especially before stressful events such as deadlines or public speaking, could have beneficial effects on long-term health.