Vape Dehydration: What is it and how can you avoid it?

When you first decide to make the switch to vaping, there is a laundry list of things that you need to know and understand about ecigarettes to make your switch a successful and worthwhile experience. One topic on this list is coming to grips with the possibility of experiencing vaping dehydration—you will mostly likely experience this at least once, especially if you have just recently made the switch.  

By definition, dehydration is a condition in which the body has lost an excessive amount of water. Normally dehydration is caused by sickness like a high fever, vomiting or diarrhea. Or maybe you drank one too many beers at the bar the night before, or you did not drink enough water before your high intensity cardio workout. All of these things are the common causes of dehydration, but when it comes to vaping dehydration, the main culprit is propylene glycol—which we know is one of the four main ingredients of e-liquid.

This is due to the fact that PG is hygroscopic—meaning that it pulls water from its surrounding environment. With vaping, that environment is your mouth. The PG will pull water molecules from your saliva, the surrounding tissues inside your mouth, throat, nose and also the skin around your mouth. Other factors that can worsen the effects will be your activity level and the humidity and the weather around you.

Cusious about the differencves between PG and VG? Check out our eLiquidology: PG vs VG blog for more info >

Symptoms of Dehydration:

Dry Mouth:

This will be one of the first signs of dehydration when you are vaping. If you feel like your mouth suddenly has a lot less saliva, take a break and drink some water.

Yellow / Dark Urine:

This is a definitive sign of dehydration—the more dehydrated you become the darker your urine will be (dark yellow to brown). Definitely drink water ASAP! Keep in mind this adage my old high school track coach used to say, “If your pee is clear, hydration is near!”

Tiredness & Headaches:

These symptoms come later; you will feel more tired than usual—often when you feel you wouldn’t be. This type of fatigue usually comes on suddenly—so if this happens make sure you hydrate well. You will have a headache seemingly out of nowhere; it will be an excruciating thud that seems aggravated by simple movements.

One more thing about dry mouth is that it can also give you some bad breath (halitosis), along with more cavities, as your mouth needs saliva to keep clean and to keep those cavity-forming bacteria at bay.  Having dry mouth can also change the flavor of your vapor—this may be another sign that you can keep an eye on if you are worried about dehydration.

Solution:

Yes, dehydration is simply your body losing too much water and of course drinking water is key to avoiding this pitfall. But some vapers feel that having to drink water all day tarnishes their vaping experience. Some may instead decide to drink beer, coffee or tea, but keep in mind that these beverages can also dehydrate you more (this is why you use the bathroom more often while you drink these beverages).

If plain water is too bland for you, try flavored water; there are plenty to choose from out there. Or fruit juice, even better coconut juice, as it contains natural electrolytes that help keep your body hydrated. Many doctors and nutritionists recommend 8-12 glasses of water per day, one glass is only 8 ounces—I bet that it only takes you a few seconds to polish off a glass of water, so get to it!

Not only will staying hydrated keep your daily vaping experience a good one, hydration also greatly benefits your body and your health. So pick up that bottle of water and your LAVATUBE and get on with your day!

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