GLP-1 drugs aren’t new on the market. They’ve been around to help people manage type 2 diabetes by mimicking the activity of the GLP-1 hormone. Recently, the drug has become a popular choice for the management of obesity, and even athletes have been turning to it to help them lose weight. The idea is simple: lose body fat and improve performance.
While GLP-1 drugs like Semaglutide are powerful, they can come with side effects. This raises a common question – does Ozempic dehydrate you? Let’s take a look at the use of GLP-1 weight loss drugs among athletes and why it may lead to dehydration. We’ll also share some actionable tips to keep yourself hydrated and look at the role of electrolytes while you’re focusing on hydration.
Does Ozempic Cause Dehydration?
The answer is a bit more complex than a simple yes or no. Technically, Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs don’t cause dehydration. It’s important to note that it’s not a diuretic. The drug doesn’t contain ingredients that directly force water out of your body.
With that said, for athletes, there’s a significant dehydration risk due to how GLP-1 drugs work. Thus, when asking, Does Ozempic cause dehydration, we need to look at the biological changes that result from the active ingredient in the drug.
There are three triggers that can cause dehydration among athletes on GLP-1 meds:
- Food Deficit: Hydration doesn’t just come from fluids you drink. An average of 20% of your daily fluid intake comes not from water or other drinks, but from the food you eat. GLP-1 drugs make you eat less, and this can already have an impact on how much fluid you get from your daily meals.
- Gastrointestinal Side Effects: GLP-1 drugs are known to cause issues with the gastrointestinal system. Apart from a lower appetite (which is desired in the case of weight loss), people often also experience diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Research shows that 11.66% of users experience these adverse effects. Vomiting and diarrhea cause a loss of fluids, further contributing to the risk of dehydration.
- Natriuresis: Another way in which water loss happens with GLP-1 drugs is natriuresis, where the kidneys discrete too much sodium. This can cause an increase in urination. While the effect is usually minor in healthy athletes, it’s still worth noting.
The combination here is what could be dragging down semaglutide athletic performance. When you experience too much water loss, it leads to dehydration.
Rayven Nairn, M.S., R.D., L.D., from Johns Hopkins University Student Health and Wellness Center, explains that:
“Dehydration is a heavy hitter when it comes to athletic performance.” – R. Nairn.
It’s important to understand that water helps your muscles function, moistens air for proper oxygen absorption, cushions your joints, and can even impact your mood. Combined, these effects can take a heavy toll on an athlete’s performance.
Why Drinking For Thirst Fails
Many athletes use the idea of drinking for thirst. It generally works really well. As you exercise, your body loses fluids, and your thirst increases. You have some water when that thirst hits, and this helps you maintain your hydration levels.
However, things aren’t as simple when you’re taking a GLP-1 drug. The main reason for this lies in the way these drugs affect the hypothalamus. While these drugs are known to help lower blood glucose levels and improve insulin sensitivity, they’re weight loss benefits lie in the fact that they lower your appetite.
This is also where thirst comes into the picture. GLP-1 agonists, such as Wegovy and Ozempic, bind to receptors located in the hypothalamus. The part of the brain they target is involved in regulating both hunger and thirst. When the drug lowers your hunger, it does the same for your thirst as well.
This means the classic advice to listen to your body can become contradictory. Since thirst signals are suppressed by the effects of these drugs, you may not know that you’re in need of water and hydration before problems begin to develop.
Many think that the classic Ozempic dry mouth would signal them to drink water. Yet, many athletes just rinse their mouths and go on with their activity. These GLP-1 drugs can cause dry mouth, often referred to as cottonmouth, but since your brain doesn’t signal thirst, you may end up ignoring this sign.
Developing a Hydration Strategy
Instead of relying solely on thirst, you need to develop a hydration strategy. This can help to reduce your risk of becoming dehydrated.
The key starting point here is to consider your dose of GLP-1 weight loss drugs, how frequently you exercise, and the intensity of your workout routines. These are important things to keep in mind when asking the question: How much water should I drink on Wegovy?
There’s a general recommendation of drinking between 2.7 and 3.7 liters of water on a daily basis. However, for an athlete who is on GLP-1 weight loss medication, it’s important to try and keep your intake toward the higher level – close to 3.7 liters.
It’s also important that you get your timing right. If you decide to drink a large bottle of water before you go for a run or an exercise session, then this could actually contribute to nausea. Remember that GLP-1 drugs have an effect on how quickly your stomach empties. It means you have to adapt to the slower stomach emptying process.
Start with about 350ml to 500ml of water or an electrolyte mixture two hours before your next training session. During your exercise routine, take small sips of water, about once every 10 to 15 minutes.
This will help to provide constant maintenance of fluids while you’re losing water due to increased sweating. It will also ensure you don’t overload your stomach, which could lead to nausea as a consequence.
Solving Muscle Cramps By Addressing the Electrolyte Connection
Increasing your water intake is a great way to reduce the risk of dehydration as an athlete on GLP-1 weight loss drugs. But, this might not solve common issues that athletes have, such as the semaglutide muscle cramps some complain about.
This is where electrolytes come into the picture. It’s about more than just the loss of water. You need electrolytes too.
To truly understand this, there’s a common question we need to consider: Can semaglutide cause muscle cramps?
GLP-1 weight loss drugs can have an indirect impact on electrolyte balance. This is due to the natriuresis that can occur as a side effect. When this happens, a lot of sodium is secreted through urine. Electrolyte imbalances can, in turn, cause you to experience muscle cramps.
Thus, water alone may not be enough to give you maximum performance while you’re on a drug like semaglutide. You also don’t want to flush out remaining electrolytes by adding a large amount of plain water to your daily routine. This is why it’s important to use electrolyte solutions to help maintain balance, while also keeping your body hydrated during your exercise routines.
Generally, you want to consider whether you’re experiencing symptoms of low electrolytes. If that’s the case, get a high-quality electrolyte solution that you can mix with your water. This way, you’ll be able to hydrate your body, restore electrolytes, and tackle these side effects simultaneously. This is especially important if you’re participating in high-intensity exercises or prolonged workout sessions.
FAQ: Does Ozempic Cause Dehydration?
Why is my mouth so dry during workouts?
GLP-1 drugs can affect your salivary glands, reducing saliva, and contribute to dehydration. During exercise, your body increases fluid loss through sweating, so this worsens the dehydration factor. These combined effects can make your mouth feel dry when you exercise.
Will drinking more water stop the nausea?
Yes, it’s possible that drinking more water can reduce nausea while on Ozempic or another GLP-1 drug. Dehydration can worsen the nausea and vomiting side effects of the medication. Just keep in mind not to drink too much water in one go. This could actually make nausea worse.
Do I need more electrolytes on Ozempic than before?
Yes, you’ll usually have to increase your electrolyte intake if you’re on Ozempic. GLP-1 drugs reduce your appetite and can cause a decline in fluid intake. It also carries a risk of gastrointestinal side effects that can further contribute to an electrolyte imbalance.
My mouth is dry, but I don’t feel thirsty. Why does this happen?
Dry mouth is a side effect that can be caused by GLP-1 weight loss drugs. However, since the drug also lowers your appetite, including thirst and hunger, you may not necessarily feel thirsty while experiencing dry mouth.
Final Thoughts: Overcoming Dehydration Risks While on Ozempic
While Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs can be useful for weight loss, there are risks that athletes shouldn’t ignore. The dehydration risk is very important, and you may not necessarily notice it right away. Yet, it raises your risk of injuries and can negatively affect your performance. Drinking to thirst is no longer good for athletes on GLP-1, but they rather need a solid hydration strategy to avoid this risk.
References
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12491879/
https://news.sanfordhealth.org/healthy-living/sodium-101-for-athletes
