An important part of managing glucose levels and reducing glucose spikes is to ensure you’re drinking enough water every day. While drinking water alone will not lower your glucose, it will help you avoid dehydration, which can raise glucose (blood sugar) levels.
Staying hydrated can help keep your glucose steady throughout the day and sidestep health concerns commonly linked to dehydration. Data shows adults who drink more than 1 litre of water daily had lower instances of high blood sugar compared to those drinking less than 1 litre a day. (1)
Can water lower your glucose levels?
There is a strong link between hydration and glucose levels. Water is an essential part of metabolism and helps your body process carbohydrates properly, which helps keep glucose steady. When you are dehydrated, your blood volume is less. This causes your blood to become more concentrated, which results in higher glucose levels. (2)
Therefore, drinking enough water can help keep glucose levels steady by supporting digestion and metabolic processes as well as your cardiovascular and renal systems that work 24/7 processing and eliminating metabolic waste. (2)
How much water do I need to drink to lower my glucose levels?
The amount of fluid you need each day depends on a variety of factors like your age, your activity levels, the weather, and your diet. The recommended daily water intake varies but a good starting point is to aim for 6-8 glasses, roughly 1.4-1.8 litres from beverages, with total intake around 2-3 litres when accounting for the water content in foods like fruits, vegetables, and soups. (3)
Stay on top of your hydration by drinking early and often throughout the day. Many lifestyle factors can dampen your thirst, so you may need to be proactive and not wait until you feel thirsty to hydrate yourself. By the time you physically feel thirsty, that’s often a sign that your body is already mildly dehydrated, especially if you’re experiencing symptoms like a headache, fatigue, or dizziness.
Tips to stay hydrated for steady glucose:
- To remind yourself to drink regularly, you may benefit from setting reminders on your phone throughout the day to drink enough water.
- Start your day with a glass of water as soon as you wake up then have another glass with your coffee or tea. This helps you front-load your daily fluid intake.
- Carry a reusable bottle with you wherever you go. This will help you to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- If you struggle to drink plain water, you can hydrate with other no- and low sugar drinks, like flavoured water, sparkling water, zero-sugar carbonated beverages, herbal teas, or fruit-infused water.
- Be mindful when consuming drinks with caffeine or alcohol. While they contribute towards fluid intake, coffee, tea, and energy drinks all contain caffeine, which can have negative effects on glucose in some people. (4) Alcohol can raise, lower, or have a neutral effect on your glucose levels depending on what it’s consumed with. (5)
- Besides drinks, remember to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Most are high in water content, helping to keep you feeling full and hydrated.
How fast does drinking water lower your glucose levels?
Drinking water will not automatically lower your glucose levels, which is why remaining consistently hydrated (and avoiding dehydration) is important to prevent glucose spikes. If you notice you are experiencing a glucose spike, it’s a good idea to drink extra water and continue to hydrate yourself, but it’s not likely to directly reduce your glucose.
A final note from Lingo
Staying hydrated is an essential way to support healthy metabolism and steady glucose. Drinking consistently throughout the day is key. You should aim to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water, roughly 1.4-1.8 litres. Besides water, drinks with no or low sugar are the best beverage options for steady glucose.
Using a continuous glucose monitor like Lingo can help you understand your habits and patterns and work towards limiting glucose spikes.
Lingo is not a medical device and not designed to treat or diagnose any disease or illness. If you have medical questions or concerns regarding your glucose, please contact your doctor.