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How Dr. Peter Attia Learned He Was Severely Dehydrated

Many of us have no idea how dehydrated we are. Longevity thought-leader Dr. Peter Attia's recent experience with dehydration reminds us just how important hydration is.

Dr. Peter Attia, the great physician and thought leader in the longevity field, passed out in his hotel room, smashing his head on a desk and requiring stitches. He was dehydrated. If this can happen to someone as tuned in to his health as Peter is, it can happen to anyone. The guy is Stanford-, Johns Hopkins- and NIH-trained with a ton of knowledge around longevity, extending healthspan, and improving our wellbeing. With all of this knowledge and training, one would assume he was on the proper hydration train. That wasn’t the case. He shared a story that we might not be aware of just how dehydrated we might be. 

Dr. Attia shared that he never gave hydration much of a thought; he would drink when he was thirsty and he thought that that was enough. About a year and a half ago, he had donated three units of blood and then got on a 12-hour flight. A few days later, he stood up too quickly and passed out, falling into a table, sustaining injuries requiring forehead stitches and earning a couple of small scars. Had he been 20 years older, the consequences could have been much more severe. In fact, “dehydration impairs balance and can raise the risk of falls, a leading cause of death for seniors. Hydrating for longevity, therefore, means adopting strategies as we age that boost fluid intake, absorption, and retention.” 

We need to understand that there are many factors that can interfere with our normal thirst response: age, cold, fatigue, stress, and distraction can cause us to not feel as thirsty as we actually are. This is where Peter ran into problems; he didn’t feel thirsty. 

He is now understandably much more diligent about hydrating and uses the electrolytes that we are also big fans of: LMNT. LMNT contains 1000 mg sodium, 200 mg potassium, 60 mg magnesium, and no sugar, making their electrolytes the perfect ratio for proper hydration. We know that not drinking enough water is not good but many people don’t realize that just drinking water with no electrolytes, particularly with no sodium, can have negative health outcomes, too. According to the Mayo Clinic, “consuming too much fluid can be problematic. Some people are known to experience what is known as exercise-induced low sodium, or hyponatremia. Finding a balance is important.” They also note that if you exercise, “having a beverage that includes electrolytes also is important to replace nutrients and electrolytes lost during sweating, such as sodium.” 

This is why, every morning, we all at AGEIST drink 16-20oz of water with LMNT to immediately rehydrate ourselves. If we forget, the results are brain fog, irritability, and poor coordination. LMNT has perfected that balance. Learn from Dr. Attia’s experience and prioritize hydration; your body will thank you. To help you kickstart your healthy hydration routine, LMNT is offering a free 8-serving sample pack with any purchase. Right now my favorite is the Raspberry Salt flavor. What’s yours? 

And check out Peter’s new book, Outlive, which promises to be a must-read for anyone interested in living longer, healthier. 

See medical disclaimer below. ↓

2 COMMENTS

  1. Not to sound snarky, but he, as a health experts, should know to hydrate extensively after donating units of blood and before flying. Also, probably not wise to donate that many units of blood right before a flight. Glad he’s wiser now.

  2. I have to agree. I do think this is part of aging process. Realizing we’re not invincible and have to really pay attention to our bodies. My husband makes fun of me about my obsession with water intake. Headache? Fatigue? Cut your arm off with a chainsaw? Did you drink enough water today???!

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The ideas expressed here are solely the opinions of the author and are not researched or verified by AGEIST LLC, or anyone associated with AGEIST LLC. This material should not be construed as medical advice or recommendation, it is for informational use only. We encourage all readers to discuss with your qualified practitioners the relevance of the application of any of these ideas to your life. The recommendations contained herein are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before starting any new treatment or stopping any treatment that has been prescribed for you by your physician or other qualified health provider. Please call your doctor or 911 immediately if you think you may have a medical or psychiatric emergency.

Taylor Marks
Taylor Marks is a certified holistic health coach and professionally trained chef from The Institute of Culinary Education. Her passions include the latest research in health science, culinary arts, holistic wellness, and guiding others towards feeling their best.

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