[Christopher Fillichio]

Christopher Fillichio  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
hello chris

I listen to your podcast while i am doing my elliptical machine for 30 minutes. i love the show. thank you for putting it on.

I have a question: does coconut water hydrate your body better than water ?

The best to all of you

sincerely

Christopher Fillichio
Boca raton, Florida

What do you think?

[SteveFish]

If you don't have some kind of electrolyte imbalance, rather rare on an everyday basis, plain water is the best. Further, for everyday activities drinking whatever amount of water for health is silly unless you feel thirsty. Your body has a very intricate mechanism for regulating your state of hydration, and has evolved to use only the most natural hydration liquid--- Water.

[maffsolo]

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

Might give an idea also

[LaurenaS]

Study shows that coconut water contains lots of vitamins and minerals and is hydrating especially after sport since it contains almost as equal electrolyte like sports drinks

[alancalverd]

Definition of osmosis

a process by which molecules of a solvent tend to pass through a semipermeable membrane from a less concentrated solution into a more concentrated one.

If you drink genuinely isotonic liquid, by definition it cannot hydrate you because there will be no net solvent exchange

Now consider a membrane separating electrolyte-depleted blood from a drink that would have been isotonic before depletion. Osmosis forces water out of the blood and therefore dehydrates you.

That's why you shouldn't drink sea water, which is pretty close to normal saline. Or, for that matter, "sports" drinks.

[Bored chemist]

If you drink genuinely isotonic liquid, by definition it cannot hydrate you because there will be no net solvent exchange

Isotonic glucose does fine. You burn off the glucose and the get to keep the water.
To an extent you can add alcohol to the mix- though that brings other problems.

[axscientist]

Scientists have found that water is NOT the most hydrating liquid around. Beverages with some sugar, fat, and/or protein actually do better at keeping us hydrated (but might not be very healthy).