Body dryness is a common evil and has a lot to do with our lifestyle habits. This can cause your kidneys not to work well and pass less urine than average. Some medical conditions can also contribute to this, such as infections, heart problems, or the use of certain drugs.
Next, you will find in this FastlyHealarticle everything you need to know to answer your question: ” Why do I urinate little if I drink a lot of water? “.
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How many times is it normal to urinate a day if I drink 2 liters of water?
This question has multiple answers because we are all different, and the functioning of our body and, in this case, the urinary system is also other.
Some people drink 2 liters of water but eat many dry and astringent foods or have habits that generate dryness, so the water they ingest is not enough to hydrate their body. Others drink little water but eat foods that are more oily, buttery, or that contain the liquid in themselves, or else their body tends to accumulate more liquid. In that case, it is possible that even if they ingest little water as such, they usually urinate.
It is considered normal to urinate several times a day, without excessive foam and of a medium yellowish color (neither too dark nor too light), but the variations in this will depend on the state of balance or imbalance of your body. However, it cannot be said that it is normal to urinate 2, 3, 4, or 10 times since this depends on your individuality.
On the other hand, some people urinate a few times but in more significant quantities, and others go many times but urinate little. Therefore, taking into account the number of times you urinate also does not define whether you urinate a lot or a little.
It is considered that a person urinates little if he eliminates less than 400 ml of urine in 24 hours, this is known as oliguria, and it can be a severe condition if it is maintained over time.
Next, we will delve into why you may be urinating less than your body needs.
Symptoms of body dryness
There are many reasons why you may not be urinating enough, and drinking lots of water is not necessarily fixed.
When an organism tends to dry, it is necessary to review the habits, the foods you eat, and the imbalances to find the cause of that dryness. Some people tend more to dryness if they do not take care of themselves properly. It is even more critical to identify what happens to find a proper solution, not just a superficial one.
In addition to urinating minor, other signs can warn you that your body tends to be dry, such as:
- Constipation: that is, defecating irregularly, not doing it every day, with relatively dry characteristics (in balls), having gas, abdominal bloating, gastroesophageal reflux.
- Sed, dry mouth.
- Dry Skin.
- Dry hands and feet.
- Cracks in the heels.
- Tendency to have wrinkles on the skin.
- Eye bags.
- Light sleep, insomnia.
- Restless mind.
- Memory loss.
- Easy distraction.
- Joint problems
Why do I drink a lot of water and urinate a little?
Here are some medical problems, habits, and foods that can cause you to urinate little even if you drink a lot of water:
Gastroenteritis
If you suffer from diarrhea or vomiting, your body may be losing a lot of fluids. It is essential to avoid dehydration.
What to do? If you can tolerate liquids, it is necessary that you drink enough water, eat a very bland diet and that the foods you consume are somewhat astringent such as rice water, brown rice, apple, whole-wheat toast, and cornbread. Avoid all kinds of processed foods.
If you cannot tolerate fluids by mouth, you should go to a health center to avoid severe dehydration.
Infection
A severe infection compromising the whole organism can generate a shock. At such a point, the situation is serious, and oliguria or even anuria (lack of urine) can appear.
Typical symptoms of infection are fever, chills, pain in the body, headache, and, of course, inflammatory signs (swelling, redness, suppuration) in some areas of the body.
What to do? If you think this is your case, urgently, you should check if the amount of urine you eliminate has been reduced. If there is an infection, it will be investigated where it comes from, and accordingly, a treatment will be established, probably with antibiotics, among other measures.
Cardiovascular problems
Some severe heart diseases can lead to a sudden decrease in urine production, such as a myocardial infarction, heart failure, or pulmonary embolism.
There will be a lack of urine and other noticeable symptoms such as chest pain, pain in the abdomen, neck, or arms, shortness of breath, fainting, dizziness, palpitations, etc.
What to do? First of all, don’t panic. This is not the problem most of the time, but it is important to rule it out. If you have any of the above symptoms, I advise you to go to a health center to rule out the problem.
Urinary tract obstruction
There may be a break in the outflow of urine in the ureters, bladder, and urethra for various reasons. There may be inflammation, stones, and even a tumor. It is not the most common, but it should be considered.
This can cause you to have other symptoms such as abdominal pain, urination discomfort, fever, and nausea.
What to do? If you notice that you have a need to urinate and you cannot do it, you must go to a medical consultation without delay. There you will be questioned, reviewed, and searched for the reason for the obstruction if any. If it is an infection, antibiotics will be administered; there is medication to help eliminate them if they are stones. If it is a tumor, medication and, in some cases, surgery may also be required.
Rhabdomyolysis
It is about the breakdown of muscle fibers, which produces an excessive circulation of proteins through the body. This causes obstruction or damage to the kidneys and, therefore, decreases urine production.
Symptoms that may appear are: muscle pain, cramps, stiffness, joint pain, fatigue, and, in more severe cases, seizures, fever, nausea, vomiting, and a very dark urine color may appear.
Some possible causes of rhabdomyolysis are:
- Too intense muscle effort.
- Muscle crush accidents.
- Overdose of alcohol, cocaine, or other drugs.
- Severe and extensive burns.
- Drugs such as statins (used to lower cholesterol) or amphetamines.
What to do? An urgent medical consultation is essential since kidney damage can be severe. You should drink a lot of water and avoid protein overload of another type, something ubiquitous in athletes or those who follow a ketogenic diet.
Drugs
Some medications can cause you to urinate less than usual; some examples are:
- Some antihypertensives.
- Anti-inflammatories.
- Gentamicin.
What to do? It is essential that if you suspect that a medication may be related to your problem, you do not suspend it yourself but that you previously consult a doctor.
On the other hand, if you have abused medication without an indication, do not take drugs without consulting your doctor, and if the lack of urine persists, do not hesitate to go to the nearest health center.
Protein overload
Paleo, keto, or keto diets have become fashionable. In them, high consumption of proteins is promoted, which is not desirable, which has little to do with the normal functioning of your body, and which generates an overload in different organs such as the pancreas, the liver, and, of course, the kidneys.
This diet indeed helps you lose weight quickly, but at too high a cost for your body. Some symptoms of imbalance that you may perceive are lousy breath, odorous urine, dry body, constipation, dry skin, poor digestion, and reflux.
What to do? My recommendation is that you stop following this type of unhealthy diet. A diet must be directed to each person individually. All of us can’t work the same. It is essential to consider the imbalance you suffer and not just the extra pounds you want to lose. Thinness is not always synonymous with health, much less if it is achieved by harming our bodies.
Foods that dry out the body
This is a significant point and one that is not usually taken into account. Recommendations about the benefits of consuming supplements, nuts, raw foods, and others are extended. Still, the way to combine them is not taken into account, whether or not they promote digestion and whether, in each case, they are beneficial or not. That is why I give you some tips to prevent your diet from promoting body dryness :
How to consume nuts
You should know that everything dry will take moisture from your body. Therefore, it is essential to soak almonds, chestnuts, peanuts, and walnuts for at least 6 hours before eating them.
It is also essential to know that it is not good to mix them and that you should not consume them in large quantities. No more than 5 or 6 almonds a day, 7 or 8 chestnuts, 4 or 5 walnuts, and 15 peanuts.
Avoid processed
All foods that include preservatives, dyes, and other chemicals promote body imbalances and lower your energy.
Alcohol, coffee, tea, mate
Although they can be well tolerated in small amounts, it is not recommended that you incorporate them daily, much less in large quantities. What’s more, if your body tends to dry, you should rather avoid them altogether.
Incorporate whole grains
They are the primary source of regulation of the digestive system and nutrition of the tissues. It is not the same as refined products. Your diet must include whole grain rice, corn, wheat, quinoa, amaranth, millet, and barley.
About fruits and vegetables
Not all have the same effect on the body; some dry you more than others. Therefore, if you suffer from body dryness, I recommend that you avoid excess apples, aubergines, cabbages, and green leafy vegetables.
Cooking method
As well as the quality and type of food, its preparation is also essential. The pre-soaking of cereals, legumes, and nuts is very important. So is the way of cooking food. It is proven that your body tends to dry out more if you eat food:
- Toasted.
- Roasts.
- Burned
Habits that dry out your body
Some daily habits also contribute to dryness in the body and therefore make you urinate little, such as:
- Excess physical activity.
- Going to bed late at night.
- Excessive use of screens: mobile, tablet, TV, computer.
- Excessive mental activity.
- Lack of daily routines (eating at different times, for example).
What happens when a person urinates little?
If a person urinates less than 400 ml a day, he falls into a situation called oliguria, which is serious if it lasts over time.
Therefore, if you think this may be your case, do not hesitate to promptly go to a health center.
If your case is not so extreme, try to read the recommendations that I just gave you and look for what may be causing more dryness in your body.
If you do not urinate well, your kidneys cannot collaborate in the essential tasks they have to carry out, especially in cleaning and purifying your body.
This article is merely informative. At FastlyHeal .com, we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor if you present any condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Why do I urinate little if I drink a lot of water, we recommend that you enter our Kidneys and urinary system category.
I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.