Does Hydration Help Improve Digestion & Gut Health?

With so much uncertainty in the world and online, one thing we can all agree upon is that water is essential for life. It makes up about 60% of the human body, and every part of your body, down to the cellular level, requires water and optimal hydration levels.

While we often associate hydration with quenching thirst, replenishing what was lost during training or out in the heat sweating or maintaining overall health, its impact on digestion and gut health is typically overlooked.

As a sports nutritionist, I can confidently say that proper hydration plays a crucial role in supporting digestive processes and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. While the athletes that I work with understand the importance of hydration on the playing field as well as when their training session or game is over, I make it a point to have them fully understand the role it plays in their digestion and gut health.

Why would hydration be important for digestion and gut health? It makes sense when you think about it. Your ability to break down, absorb, and utilize what you put into your body determines what you get out of the food and beverages, as well as how well you can perform.

In this article, we are going to dive deeper and look at the relationship between hydration, digestion, and gut health and why drinking enough water should be a priority for everyone.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and is not meant to treat or diagnose any condition. It is recommended that you speak with your doctor before starting any exercise program, making changes to your nutrition plan, or adding any new supplements into your current routine. 

The Basics of Hydration and Digestion

Before we dive headfirst into the specific benefits of hydration as it relates to digestion and gut health, it’s important to first understand the fundamental role water plays in our digestive system.

Your entire digestive tract, from your mouth to your large intestine, relies on water and proper hydration to function properly.

Water is a key component of saliva, which starts the whole digestive process in the mouth by breaking down food and lubricating it so that you can swallow it more easily. Have you ever tried swallowing a piece of food without cutting it? It tends to get stuck in your throat, right? That’s why you need to chew and add saliva into the mix.

As food moves through the esophagus and into your stomach, water helps to dilute the strong acids that further break down food particles. Then, in the small intestine, water aids with dissolving nutrients and helps them get absorbed into the bloodstream, where they are shuttled throughout the body and used.

How Hydration Supports Digestive Function

The above somewhat set the stage for us in terms of how digestion requires proper hydration levels. When you become dehydrated, it can throw off your digestion, which can potentially lead to health issues.

Below are some of the ways that hydration can support your digestive function.

1. Promotes Regular Bowel Movements

While being one of the most disgusting benefits on the list and probably the least attractive, the fact is that water and proper hydration play a key role in promoting regular bowel movements.

When your body is hydrated, the large intestine can more easily absorb water from digested food, creating softer, easier-to-pass stools. This helps prevent constipation, which is a common digestive issue that can cause abdominal discomfort, bloating, and even more serious complications if left unaddressed.

2. Enhances Nutrient Absorption

Adequate hydration is essential for the absorption of nutrients in your small intestine. Water helps break down food particles into their component nutrients, making it easier for your body to absorb vitamins, minerals, and other essential compounds.

Without enough water and proper hydration levels, your digestive system may struggle to extract all the nutrients from the food that you consume, potentially leading to nutritional deficiencies over time.

3. Supports Enzyme Function

If you find you’re not digesting your food very well, it may be stemming from a hydration issue. Digestive enzymes play a crucial role in helping break down food the food you eat into smaller, more easily absorbable components. These important digestive enzymes require a proper balance of water to function optimally.

When you’re properly hydrated, your body can produce and distribute digestive enzymes more effectively, leading to improved digestion and nutrient absorption.

Also, there seems to be a theory that if you drink water with a meal, it will dilute your digestive enzymes and cause poor digestion. This is not accurate. Drinking water during meals does not negatively affect digestion. In fact, drinking water with your meals can help your body break down and utilize the food you’ve consumed.

4. Maintains Mucosal Lining Health

Many times, when you have digestive issues, you think it’s something you ate when it could be you’re slightly dehydrated, and it’s affecting your mucosal lining.

Your entire digestive tract is lined with a mucosal layer that protects the underlying tissues from harm and helps facilitate smooth digestion. Proper hydration helps maintain the integrity and function of this mucosal lining, reducing the risk of inflammation and irritation throughout your digestive system.

Hydration and Gut Health: A Very Important Relationship

Other than its direct impact on supporting your digestion, hydration also plays a significant role in maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.

Lately, the push has been to focus on probiotics that help feed the good bacteria in your gut, but there’s something so simple that you can do all day long to support your gut health, and that’s drinking water.

Hydration is incredibly important when it comes to your gut health because the gut microbiome, consisting of trillions of bacteria and other microorganisms, is increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in overall health and well-being.

Let’s dive deeper into the relationship and how hydration can improve your gut health.

1. Supports Healthy or “Good” Bacteria Growth

A well-hydrated gut provides an optimal environment for beneficial bacteria to live and support your health on many levels. These good bacteria play important roles in digestion, immune function, and even mental health.

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By maintaining proper hydration and drinking water throughout the day, we create conditions that favor the growth and proliferation of these beneficial gut microorganisms.

2. Helps Flush Out Toxins

Proper water intake helps your body flush out toxins and waste products more efficiently. This is particularly important for gut health, as it helps prevent the buildup of harmful substances that could negatively affect the gut microbiome or lead to inflammation in the digestive tract.

3. Balances Stomach Acid Levels

Ensuring you are properly hydrated helps maintain the balance of stomach acid necessary for optimal digestion and protection against harmful bacteria. When you’re dehydrated, your stomach acid can become more concentrated, potentially leading to issues like acid reflux or indigestion.

4. Enhances the Gut-Brain Connection

The gut-brain axis, a bidirectional communication system between the digestive system and the brain, relies on proper hydration to function effectively. When you’re properly hydrated, you may experience improved mood and cognition, partly due to the enhanced signaling between your gut and your brain.

6 Important Tips to Help Improve Your Hydration

Now that we understand the importance of hydration for digestion and gut health, below are some tips you can use to ensure you’re getting enough water throughout the day:

1. Drink water consistently throughout the day, not just when you feel thirsty.
2. Keep a reusable water bottle with you as a constant reminder to hydrate.
3. Eat water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables to supplement your fluid intake.
4. Set reminders on your phone or use apps to track your water consumption.
5. Flavor your water with natural ingredients like lemon, cucumber, or herbs if you find plain water unappealing.
6. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake, as these beverages can contribute to dehydration.

Optimize Your Body Through Proper Hydration

The connection between hydration, digestion, and gut health is clear and significant. By prioritizing proper hydration, you can support your body’s digestive processes, maintain a healthy gut microbiome, and ultimately improve your overall health and well-being.

If you want to take things a step further and maximize your efforts, grab yourself a tub of Evogen Nutrition Hydration.

Our advanced hydration supplement is more than your typical sodium and potassium powder. What you get with Evogen Nutrition Hydration is a delicious powder that utilizes all of the essential minerals and electrolytes while also including powerful ingredients and nootropics to keep you focused and energized without the need for caffeine or stimulants. Grab a tub and try it today!