Study Busts “Coffee Causes Dehydration” Myth

You’ve probably been told that coffee causes dehydration because it is a diuretic. It turns out that this widely-repeated “fact” is nothing more than an old wives’ tale. A new study conducted at the University of Birmingham concluded that “coffee … provides similar hydrating qualities to water” and that consumption of caffeinated coffee had no influence on hydration status. This means that coffee doesn’t encourage the body to pee or otherwise cause you to dry out more quickly – reassuring news for regular coffee drinkers who often hear that they need to drink more water. This isn’t the first study on this subject, and more research out there counteracting this long-standing myth is the first step towards getting a real fact out there in place of the old tall tale.

That said, you probably aren’t drinking enough water, so you might want to order an extra coffee or a cup of water the next time you are out so that you really do stay hydrated!