# Do seltzer water or mineral water dehydrate you like carbonated sodas do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798 "2005-10-31T21:53:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/1 "2005-10-31T21:53:09Z")
Everybody knows that soda is a dehydrater, and you should never drink it when thirsty (especially not in a hot day!) Is it the carbonation that dehydrates you? And if so, does carbonated water- mineral water or seltzer water- dehydrate a person? That seems idiotic if it does :smack:. ---
**Author:** ![Beadalin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Beadalin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beadalin)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/2 "2005-10-31T21:54:23Z")
It’s the caffeine (and sugar) in sodas that will dehydrate you, not the carbonation. Go ahead and enjoy those bubbles! ---
**Author:** ![andrewdt85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@andrewdt85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andrewdt85)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/3 "2005-10-31T22:09:23Z")
Mostly the caffeine, I’m guessing, b/c sugary fruit drinks help hydrate you, albeit not as well as plain water (or water + salt, like gatorade). Right?.. ---
**Author:** ![Emerald\_Hawk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Emerald\_Hawk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emerald_Hawk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/4 "2005-10-31T23:17:42Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Mostly the caffeine, I’m guessing, b/c sugary fruit drinks help hydrate you, albeit not as well as plain water (or water + salt, like gatorade). > > Right?.. Caffeinated beverages do not dehydrate you. [This article](http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2497.html) answers the question quite well. Basically, soda is not the best choice to drink if you need fluids but it’s better than nothing. There is some evidence that caffeine might make you lose a little fluid but there is so much water in soda that it more than makes up for it. [Here’s another study](http://www.jacn.org/cgi/content/full/19/5/591) that backs up this assertion with actual clinical tests, although I think Coke might have paid for it. ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/5 "2005-11-01T00:14:04Z")
> [@andrewdt85](#): > > Everybody knows that soda is a dehydrater, and you should never drink it when thirsty (especially not in a hot day!) > . Everybody? It’s news to me. Frankly, I suspect it’s an urban myth perpeptuated by the health food community. Soda isn’t a great thirst \* quencher \* because it’s too sweet, but in a 20 ounce soda, you’re probably getting 19.5 ounces of water. So unless you’re a racehorse, you’re pretty much getting a positive fluid intake. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/6 "2005-11-01T01:16:00Z")
I suspect this myth has about the same factual basis as “diet soft drinks make you thirstier.” ---
**Author:** ![Loopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loopus/32/15343_2.png) [@Loopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopus)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-seltzer-water-or-mineral-water-dehydrate-you-like-carbonated-sodas-do/328798/7 "2005-11-01T01:26:28Z")
Since I drink almost nothing but soda, I’d be dead if they really did dehydrate you. (I drink caffeine-free sodas now, but not long ago I drank the other kind and was equally not dead).