# Water Absorption during Shower? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 13, 2005, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427 "2005-09-13T15:08:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/21 "2013-06-27T18:48:05Z")
> [@Skammer](#): > > What about inhaling water vapor during a hot shower? I mean, the weight would probably be negligible, but that would at least be additional moisture entering your bloodstream. Or not? Your lungs need something close to 100% relative humidity in the air in order to work properly; your nostrils, trachea, bronchi and bronchioles generally take care of this. This is why your exhaled air is so moist. If you’re inhaling very humid air, this reduces the moisture requirement from your lungs; that is, it will reduce the rate at which your body _loses_ moisture, but it will not _add_ moisture to your body. If you live in an extremely dry climate (e.g. Boulder, Colorado in the wintertime), you can lose a lot of moisture just through respiration. As for the OP’s tale: > [@dolphinboy](#): > > someone else mentioned that taking a shower is equivalent to drinking 6-8 glasses of water. This is a pretty easy one to check: 1. Beginning in a healthy state of hydration, take a 20-minute shower. 2. keep a written record of your total urine output volume over the subsequent two hours. 3. the next day, beginning in a healthy state of hydration, drink 6-8 glasses of water over a 20-minute period. 4. keep a written record of your total urine output volume over the susequent two hours. 5. Compare the two written records. My prediction is a huge discrepancy between the two written records. ---
**Author:** ![DataX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DataX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataX)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/22 "2013-06-27T18:55:24Z")
> [@Mcmouzer](#): > > I’ve been working out for a year now. Went from 235 pounds to my current weight of 188 (depending on how hydrated I am). > > This morning, I weighed myself after my “morning constitutional” and before my morning 5 mile run. I weighed 186.5. > Then I ran 5 miles. > Weighed myself again and I weighed 185.5- a loss of one pound. > I then showered. After showering, I weighed myself again… > 188.5 pounds! > > So either my digital scale is whacked, or… > > One gallon of water = approx. 8 pounds. > There are eight pints to a gallon, so a pint of water weighs 1 pound. > > It is wholly conceivable that I sweated a pint during my 5 mile run. That would explain the weight loss of one pound. > > Important to note: > After sleeping through the night, I assume my body dehydrates, as I’m simply not taking in any water while sleeping. SO in the morning, I’m dehydrated. > I don’t drink any water before my run, because I can’t run far with anything in my stomach. Also- I’ve dropped whatever weight in urine and feces before my run, dehydrating myself further. Not to be gross, or risking TMI, I urinate at least a pint, and without TOO much investigation, I’d estimate that I drop at least a quarter pound in feces. > > So I’m dehydrated with clear bowels at the start of my run. > > The three pound of gain after showering MUST be from water absorption during my shower. In this morning’s case, I took a cool, prolonged shower (just to address the water vapor issue). > > My scale is a reasonably accurate standard bathroom digital scale. No matter where I stand on it, it rests the same weight. > > So my dehydrated state caused my skin to be dehydrated, and I must have absorbed three pints of water during my shower! > > Three pints sounds like a lot, but I don’t think my scale lies… > > My 2 cents. I highly doubt any “standard” bathroom scale is that accurate. I’ve heard of ones that will repeat certain measurements taken with a certain period of time though. And of course what you are saying is unknown to science… ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/23 "2013-06-27T19:44:42Z")
zombie or no you need to test the scales with dry weight. take 50 lbs of dry weight (exercise weights would work). adjust the scale to zero when its reading is stable. put the 50 lbs on the scale. record the weight. repeat 10 times. compare. you need to allow plus or minus for the variation you see (or is stated by the manufacturer) whichever is greater. you can’t compare with your body from one day to the next because of water on the hair and food, shit, water inside will vary. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/24 "2013-06-27T20:36:21Z")
> [@TimeWinder](#): > > Heh - three brilliant minds, all thinking alike in suspecting hair, within three minutes! Makes me wish we had a seriously accurate scale - mrAru has alopecia and absolutely no hair anywhere to hold water. [His normal comment is that he really misses his nose hairs:p] ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/25 "2013-06-27T20:40:33Z")
> [@Mcmouzer](#): > > So either my digital scale is whacked, or… Bathroom scales are not renowned for their accuracy. Especially if you change their temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/26 "2013-06-27T20:54:15Z")
> [@johnpost](#): > > zombie or no > > you need to test the scales with dry weight. After 8 years, the zombie’s probably pretty dried out. That might make it really absorbent, come to think of it. You’d think that a soggy zombie would weigh a lot more than a dried out zombie. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/27 "2013-06-27T21:02:30Z")
Since it’s a zombie thread anyway, I will pop in here with a rhyme that my mother taught me a long time ago, about how much water weighs: A pint’s a pound the world around That is all. Cheers, Roddy ---
**Author:** ![Whitney\_Harper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@Whitney\_Harper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whitney_Harper)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/28 "2013-06-27T21:58:56Z")
There are so many water purifiers for showerheads on the market, and that would make one think that the body does indeed absorb water. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/29 "2013-06-27T22:17:08Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > A pint’s a pound > the world around True or close enough for US pints. Imperial pints are 1.25 pounds (Imperial gallons are exactly 10 pounds of water), so over there, it’s “A pint of water is a pound and a quarter”. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/30 "2013-06-27T22:19:39Z")
> [@Whitney\_Harper](#): > > There are so many water purifiers for showerheads on the market, and that would make one think that the body does indeed absorb water. Would it? Or would it make one think that perhaps many people are gullible enough to buy a water purifier for their shower head? ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/31 "2013-06-27T22:27:52Z")
Do you mean water softeners? That’s actually pretty common but not because of absorption of water. I guess if you use well water for your shower, you might want to filter out lead or sulfur or other stuff (maybe chlorine, if you’re so inclined), so it’s possible to have a shower filter. But again, that’s nothing to do with absorption of water and with what _else_ is in the water. ---
**Author:** ![Lasciel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e79b87/32.png) [@Lasciel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lasciel)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2013, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/32 "2013-06-27T22:31:01Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > Would it? Or would it make one think that perhaps many people are gullible enough to buy a water purifier for their shower head? This is in no means intended to prevent knocking of gullible people who are buying water purifiers for the intent of absorbing water through their skins, but I will make two (three) notes: 1. some people (myself included) brush their teeth and drink from the shower. 2. most soaps and shampoos are designed to work with a certain level of water “hardness” or “softness” and the purifiers help with that, making the sudsing action work better (please note the cleansing action is not actually much changed by the sudsing, but it makes most people happy to have big foamy suds, so there it is.) (I couldn’t resist (Hi, Opal!) - 3) placebo affect - they think their water is PURE for their shower, they feel healthier because of it, they ARE healthier.) ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/33 "2013-06-28T01:07:12Z")
Also… recent research shows that pruny skin is not water absorption. After all, does all your skin everywhere become pruny? The pruning happens internally, not externally. It’s a bodily response to being in water. The leading theory is that it increases grip on slippery surfaces. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/34 "2013-06-28T01:18:07Z")
Was just going to add that, **moriah**. I didn’t know that back when this thread made it’s first rounds. The latest thinking is that raisin fingers are because of nerve response, nothing to do with dehydration or overhydration. Also, you have to pee after swimming because, well, you have to pee every couple of hours anyhow. But also because the weight of the water encourages fluid to move into the lymph vessels and ultimately to the bladder and out as urine. Swimming pools, and even bathtubs, are a common recommendation for reducing edema in the feet and ankles. It’s like temporary compression stockings, without the fashion crime. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2013, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427/35 "2013-06-28T01:23:13Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Sorry, untrue. We breath thru our lungs. NOT our skin. > > QtM, MD Maybe you are making too many assumptions about the posters who claim to breathe and hydrate through their skin. On the Internet, nobody knows if you’re a frog. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-absorption-during-shower/321427.md?page=1)