Hydration has become a popular topic of conversation on the internet. The rise of “WaterTok” has internet users creating fancy blends of water and flavors, and products like the Stanley Cup have become popular as the ideal vessels for these enhanced waters.
In general, most Americans are not as dehydrated as they may think. While one 2018 survey found that nearly 80% of Americans claimed that they didn’t drink enough water, in reality, there is not much scientific consensus about the hydration levels of Americans, as previously covered by the Daily Dot.
However, that hasn’t stopped rehydration products from becoming popular. One such brand is Liquid I.V., which, per its website, has ingredients that allow the product to “hydrate faster and more efficiently than water alone.”
Now, a user has sparked discussion after claiming that the way you taste Liquid I.V. depends on your hydration levels.
Different hydration levels, different flavors?
In a video with over 1.2 million views, TikTok user @misoglazedsalmoninator alleges that, if you’re dehydrated, Liquid I.V. will taste different than drinking it while one is properly hydrated.
“So fun fact, apparently if Liquid I.V. tastes really sweet, it means you’re very dehydrated,” she says, holding a cup filled with Liquid I.V.
“This is unbearably sweet to drink,” she adds, taking a sip. “Like, it’s- oh my god.”
This has been a common claim on the internet concerning rehydration products for years. A post on Reddit from 12 years ago alleged that “you can tell how dehydrated you are by how Gatorade tastes,” with the poster of the thread stating that “it only tastes salty and chalky when you’re properly hydrated… You don’t taste it at all when your body needs the electrolytes!”
That said, there’s not much data to support this specific phenomenon, though there is some to explain why things taste different when you’re dehydrated.
“Dehydration can lead to an odd taste and other symptoms, such as dry mouth,” reads a piece in Medical News Today. “When a person is dehydrated, there is an imbalance in the levels of salt and water in their body. This makes the saliva rich in salty minerals.” It’s unsurprising that these changes would affect the taste of a beverage.
As a result of this lack of specific data, it’s ill-advised to use a difference in taste as an indication that you’re dehydrated—but if you’re looking for an explanation as to why things taste differently when you’re thirsty, this could have something to do with it.
@misoglazedsalmoninator the one piece in the back really ties this together #fyp #foryou #liquidiv ♬ original sound – ⋆✴︎˚｡⋆
Commenters share their hydration thoughts
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on Liquid I.V. specifically and hydration in general.
“Liquid iv is unbearably salty for me but I know I don’t drink enough so I dilute it SO much,” wrote a user.
“Idk im chronically dehydrated and i HATE the taste of liquid IV and gatorade,” offered another.
“As someone with POTS this is crazy cuz I always have to dilute it cuz it’s always SOOOO sweet to me. This makes so much sense now cuz I know I never drink enough water,” shared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Liquid I.V. via email and @misoglazedsalmoninator via Instagram direct message.
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